@Allamanda I disagree with the article. It's been the same old story of use relying on technology to fix our messes. Technology, often actually makes the problems worse. I have a TED talk I have used for this issue but, if I remember, will attach it when I am on my PC.

Technologies are not just mechanical/electrical but can entail different ways of doing things. The "green revolution" used fertilizers and other chemicals to grow more food. GMO's use cellular modifications to grow more food. We cannot feed 7.6+ billion people using organic.

I once did volunteer work for the Nature Conservancy. In the area we were working was a huge area owned by Weyerhauser, the worlds biggest lumber company. At one point I saw a planting of thousands of sapling trees to be replanted when they got larger. At one point I saw men with masks pumping something in the soil. It was Methyl Bromide [epa.gov] This chemical gas kills all organisms in the soil so the plants can grow better. It has/is being used in California for strawberries and other crops so people can have them all season long. The real problem is, again, overpopulation. People use the cut and burn technique to grow more crops to feed their growing families. As you have see I refuse to take anything on face value. I will, however, admit when I have made a mistake.

@Allamanda Here is the link to the TED talk. [ted.com] Go to 14 minutes 20 seconds for a short piece on technology.
Also, I have been thinking about the 'planting trees.' I used to live in a big city, Seattle. Seattle is a very green city both figuratively and literally. It is one of the most beautiful cities in the country with the largest park system. My street was a wide long street lined on both sides, with trees. However, the variety of trees is very important. The trees in my part of the city were known as Hornbeams. [thespruce.com] Urban trees need to have a root system that will not invade the underground plumbing or tear up the streets. Mostly they are deciduous. Seattle is actually a drought area in the summer so the trees have to be able to withstand periods of no rain. The city has dedicated itself to planting as many trees as possible but that takes money and knowledge. I see newly planted trees with green bags at the bottom. This is for pest control and watering. Planting trees is often a science and is also heavily regulated. One cannot simply dig a hole and stick a sapling in it and walk away. It definitely involves technology. My best friend in Seattle is a landscape architect and he would agree.

@Allamanda The archipelago where I live was once clear-cut and the forests are 2nd and 3rd growth forests. Forests take a long time to evolve (too many trees and a lot of wood on the ground) and our forest show how bad things can get. There is also the issue of pests like bark beetle that proliferate in crowded and unhealthy forest and kill trees and lead to massive wildfires. Forestry is a science that often requires several disciplines. We cannot establish an old growth forest in a few decades and even trying to do so requires complex technologies. What is waste land? If it is barren there is a reason and it probably cannot support a healthy forest.

Unfortunately, many scientists are not in agreement on the ability of organic foods to support our huge population. Organic farms tend to be small and require a lot of human work (that is what we have where I live). There is also the problem of cleaning up the massive problems caused by the 'green revolution'. Many of the great lakes have become poisoned by farm runoff (fertilizers, chemicals, animal wastes). The big question is that we are not anywhere close to ZPG. 7.6 billion is expected to grow to as many as 9 or 10 before the close of the century. My question is WHY?? Why do we need so many humans? Why can't we see what we are doing to the planet and stop? Why are we so blind as to not see where we are headed? I have not closed my mind; I have studied, worked and even taught environmentalism for 20+ years. I could ask the same question for all those who are blind to the facts and start to see things from a reasoned and pragmatic (and, I might add, a humble) view.

@Allamanda I think it's what many in America want. Just need to get the right elected officials in office.

@silverotter11 Nations have tired to get the 'right' people in office but then the citizens balk at any serious moves toward preserving our life support system when they realize they will have to pay. The yellow jackets in France were formed because of a couple of cents rise in fuel costs. The politicians need to tell the citizens what needs to be done and the citizens need to do whatever it takes. So far few have had the resolve.

BTW, I am watching a new show on PBS about "the moving planet". The opening showing a small city in China is both impressive and scary. Now, they are showing a fishing village in Bangladesh that use a team (10) domesticated, smooth skinned otters to help them fish. The otters (they are sooo cute).

@JackPedigo On some other post about the ocean acidification I mada comment about how people would rather go down in flames than actually inconvience themselves to save the planet. It's just so pessimistic but sadly true. Yeah, otters are amazingly cute.

@silverotter11 If you get PBS watch the show. It's extremely interesting. The section on the otters is especially interesting and entertaining. Oh crap, now they are showing a shot, from the space station, of Rome at Easter. There is a huge crowd that can be seen from space of people at St. Peters square waiting for you know who.

Yes, even here is Washington we can't even get a carbon tax passed because it might cost a few pennies more for gas. People say they care for future generations but they sure don't act like it.

@JackPedigo Fist you had me giggling about the shot of crowds in Rome at Easter then bring me down with the sad truth of human laziness. Such is life in the USA. The one thing I miss about TV is PBS. The problem is programing on the east side is different that your area. It has to do with funding. Same thing with NPR (or is it now NPB?) some programs cost more and if the funding is not there we get a lot of food shows. The local npr radio station no longer does Fri and Sat. night jazz.

@silverotter11 Sorry to hear that. I know that money is critical for 'Public Media" and now give a donation in order to get the programs listed as 'Passport'. Sometimes PBS programs (like Nova) show up on NetFlix. I can get it on my computer but then I am a subscriber. [pbs.org] Our library carry a lot of PBS DVD's. BTW it is both NPB (NWPB) and NPR. NWPB is a local station out of Pt. Angeles (I think) and has classical music). NPR, in this area, is actually KUOW. I'm not sure about NPB as this is often mentioned on both stations. I get both.

@JackPedigo I have thought about becoming a subscriber but have not as yet done so. I already spend way too much time looking at the monitor!! Revamping my system so I could raise it up off my desk and be standing more would be better. I now understand why my mom liked having a small TV in the kitchen!!

@silverotter11 I imagine screen time is even worse during the winter. It is for me but there are lots of distractions. Summers are often full of other things.

then why do we sell weapons to foreign cultures?

@stepping because part of that money buys congressmen.

Duh.