Water is essential to every living being and water can heal. This is the idea that I have embraced because of how it acts as a means of cleansing our bodies and providing us with clarity. The nature of water is that whether we consume it, swim in it or we bathe in it, we are filled with a sense… Read more »
Fossil fuels are everywhere, even in our food. As we learned in week 6, oil is used to power the heavy machinery used on industrialized farms, it is in the fertilizer in the form of petroleum, it is in the plastics that are used to neatly package our food, and it is used to power the planes, trains and automobiles… Read more »
In the West, where fresh water is taken for granted, we are beginning to see the possibility of our water reservoirs depleting. Some states in the USA are already noticing consequences of misusing freshwater, such as California, which hasn’t seen a regular rain for the last four consecutive years (Egan). Many California residents have taken measures to reduce their water… Read more »
The ancient wisdom presented by Anupam Mishra his TED Talk showcased a number of things. Not least of those is the contrast in thinking between the time tested solutions that still work, that were designed and built on the foundation of community, and the money grubbing greed that compels Ivy league institutions and other universities to “invest” in African farmland…. Read more »
Land and water are fundamental concepts that are deeply rooted in the understanding of the political ecology of the world food system. Essentially every industry is in some way or another based on land. Politically speaking land is the most desirable asset because of the minerals and potential opportunity to generate desirable goods and services. Coupled with humanity’s need for… Read more »
One thing has become clear throughout our studies in this course, the status quo is not sustainable. If we as a global society continue on the path we are on, it will only lead to greater hardship in the future. Populations are rising and consumption is increasing throughout the world. At the same time necessary resources are being depleted and… Read more »
Our environment and the natural resources within it have quickly become a topic of scarcity and political power. One of the most valuable natural resources has developed an new competitive market across the world. By the time we enter the year 2100, experts predict that over half the world’s population will experience water scarcity. Like drilling for oil, the most… Read more »
Although we learn about the issues of food, energy, and the climate in different lessons, it’s clear they are all connected. The purpose of our study is to understand the political ecology of the global food systems and try to answer the seemingly simple question, how can we feed everyone? This is a problem that humans have struggled with since… Read more »
Western institutes employ thousands of people, allocating financial and agricultural resources in attempts to contain the problem of hunger in developing nations, but these efforts aren’t enough. An obvious solution to hunger is… send hungry people food! But the cost of transportation, in dollars as well as environmental pollutants, creates more problems than it solves (Robbins). Instead of providing consistent aid… Read more »
The industrial revolution brought with it numerous benefits for the modern age. Perhaps most significant is the technology that has made it possible to feed 7 billion people worldwide. The improvements in industrialized farming equipment made farming more efficient, producing higher yields while expending less energy for the farmers. However, less energy spent by people, cattle and horses to operate… Read more »