Readings

Moller 

1. If global warming temporarily exceeds 1.5°C, it could increase the chances of triggering dangerous climate tipping points. This study explores the risks of different emission scenarios using a climate model. It finds that current policies could lead to a 45% risk of tipping events by 2300, even if temperatures eventually drop below 1.5°C. Reducing emissions quickly and achieving net-zero by 2100 are essential to lower these risks and maintain planetary stability.

The Commons Ostrom 

1. Garrett Hardin's 1968 theory, "The Tragedy of the Commons," argued that individuals overuse shared resources, leading to their destruction. However, recent research shows that people can create sustainable systems to manage these resources through cooperation and self-organization. Large-scale commons like international water basins and marine ecosystems pose more complex challenges that require global cooperation. While government control or privatization can sometimes fail, diverse management approaches, including community-led systems, can help preserve resources effectively.

Mosier Soils

1. The article discusses using perennial crops to restore degraded lands and improve soil fertility. Perennial plants, like grasses and trees, can rebuild soil health, increase carbon storage, and conserve nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. Growing bioenergy crops on these lands also helps combat climate change by avoiding the need to use productive farmland. Techniques like rotational grazing with perennial pastures can further boost soil fertility and reduce greenhouse gases. However, challenges like market incentives and current farming practices need to be addressed to encourage widespread adoption of these sustainable methods.

Popper 

1. The Great Plains, a vast grassland in North America, has experienced repeated cycles of boom and bust in its population and economy since the Civil War. The Buffalo Commons idea, proposed in the 1980s, aims to restore the region through ecological and economic solutions, such as replacing cattle with buffalo and promoting environmental tourism. This concept has gained traction with private landowners, Native American tribes, and environmental groups, leading to the revival of buffalo populations. The idea is now widely accepted and continues to shape the region's development.

Weisenger

1. In the late 1930s, the U.S. government implemented a livestock reduction program on the Navajo Reservation, which greatly impacted the Navajo people. This program, aimed at controlling overgrazing and preserving the land, forced the Navajo to reduce their sheep and cattle herds. Many resisted, feeling it was an unjust attack on their way of life. Navajo leaders, including Frank Mitchell, were blamed by their communities for enforcing government orders, even though they explained the orders came from Washington. The program led to widespread protests, as people felt they were losing not only their livestock but also their livelihoods and traditions.

Raeganold 

1. U.S. agriculture is at a crossroads, facing challenges such as greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, and resource degradation. To ensure sustainability, a shift toward innovative farming systems is needed, alongside policy and market reforms. These changes should focus on enhancing natural resources, making farming economically viable, and addressing consumer demand for environmentally and socially responsible practices, with a significant role played by reorienting agricultural science and public policy incentives.

Biodiversity 

1. A recent study conducted the first meta-analysis of 186 conservation projects to assess their overall effectiveness. The analysis found that conservation actions, such as managing protected areas and controlling invasive species, improved biodiversity in 66% of cases compared to doing nothing. Notable successes included increased nesting success for turtles in Florida and reduced deforestation in the Congo Basin due to effective management. The study emphasizes the importance of continued investment in conservation efforts, showing that while some projects may not succeed, they provide valuable lessons for future strategies.

Patel 

1. In Bwabwa, Malawi, a community gathers for a "Recipe Day" to learn sustainable cooking techniques and improve nutrition, all under the guidance of organizer Anita Chitaya. This event is part of a larger movement known as agroecology, which aims to create sustainable food systems while addressing social inequalities. Despite the success of agroecology in enhancing food security and nutrition in Bwabwa, such methods are often overlooked by global policymakers who favor conventional agricultural technologies. The article emphasizes that true solutions to hunger require not just increased food production but also addressing the power dynamics that perpetuate inequality in access to food.

Leopold 

1. Should not just relate to nature in economic terms

2. Nature is a community 

Campbell's 1907 Soil Culture Manual is a comprehensive guide to scientific agriculture as adapted to the semiarid regions