Uk 'moving Into Ecological Debt'

[slinkydevil]

I have always believed that a nation should try to feed itself. There are a number of good reasons for that, some of which Britain discovered during WWII. As oil prices and sea levels rise, we may quite soon be wishing that we were more self-sufficent here on the island.

 

S

 

This goes along with my subsistence farming post in the Isle of Man thread: http://www.manxforums.com/forums/index.php...st&p=418130

 

I agree with Sebrof, it's something we could do well here and it could go hand in hand with other services we are good at. I'd like to see at a better use of the land here for self-sufficiency on the Island, at least steps in that direction over the coming years.

[sorley]

Guess this fits in with this thread

 

The Uk government has set out were it wants to build some new nuclear power stations today, thankfully the Scottish government has said no thanks, However I guess the cumbrian and anglesey sites might be of interest to the Manx and Irish governments

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7999471.stm#map

[Moghrey Mie]

Unfortunately the IOM government is only opposed to Sellafield -not to nuclear as such.

[gazza]

would be mass starvation in a matter of a few weeks and all the lights would go out after a similar period.

 

well thay woulden, that multi million pound gas pipe!!!!!,

plus the elec cable to feed us back,

 

but yes the rest we fubar

[theman]

how long can you wait till the power go's out to mate. "run for the hill's"!! lmao

[Sebrof]

I agree with Sebrof, it's something we could do well here and it could go hand in hand with other services we are good at. I'd like to see at a better use of the land here for self-sufficiency on the Island, at least steps in that direction over the coming years.

 

It's interesting that in Central Europe the use of allotments is much more widespread than in the British Isles. They also tend to be much larger. Obviously land is cheaper there because of lower population density, but as we appear to have surplus agricultural land, it's a shame we don't make better use of it.

 

S

[manshimajin]

It's interesting that in Central Europe the use of allotments is much more widespread than in the British Isles. They also tend to be much larger. Obviously land is cheaper there because of lower population density, but as we appear to have surplus agricultural land, it's a shame we don't make better use of it.

Warsaw had some wonderful (and very interesting) allotments - of course the developers were trying to get their greedy hands on them as 'prime development land'.

 

I was talking to someone who dives a lot here. He was quite depressed by the depredation of the sea bottom in recent years. Is sustainable aquaculture another area we should be taking seriously both for ourselves and as an export industry. For example:

The Irish seaweed industry employs nearly 500 people (full-time and part-time), exports 85-90% of its produce, and had a turnover of over €12 million in 2003. This somewhat unusual industry has a very high employment: export ratio, activity is mostly concentrated on the western seaboard, and most collection takes place in areas that are - by European Union standards - severely disadvantaged.

[gazza]

, but as we appear to have surplus agricultural land, it's a shame we don't make better use of it.

 

S

 

wheres that then!!!

[Sebrof]

, but as we appear to have surplus agricultural land, it's a shame we don't make better use of it.

 

S

 

wheres that then!!!

 

I was talking about the British Isles generally:

 

"the use of allotments is much more widespread (in Central Europe) than in the British Isles."

 

S

[Evil Goblin]

Not even spuds and herrin' these days.

 

Most things are brought in by boat or plane.

 

But there is constant wind blowing across the island that could be used to make electricity.

But I can't see building a wind farm outside Tynwald is a viable proposition.