what do you know of the intensive indoor farming done in the Netherlands...one of the most densely populated countries there is, 16 million people but still 2nd only to the USA for agricultural export...from what I know of the Netherlands environmental policies I expect their farming methods are very responsible... but I'm no farmer...
The Netherlands are forced to deal with little land and climate issues, and from my experiences in Amsterdam, they are very motivated with technology and innovation, so this combination has encouraged them to find solutions that actually work. While here in the US 95% of Americans are clueless about the issues of farming, and US farmers in general will be the last people on Earth to embrace technology and innovation...or anything called CHANGE. Netherland's farming practices are very responsible!
I think a shortage of uber expensive farm land was the motivator for the dutch, that and knowing if they don't find solutions for their tiny country they're screwed, they've got no where to go if they ruin their land... in comparison farmland in the USA is ridiculously inexpensive compared to the Netherlands...best I could determine farmland in the US averages about $3,000 per acre and the netherlands $30,000 per acre...average farm size USA 444 acres, netherlands 62 acres... the last time I flew over the netherlands I was stunned to see how much of it was now covered under glass for intensive farming...
Smart nations define what they need to do to be sustainable and successful decades into the future. Most of the Netherlands is in flood zones so they had little choice but to install rivers and dikes and pumping stations, etc. or give up 2/3rds of their land and import most all food products. Producing food at home is IMO a priority and it seems no matter the weather and flooding, etc. they figured out how to achieve this. In demand farmland in the USA is also expensive when someone tries to pencil out a business model of being a farmer. Adding the cost of technology and innovation just raises the entry costs. And remember the old saying 'how do you turn $250K into $25K...become a farmer! Seeing those tulip and flower fields in full color in the Netherlands is amazing...
Nearly 20,000 pounds of trash removed from Great Pacific Garbage Patch (msn.com) Some environmentalists are against it?
Not against what they are doing so much as not seeing this as a real solution in that it does not address how the plastics got there in the first place.