Food and Farming After Peak Oil: BBC Wales Takes a Long Hard Look
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA 
on 05. 6.08
Who said the revolution would not be televised? What with national newspapers talking about survivalism and community resillience, and radio soaps joining the Transition Towns initiative, it really seems like the mainstream media in the UK are embracing the idea that peak oil, fossil fuels and climate change are very real, and very immediate, threats to our way of life. Now, thanks to one of our periodic check-ins with Rob Hopkins' Transition Culture blog, we've come across this BBC Wales series, in which Patrick Holden of the Soil Association explores how to move his farm, and our food systems in general, away from their precarious reliance on dwindling oil supplies. It's dynamite stuff, looking at both the problems with the way we eat now, and the solutions that may help us move away from this crisis. Topics covered include everything from local food festivals to potential civil unrest in the face of rising fuel prices to urban community gardening to supermarket's phoney 'local' food initiatives - click below the fold for parts two, three and four.
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
::Soil Association::via Transition Culture::
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I almost think we have to start thinking about 'Peak Food'.
As a sidebar, the cyclone in Myanmar took out a lot of land for rice farming.
vsk
They should do a program like this in America. Like a special on ABC.
I think it's great that it's being televised though. =)
Part of the problem as far as purchasing locally is the fact that most Farmers Markets are during the day. If more of them are later, say around 4PM-7PM
people might purchase wholesome food more often. Families could make it an evening out. What a concept, families enjoying time together! Most Farmer"s Markets in my area have wonderful food for sale that would please any picky eater!
Also, it would be great if the City Officials would let local people use open areas that are full of weeds and such to make Victory Gardens.
Not only would these areas be well maintained, but the publicity would be wonderful!
Peak Oil might cause a dip in global food supplies, but not a premanent drop. Everything we do with oil can be done without. Every chemical can be synthesized, etc. It is simply a matter of taking advantage of different energy sources and making use of the appropriate chemistry.
Of course, I suppose chemicals made from oil are more "natural" than chemicals made in a clean, green way but in a lab... or at least might be portrayed that way to the general public, much of which has no grasp of chemistry.