Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Environmentalists Terminate Hamakua Dairy
#11
The Hamakua dairy closing comes at the same time as protests over the Hu Honua Bioenergy plant, so it's worthwhile to discuss these operations.

Should there some some allowable runoff of effluents along the Hamakua Coast, relative to other Hawaii shorelines? This 40 mile coast drops into deep water, and is virtually devoid of reefs, lagoons, and swimming sites. Strong oceans currents push along the whole coast, dispersing effluents.

But the answer here is No. Violation of the federal Clean Water Act.

Perhaps a bigger issue is nearby residents bothered by the dairy. This is not unique to Hawaii; it happens on the mainland all the time now, people moving to rural areas and opposing farm operations: smells, dust, effluents, animals. Historically in most of the world, people who lived in rural areas were involved in farming in some fashion. No longer.

The upshot is that we will continue to pay more for food, as restrictions on agricultural operations increase nationwide. Let's not complain when food prices rise.

And what about the so-called toxins at the bioenergy plant? How dangerous are they? There seems little doubt that proponents of a pristine Hamakua environment will work just as hard to shut down Hu Honua.

I guess we will simply rely on tourists for our economy. Any industry that discharges the slightest pollutants will be disallowed. Interesting that there has never been an Environmental Assessment of the impact of Hawaii's Visitor Industry.
Reply
#12
How many bison, elephants, wildebeast were there historically compared to how many cattle there are today? Are natural methane producers the problem? If eliminating livestock is a valid strategy, what about those animals?
Reply
#13
"I guess we will simply rely on tourists for our economy"

No, they want to kill that too. See vacation rentals threads.
Reply
#14
We could learn from the Amish...

https://youtu.be/ikjbJbF3-Lw
Reply
#15
"Perhaps a bigger issue is nearby residents bothered by the dairy."

I don't think so. I think the issue is basically a corporate approach to dairy.

In days not too long past a daisy farm produced its own corn and hay. That required fields. The spreading of manure was spread on the fields as fertilizer. A rather neat cycle in and of itself.

Without pastures and fields to fertilize the cows are kept indoors and feed is imported. No use for the manure except to pump it into ponds which are inadequate to the task. Pumping manure into ponds without a use for it will always exceed capacity.

So the solution is not, in my opinion, dumping manure on neighbors and in the ocean. The solution is to use the manure as a fertilizer. The field acreage would (or should) be in proportion to the size of the herd. The need for fertilizer would be in proportion to the herd. As it is the herd is out of proportion to the ability to deal with the manure which, in the case of corporate methods, becomes as waste stream instead of a fertilizer stream.
Assume the best and ask questions.

Punaweb moderator
Reply
#16
The people you proudly re-elect, and their allies, are destroying you on a daily basis.

Speaking Truth to Lies / Facts to Ignorance
Reply
#17
"The solution is to use the manure as a fertilizer. " Good point. That's essentially organic farming. Would work. But unfortunately we have fewer and fewer people who want to be involved in farming in any way. And commercial fertilizers are probably cheaper.

Seems we're moving inevitably to large scale agriculture.
Reply
#18
If only more land that was zoned Ag, was actually used for ag... There might be a use for all that fertilizer.

I have a sudden craving for popcorn..
Reply
#19
quote:
Originally posted by glinda

Next environmentalist target...

Am I right to assume any regulation of any kind is too much regulation for you MarkD? Or is it just environmental regulations?

The environment is just pretense.The goal is destroying your freedom, a process Puna residents seemingly are more-than-happy to assist in.

Speaking Truth to Lies / Facts to Ignorance
Reply
#20



If FDR had lived long enough to bring about his second bill of rights, guaranteeing everyone the right to a decent job, a home, and food on the table, then we would have something approximating "freedom". As it is, the entire damn nation is bound by a capitalist machine that grinds up the worker so the rich guys get richer, and the middle class disappears more and more. We don't have anything even resembling freedom, we are all slaves to the wage machine, and it's been like this for at least a decade.

Aloha Smile
Aloha Smile
Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)