On the talking heads programs this morning I heard quite a few people complaining about the fires in Brazil. I think we should all be able to agree that’s a Bad Thing.
However, I’m a bit confused. Are people unaware that Brazil is another country? What do they have in mind for our controlling what Brazilians do? How will changing our behavior change the behavior of Brazilians?
Forest clearing and the burning of slash is the primary cause of Amazonian forest wildfires and has been for well over 30 years. Expansion of soybean farms and other export cash crops has accelerated this trend. The blame can be cast at the feet of the increasing worldwide demand for meat in the diet (especially China). The fires got more out of hand than usual this month. Nothing new, but it supports the narrative that we’re all going to die in twelve years unless we completely renounce the use of all energy and live like hunter-gatherers for the rest of our lives. Except of course for those managing our change-over to the lifestyle of 10,000 BC.
I thought this was about the other Amazon setting things on fire.
https://www.housingwire.com/articles/49880-this-is-how-amazon-hq2-is-impacting-surrounding-housing-markets
Pretty normal, but it’s caught fire with the news cycle this year. Hurricane season is near, that will blow the fires out of the headlines.
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/145421/building-a-long-term-record-of-fire
Newer and better soybean hybrids have increased yields here.
I wonder how long before plant based meat substitutes will be blamed for clearing forests for farmland.