EcoboticsForest Foragers: the future of food?

@resurgo

Prehistory

Up to 5000 years agoTribalForest and riverManaging ecosystems

Neolithic transition

Agriculture allowed rise of cultureSpecialisationTowns and largerStart of the ‘modern’ world

Dual use technology

Hand axes - trees, nuts and headsSwords and ploughsharesTractors and tanksNitrate fertilisers and explosivesBiological weapons - Bacillus anthracis toxin - Bacillus thuringiensis – BT toxin in GM cropsChemical weapons - pesticides, herbicides

Costs

EnvironmentalHealthLong term sustainabilityAnimal suffering

Environmental

Soil erosionMonocultures breed diseaseWildlife

Birds

Health problems

Endocrine problemsFertilityADHD ?Autism?Alzheimers?

Forest Gardens

Working natural ecosystems to maximise productivityApproach productiviity of conventionalOptimisation not maximisationProblem – lots of labour

Trees

apple, pear, cherry plum, quince, mulberry, medlar, peach, chestnut, pine nut, almond, hazelnut, juneberry, strawberry tree, pawpaw, blue bean, persimmon, bladdernut, snowbell tree

Shrubs

currant, Chilean guava, plum, blueberry, wineberry, Oregon grape, almonberry, whortleberry

Vegetables

bamboo (shoots), sea kale, perpetual spinach, perennial broccoli, wild garlic, Babbington leek, good King Henry, fat hen, everlasting onion,pignut, Jerusalem artichoke, horseradish, earthnut pea, wasabi

Creepers

grape, loganberry, tayberry, strawberry grape, kiwi fruit, hop

Robot videos

Fruit picking robot:http://youtu.be/Fk1Yn0aAURA

For cool robot videos search for Boston Dynamics on youtube

http://youtube.com/v/5FFkDV2NKEY

Permaculture

ecological design, ecological engineering, environmental design, construction and integrated water resources management that develops sustainable architecture, regenerative and self-maintained habitat and agricultural systems modeled from natural ecosystems.

New Green Revolution

Next green revolutionTechnology to save the ecosystemIncrease productive areas of world while promoting natural systems

Benefits

Long term value of landOpen up new areas for agricultureProtect the natural environmentAesthetics

Further reading

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Kurzweilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_singularityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_robothttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permaculture

Watch out for http://ecobotics.org.. Coming soon!

Me

Peter Clarke@resurgopeter@fourpartswater.com