The bioregional quiz asked many detailed questions regarding
the environment and the surroundings of a homestead. The person taking the quiz
is expected to know facts such as the local watershed, native trees and plants
and the destination of residential waste. This quiz proved to be extremely
challenging, as a fairly widespread knowledge of local ecosystems and resources
is needed for an excellent score, which many do not have. The typical American
without a previous interest in the topics questioned would receive a fairly low
score. The quiz reveals a lack of knowledge in a specific area which entices
the user to research the topics and become better educated to fill that gap.
Bill McKibben spoke in the Eaarth podcast about the fact that the Earth has already hit its limit as
far as population and damage to the environment. Today is too late to stop the
small changes as a result of overpopulation and environmental damage, but a
catastrophic event may or may not be preventable. This rapid growth is due to
the availability of cheap fossil fuels. There is a challenge to have growth
without consumption of resources and space. The key to recovering is local agriculture
that utilizes much more labor intensive work with many more jobs. Federal
subsidies encourage large scale genetically modified crops with little labor or
jobs. A single widespread farming method will not work across the globe. Each
region needs to use the best techniques for themselves. Rather than growing as
fast as possible, the population needs to slow down and fix the issues facing
the world today. McKibben supports a local agriculture-based world with a close
community like a small city.
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