Impending Corn Crisis

scleaver — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 01:00:00 -0400

Spring is here, and with it, planting season. It’s not news that the price of corn is higher than ever (thanks to ethanol, feeding tons of corn to cows in CAFOs, etcetera). As we head into the 2008 growing season, the Associated Press discussed how farmers planting decisions could affect our wallets. (Read the article, “Farmers’ Crop Choices May Affect Consumers” as printed in the Detroit News, HERE.)Last year was a good year; farmers planted fields and fields of corn, weather was good, and the harvest produced record amounts of corn. This year, farmers and industry experts alike don’t expect a repeat. The economic lesson in a nutshell: if farmers plant as much corn as they can, prices may stabilize (for reference, they’re currently at $5 a bushel, a record high). But, if farmers plant soybeans (a good thing—they’re rotating crops which helps the soil) or if we have a bad season, the price for corn could go even higher. Corn has a ripple effect on the economy. Three-quarters of the operating costs for poulty, beef, and pork companies is corn feed. The one constant: land. (And that bad weather or a bummer crop is bound to happen eventually, and then what?)So, the question going into the 2008 season: how high can corn prices go? And, are we getting too dependent on the little yellow kernel? (Grass fed beef anyone?)

Photo from It's a Green, Green World blog’s rant about corn.

Top 10 Green Jobs

Julia — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:00:00 -0400

The following list comes from E Magazine’s article called “Ten Great Green Opportunities”, where they came up with a list of professions that are ready and waiting to be all greened up. Something catches your eye? Well jump right in and start creating new policies for the field!

1. Travel and Hospitality- Tourism is the largest business sector in the world economy. Ecotourism is growing at three times the rate of the tourism sector itself, and demanding more knowledgeable workers committed to sustainability.

2. Planning and Land Use- Local governments are increasingly interested in how they can reduce their communities’ carbon footprint, and turning to city planning professionals for direction.

3. Health and Medicine- According to a survey conducted in 2002 by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), 36 percent of U.S. adults use some form of alternative care.

4. Energy and Renewables- Renewable energy careers have the potential to re-establish America’s lost middle class. Renewable energy requires more manpower than fossil fuel—wind power creates 2.77 jobs for every megawatt produced, solar PV creates 7.24 jobs per megawatt.

5. Legal Careers- When a power plant is polluting more than its fair share, or an imperiled mammal needs recognition under the Endangered Species Act, environmental law groups go to court and fight the good fight.

6. Information Technology- In the nonprofit sector, IT work may not require extensive training. For global organizations like the Internet is a valuable tool. Be open to starting with little to no pay. It will give you the experience you need to be able to be hired by those few organizations and businesses that can afford to provide the salary that you want.

7. Green Learning- Over the past few years, sustainability coordinators—a job position that didn’t even exist a few years ago—have been joining the ranks of educational institutions looking to “go green.” Though there aren’t many schools offering degrees in sustainability, that’s beginning to change.

8. Design and Construction- Green builders already have a competitive advantage over traditional builders, according to Ashley Katz, communications coordinator for the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). And that advantage will continue to grow as sustainable, energy-efficient building practices become the norm.

9. Corporate Social Responsibility- With companies working to establish guidelines for social responsibility, the word “corporation” could sill take on new meaning in the 21st century. To make corporations more responsive to environmental, human rights and health issues, corporate responsibility advocates start from business’ bottom line and work their way up.

10. Food and Farming- According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, land used for organic crops increased from 48,000 acres in 1997 to 122,000 acres in 2005. That increase has opened doors, especially for students seeking a hands-on experience on a working farm. Some manage organic farms without actually owning the land, leasing it through a land trust. And the market for organic food has opened channels well beyond the local farm stands.

economics

Impending Corn Crisis

Top 10 Green Jobs