# "Wicked Problems"



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

This Minnesota educator opines on the future and sustainability of Agriculture.....

Regards, Mike

http://progressiveforage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4915:common-sense-sustainability&catid=84:business-management&Itemid=118


----------



## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

I have a few thoughts on a couple of points in this article.

First. An increase in the world population of 2 billion over the next 40 years is pretty conservative. Other estimates range up to 4 billion more people in the next 20 years.

Second. There has been much ado about the amount of methane that cattle give off. But---Has anybody studied how much methane people give off? Not to mention other noxious gases!

There are an estimated 1.3 billion cattle in the world. There are an estimate 7 billion people in the world. That is about a 5:1 ratio of people to cattle.

The average weight of cattle, according to Wikipedia, across all breeds runs about 1600 lbs. People weight about 150 lbs, although in some areas, this is way low. So 10 people are equivalent to about one head in weight.

Now, cattle do not emit emissions from other methods, such as electricity production, fuel usage, home heating, etc. If we take those into account, I would guestimate that this puts the average human on par with with the average cow.

Hmmmm? Causes me to wonder if maybe we aren't looking in the wrong place.

Just thinking.......

Ralph


----------



## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Heard something the other day, one large volcanic eruption discharges more green house gases than all that man has contributed in the last 200 years. I'd like to shove that little factoid right where the sun don't shine on Al Gore.


----------

