By Herb Eckerlin
United Nation scientists met in Geneva, Switzerland last week to shed new light on the global warming issue. They have concluded that human-caused climate change is dramatically degrading the Earth’s land, and the way people are using the land is making global warming worse.
These conditions are creating a vicious cycle that is making food more expensive, scarcer and less nutritious.
The UN scientists believe that humanity must change the way it uses the land to avoid “world hunger.” Given that reality, why are we covering arable farmland to build solar power plants that cover thousands of acres?
In light of the scientists’ conclusions, can you think of anything more irresponsible?
Removing farmland from agricultural production is not a gradual process like the effect of global warming on the land, it is instantaneous.
The UN scientists have sent us a warning. It is: “You had better change your ways before you do any more damage.” As NASA climate scientist Cynthia Rosenzweig has stated, “The cycle is accelerating.”
The threat of climate change and the improper use of agricultural land will affect our future food supply and create, in the scientists’ words, a “Hungry Future.”
We have to find another way to address the Global Warming problem, and preserve our future food supply. Placing solar panels on agricultural land is simply making matters worse …. much worse. Let us heed the warning of these scientists.
To avoid a “Hungry Future,” we had better change our ways and stop taking farmland out of agricultural production.
Dr. Eckerlin has over 60 years’ experience in the energy field, including experience in electric power plant operations (with VEPCO – now Dominion Power), electric utility boiler design, and solar research and design. In 1987, he founded the NC Solar Center to promote solar energy in all its forms across the United States. He is now retired and is Professor Emeritus of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at North Carolina State University.
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