OCEANOGRAPHY/CLIMATE CHANGE

NAMAZU SCHOOL      Links checked 8/31/2015                    
Can Urban Farming Go Corporate?

  As we have so often mentioned in the Namazu School our focus is on the measures that government, corporations, and individuals should take to position society for less trauma in the event of sudden drastic climate change. As described in previous postings the earth is constantly subject to the possibility of sudden drastic climate change from solar flares, orbit wobble, axis wobble, volcanism, ocean current changes, meteor strike, comet strike, or any combination of these elements. The scientific evidence is that this has happened in the past on more than one occasion and it is more probable than not that it will happen again. Ours is not the current debate over the effects of our carbon footprint which no doubt is having some effect on weather, and if trends continue could change the climate. The extent and nature of that change may vary depending on the effectiveness of the carbon reduction measures being taken and discussed now. In any event no one expects a dramatic climate change tomorrow. What the Namazu school is all about is the change that we could wake up to over night caused by of any of the big natural climate changers,  like a dozen Mount St. Helen volcanic eruptions around the globe in short sequence. How do we position society so that we don't experience mass starvation with the wide spread collapse of agriculture, especially in urban centers.

 As mariners a great source of cargo has been food stuffs. Maritime transport is an important part of the global food distribution system. But we do have to ask are our urban supply lines now spread out too far. Also, even if farming could be brought closer into the cities what type of farming could survive rapid cooling, heating, and /or drying. Previously we have suggested hydroponic urban "food factories". We have pointed out the Kraft Exhibit at Disney World as an example. Now Reuter's News service presents a look at someone who is practicing urban green house / hydroponic farming and trying to take it corporate.
Click on the link below to read all about it. Then we'd love to get your comments on whether or not the government should be encouraging this.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/22/can-urban-farming-go-corp_n_1693177.html

Below is a video about a non profit architectural firm with a plan that could turn New York self sufficient over about 40 years, their idea is driven by the the concept of insulating a large urban area from the negative effects of climate change. Thiss is the type of thinking we hope our readers will eventually bring to the NAMAZU school. http://on.aol.com/video/creating-a-self-sufficient-new-york-294373440