Richard Keene wrote:
>
>I seem to remember an article about the ecological impact
>of Greek farming (fairly primitive).  The farming caused
>intense erosion, causing the collapse of many scocieties.

Cutting too much trees (mainly for constructing ships)
is what mainly caused erosion in ancient mediterraneum.
Results can be seen until today.

>The idea that early farming was in harmony with nature
>is not realistic.  They basicly strip-mined the land for
>nutrients, then moved on.

I had in mind "linearband" culture, the first 400 neolithic
years in Europe. I studied that culture a bit and it fascinates me.
After that, it was not as friendly because settlements got attacked.

Agriculture here was lasting for thousands of years
... actually up to now.
Nomads "move on", farmers stay.

>  What we are doing now is
>only slightly better.
What "we" are doing now is much worse IMHO.
Soil is lost. How long will it last?
That's not agricultures fault.
It's the way *how* we do it.
Why should we. Why do we need so exorbitant high harvests?
We can make it better.
I think everybody decides what happens on earth in the very moment
he or she spends money.

Amadeus


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