Natural Disasters / Economic Disasters

[Sledgehead]

Just so that the forum will be generally aware, America has a history of linked economic and natural disasters. Here are a couple of threads that show how the timeline of the Great Depression (1930s) runs in parallel with that of the the Dust Bowl (1931 - 1939). You'd think America would be worried about climate change. Ho-hum.....

Great Depression Timeline

Dust Bowl Timeline

[Guest magnoliawalls]

Quote from the Roosevelt in the Dust Bowl link

. . . the test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little

[Guest growl]

Just so that the forum will be generally aware, America has a history of linked economic and natural disasters. Here are a couple of threads that show how the timeline of the Great Depression (1930s) runs in parallel with that of the the Dust Bowl (1931 - 1939). You'd think America would be worried about climate change. Ho-hum.....

Great Depression Timeline

Dust Bowl Timeline

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Two very good links.

What I found interesting was how towards the end of the thirties the federal government set up a system where trees were planted in a mile wide area from Canada to Texas and used to create borders around farmland. A kind of big hedge around peoples land. also how the government paid the farmers to look after the trees. It seems that the rains came a year later. Which I think from my old school geography lessons probably came from the planting of these trees.

They say that NO will be rebuilt. I believe it will, just as they are rebuilding the world trade centre(s). It will be a matter of pride for America. Its just a shame that it seemes to take a disaster before things are made better. No doubt they will reconstruct the city, taking into consideration the canal and levies and will also probably rebuild above the sea level. I reckon it could take at least five years to ten before we see NO rise again.

[van hoogstraten]

there is an "unconventional" farming/irrigation expert in Australia who is gaining prominence - rather than clearing and ploughing the land he encourages the weeds to grow and then cuts them down - within a couple of years a self sustaining ecosystem is created and the land becomes green all year round

Edited September 3, 2005 by van hoogstraten

[Guest growl]

there is an "unconventional" farming/irrigation expert in Australia who is gaining prominence - rather than clearing and ploughing the land he encourages the weeds to grow and then cuts them down - within a couple of years a self sustaining ecosystem is created and the land becomes green all year round

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Isn't that the same as allowing a field to go fallow for a year. I think it went along the lines of...if you had three fields:

i) You grew wheat.

ii) You grazed cattle.

iii) You alowed to go fallow.

Then you swopped fields the second and third year. So that the field that had been manured by the cattle the previous year was now plowed and sown for wheat.

Before anyone says that doesn't happen anymore. It does in the surrounding fields where I live in north Hampshire. Also the farmer grows different stuff every year. This year its wheat again. Last year it looked like barley and the year before he had some weird vegetable that apparently they feed to cattle. Oh and the cattle look and seem quite happy, and the field that is allowed to go fallow ends up with some of the most beautiful wild flowers and butterflies anywhere.

I still believe you can prosper and look after the environment and ultimately the people. You just have to have the foresight.

[Vivaldo]

You don't have to plough to plant wheat and barley. In fact you can go for zero-tillage and plant the seeds with drills into the untilled soil. I've seen this abroad and it's also more seen over here these days. It's better for the environment. The above is called rotation and is a feature of good farming practice and especially of organic agriculture.

Edited September 3, 2005 by Vivaldo

[Guest growl]

You don't have to plough to plant wheat and barley. In fact you can go for zero-tillage and plant the seeds with drills into the untilled soil. I've seen this abroad and it's also more seen over here these days. It's better for the environment. The above is called rotation and is a feature of good farming practice and especially of organic agriculture.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

'rotation'...that was it. Yes I've also heard of the drill method. I haven't seen it around here yet though. Sounds like it might catch on.

To answer the topic though. Our government promised that it would sort out our own flood defences, and yet every winter we seem to have floods somewhere. I remember my own village was flooded two years in a row. One year twice. That was five years ago. The government made promises and then last year we had Boscom.

So I wonder if when we have the HPC will something else compound it.