importance of agriculture

We who use computers everyday can easily fall into the trap of thinking that everyone in the whole world has access to a computer, and that computers are the means to do everything.

Well, I have news for you. Not only are there many millions of people who do not have a computer, there are millions who live their lives completely without any computer. To them, the most important aspects of their lives are food and water. That is to say, agriculture (farming, herding) is a necessity, whereas computers are not.

Consider that now parts of the world are switching (or have already switched) to growing biofuel instead of producing food at the same time that poor harvests have also reduced the food supply. And why do we want biofuels? Because we are too reluctant to reduce our dependancy on the motor car, or to make more use of wind, water and solar power.

"Agriculture is of the first importance. All should be producers." Baha'i Faith

taken for granted

I went out shopping this evening, looking for food to take to our community Intercalary Day party. In the Baha'i calendar the Intercalary Days (February 26 to March 1) are days for hospitality and giving of gifts, and they come just before the month of fasting.
It took me a moment to realise what was wrong. Not only were there no lights in the car park, there were no lights in the shop either - apart from someone waving a torch around, guiding those who were in the building to the exit. We so rarely have a power cut that we assume power will always be available to us. Our whole lives, it seems, are dependant on constant power - for our lighting and heating, public services, entertainment and everything else.
And yet, we are all so reluctant to cut our energy consumption or to use renewable resources such as wind or water power.

Energy saving, who me?

So, the Live Planet concerts have come and gone, with all the controversy regarding the 'carbon footprint' of the participants. However, I don't think that was the point. It has made people think more about energy consumption, conservation and so on.

Of course, those of us who surround ourselves with technology use quite a lot, so who am I to talk of energy saving? After all, I have a network of computers at home and all the other usual gadgets. Well I regularly switch off all the devices that are not in use. But that is nothing to do with any new "green movement", it is the way that I was brought up by my parents. I travel by public transport whenever I can (every day to work, apart from when I cycle), have energy saving bulbs throughout the house, and recycle all paper,cardboard, tins and plastic.

Some time ago, I replaced the old computer that was running my firewall (you do have a firewall, yes?). It's power consumption was concerning me, and the fan was getting noisy. So I went out and bought a new router device that has a 4-port hub and wireless device combined. Very easy to plug in and get going and it saves me having two separate devices (hub and firewall) as well as consuming over 300 watts less power.

Two laptop computers have replaced the desktop computers, again with a saving in power, and the family share one printer.

Will I get a new flat screen TV? Nah, they are wasteful on power and would only see my electric bill rise again. Now, a combined DVD and video player, that is a thought. Let's get the booklets out and see their power consumption. can I save anything by getting one device to replace the two of them?


"Be anxiously concerned for the age in which you live and centre your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements" (Baha'i Faith)