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Decline of Species That Pollinate Poses a Threat to Global Food Supply

nytimes.com

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Re: Decline of Species That Pollinate Poses a Threat to Global Food Supply

#61

Post by givan »

jefurii wrote: post #46
adwn wrote: post #2

> The agricultural system, for which pollinators play a key role, creates millions of jobs worldwide. This sentence feels weird and misplaced. Compared with the agricultural system's main task – keeping us from starving to death – its role as a job provider seems utterly insignificant.

The problem is that stupid businessman just can't seem to get it through their thick skulls that the environment might just be important. The only language they understand is money. Gonna be the death of us all. Idiots.

People ask for meat, businessmans provide agriculture for the animals and the animals, why is only the businessman responsible? most of the agricultural land is not used for direct human consumption, humans need to stop being ignorant and start to change their habits.

Re: Decline of Species That Pollinate Poses a Threat to Global Food Supply

#62

Post by hga »

01Michael10 wrote: post #17
hga wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In this context, it's more a jobs thing, the basic foods which supply the calories which keep us from starving to death don't require pollinators, or at least bees. As I recall, going down the list, onions were the only one I'd really miss: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_crop_plants_pollinated... Note also that in the US honeybees are an invasive/cultivated species brought over from Europe, their travails are…

What? You don't think this is an issue because your McDonald's diet doesn't require fruits and vegetables? You need more than calories but also a thing called nutrients. That's your standard for a quality life? Well, I am not staving to death...

Without looking for veggies that don't need pollinators, in a pinch, sprout your grain, although that won't take care of your Vitamin C requirement. Better, as some POWs held by the Japanese in WWII did, use a bacteria or mold to convert the starch to sugar, then culture yeast in that. By the end of the war, they were healthier than their guards.

Re: Decline of Species That Pollinate Poses a Threat to Global Food Supply

#63

Post by Joof »

swe wrote: post #54
Joof wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe, but losing pollinators probably means the loss of thousands of plant species. Wealthy countries who have industrial agriculture will be fine (although arguably the world will be poorer for the loss), but poor countries will be 100% fucked if they lose their pollinators.

Losing the pollinators is part of an unravelling ecosystem. If you think you're safe in your bubble, you won't be.

Okay in the sense that we won't immediately die because we can make up for it (although it won't be nearly as good). Losing honeybees is still easily one of the most pressing issues.

Re: Decline of Species That Pollinate Poses a Threat to Global Food Supply

#64

Post by hidroto »

cfontes wrote: post #13
coldcode wrote: post #9

Once the availability of food declines people will decide to do something about it. The only question is is it then too late? Or is it to late for some and not others?

Things are always done at the last minute... We Humans as a group seam to only respond to people dying in huge numbers. Just look at all other cases of man made disasters all were known to be around long before it happened and nothing was done to prevent them.

>Just look at all other cases of man made disasters all were known to be around long before it happened and nothing was done to prevent them.

This ignores the would-be disasters that were prevented.now i don't know any of the top of my head and i imagine that they would be hard to find as they would get less press.

Re: Decline of Species That Pollinate Poses a Threat to Global Food Supply

#65

Post by ljf »

frik wrote: post #37
JoeAltmaier wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's a lot of conspiracy theory in one sentence. I'd be disappointed if the WHO ran after every breath of witchcraft published in somebody's blog.

I meant news stories from real rather reputable newspapers, not from random blogs. Call it what you want. We just need objective independent research about that topic, opinionated one won't help general public nor the bees and other declining species.

Genuinely interested, so if you do have any links it would be great.
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