10 replies to this topic

[katniss]

Quote

Agricultural pesticides are causing significant damage to the Great Barrier Reef, according to a new Australian government report on water quality at the site.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...acific-14516253

The world can not sustain itself if we destroy it on a daily basis! we need to slow down a bit and start doing things our ancestors did to survive or atleast try to integrate greener ideas into how we farm. But who will listen? If money is to be made , then humanity and all living things around it are subject to being pushed aside!

[angeldrb]

No, not the Great Barrier Reef! More environment-friendly pesticides should be introduced to those sugar cane growers. These coral reefs are just too vital to the aquatic animals. They shouldn't be destroyed like that.

[mariaandrea]

Sad news. What I always find interesting is to look at what is being grown, how and why. In this case, sugar cane production plays a large role. And while I don't think the answer is to entirely give up sugar, or the jobs that go along with it and the effects on local economies, we do need to look at personal consumption and realize that the the cookie or piece of cake or the sugar we put in our tea may be helping to kill the Great Barrier Reef. Can't give up sugar for yourself? Do it for the coral.   And yes, this is simplistic, but I just wanted to illustrate that the seemingly insignificant choices we make daily usually have global repercussions we're not always aware of. This is the part of the article that got me thinking about this:

Quote

The government agrees that farmers have been using more environmentally friendly methods, but says those improvements had been undermined by Cyclone Yasi.
There have been calls from conservationists to limit the use of pesticides and to ban certain weed killers.
But sugar cane producers have argued that there are no alternatives to adequately protect their crops.

[tri-n-b-helpful]

Here's a bit more information as well:

http://thinktosustai...s/#.T43w3dn0rcs

I'm sure there are many different views on the subject depending on which media outlet we prefer.

What is interesting is that we rely on a United Nations report instead of investigating this ourselves.

Sugar cane has been very successfully grown organically for decades in NSW (just to the south of QLD). They bottle the pure juice and you can drink it by the gallon over there! It's really nice and very, very healthy:

http://byroncanejuice.com/

[mariaandrea]

tri-n-b-helpful, on 17 April 2012 - 02:54 PM, said:

Here's a bit more information as well:

http://thinktosustai...s/#.T43w3dn0rcs

I'm sure there are many different views on the subject depending on which media outlet we prefer.

What is interesting is that we rely on a United Nations report instead of investigating this ourselves.

Sugar cane has been very successfully grown organically for decades in NSW (just to the south of QLD). They bottle the pure juice and you can drink it by the gallon over there! It's really nice and very, very healthy:

http://byroncanejuice.com/

That's the way of it with most agricultural products - they can be done organically and sustainably.

And, I've read about cane juice but I've never had any and I've never seen it in the stores here. Disappointing, because it sounds fantastic. I really need to schedule a trip to Australia...

[dissn_it]

I sure hope they do something about this soon. Loosing the Great Barrier Reef would be just be terrible. It sounds like it is more than just sugar cane pesticide to worry about.  A rapid growth in coal, oil and gas exploration are now a threat to the reef as well. The concern is the large ships not only traveling through the coarl reefs but spills from them would be disasterous. Alaska is still dealing with the Exxon Valdez mess.
Read more here: http://www.guardian....eef-mining-boom

[Shortpoet-GTD]

And how many times per day do the commercials run for roundup and other "weed" killers?

monsanto, bayer, dow, basf are the corporations responsible for these toxins and they keep pushing them.

Too many people are too lazy to weed by hand, so they squirt toxins into the soil to kill a harmless dandelion.
Imo, let it be. It's a pretty yellow flower that turns into a beautiful, wispy ball of seeds. Stunning.
Let it be.
Other weeds that aren't so desirable in the yard? Pull em up by hand or spray vinegar on them.

[artistry]

The profit margin is their only concern probably. No one is in their face shouting loudly, that they should stop, so they continue pushing the destruction. The potency of the pesticides could more than likely be reduced, but it probably won't be. Nothing is thought out about the harn. They just keep on trucking. Sad..

[Shortpoet-GTD]

artistry, on 18 May 2012 - 04:42 PM, said:

They just keep on trucking.

Oops-showing your age here if you know that phrase.
(I still have that patch sewed onto an old backpack I won't let go.)

Pix
Sorry off topic-but it zapped me back in time, so I had to post it.

Back to the reef.

[zararina]

It was true that we should use the old way of farming which is with the use of  natural fertilizers. Capitalists there just think of how much they will earn and live their lives without thinking for the effects it will caused specially for the future or next generation. Better for them to look for more earth friendly fertilizers and they should be stopped as soon as possible.