[Greenbuilding] bio fuels and ethenol

[Tim Martens]

Dan,

It isn't the crop that destroys the soil, it is the farmer. 

Todays corporate farming practices with giant soil compacting machines, hazardous chemicals that destroy biological associations in the soil,  tile draining fields that wash nutrients and remaining chemicals straight off of the field and into the streams and lakes, vast flattened fields without corridors and other windbreaks to reduce soil from disappearing, and expanses of identical and genetically altered and vulnerable crops that are susceptable to destruction from one pest or other natural hazard that are to blame for destroying the soil.

I agree that organic farming, in and of itself, is a bit of a joke. I've watched organic farmers do some of the same things as mentioned above.  Biodynamic, (though I need to read up some more on this) sounds like a word that encompass some of the responsabilities that soil requires to truely support crops that increase in yield every year and continue to improve and provide. It's an ecosystem approach, inclusive of humans, animals and pests (so-called), that needs to be in place.

Of course, this doesn't happen in too many places that I know about.

Corn requires large inputs to survive and without proper farming practices will eventually depleat the soil of nutrients. Please explain why soybeans are soil destroyers since they are legumus and naturally fix nitrogen.  I don't know about sugar cane, you know, being from the Great White North an' all.

So, by your logic, we should continue destroying the planet because we are destroying the soil?

 How about deciding not to destroy the environment with exess carbon and not destroying the soil as well? 

Tim Martens