[APWG] NEWS: A New Leaf: Making Paper From Weeds
Philip Thomas (www.HEAR.org)
pt at hear.org
Wed Oct 8 04:25:30 CDT 2008
Gena (et al.),
Gena Fleming wrote:
> Philip, I want to make sure I understand you correctly. Your statement,
>
> "One problem with this approach is that once you create an industry that
> depends on a reliable supply of something like this, there are usually
> huge pressures to keep it 'sustainable'--which defeats the purpose."
>
> What purpose would sustainability be defeating?
My point is that there would be pressure to sustain WEED POPULATIONS.
Why would an industry want to eradicate its own raw materials? My
original note (to APWG) was that using kudzu for biofuel would not
likely have any (positive) effect on reducing KUDZU POPULATIONS. I fear
the same would be true for arundo populations.
> In the mesquite email, you also objected that , "Also, it's likely not
> economically efficient to gather it piecemeal (vs. plantation-based on a
> flat field so automated/mechanical harvest is feasible)."
>
> This sounds like you support unsustainable monocultures on the virtue of
> their economic efficiencies. (?)
No, it simply means that I do *NOT* support cultivation of weeds (i.e.,
species that will spread to other areas outside the cultivated areas).
> This is the rationale being used for genetically modifying forest trees <snip>... These genetically modified
> trees will pose a much greater risk to native ecosystems than Arundo <snip>...
Not sure which "greater risk" you're talking about; if you're talking
about trees of any kind--GM or not--that will spread into native
ecosystems, we're exactly on the same page. If you are speaking of
other things, then that example is different than the one I'm talking
about (the kudzu example). (I'm not making a stand about monocultures
or GM--just weeds that can spread.)
> With regard to genetically modified plants, Hawaii has more field test
> releases (a whopping 2,265) of genetically modified plants than any
> other state. In 2004, testing revealed a full 50% of the papaya trees
> on the Big Island had GMO contamination.
> http://www.grain.org/research/contamination.cfm?id=165
The question to be asked here with respect to the point I'm making is:
Do papayas [GM or otherwise] invade/negatively impact native ecosystems
[or other values] outside the area they're cultivated? (Certainly there
may be more issues than this, but this is the only one relevant to the
point I was trying to make.)
> Supporting alternative resources for paper making may well save our
> forests. <snip>...
Indeed, our lifestyles as we have become accustomed to them will force
us into nasty tradeoffs. My point was simply that I believe we should
consider the effects of things--anything--as best we can, especially
those that are presented as--and/or may seem to be--panaceas. See:
http://tinyurl.com/whythingsbiteback
> I'm far less afraid of arundo.
I'm guessing you don't live in northern California? :)
(http://teamarundo.org/)
>
> best regards,
> Gena
>
>
> 2008/10/7 Philip Thomas (www.HEAR.org <http://www.hear.org/>)
> <pt at hear.org <mailto:pt at hear.org>>
>
> Yes, I DID read the article, but still I contend (see my recent post
> on a similar topic):
>
> "One problem with this approach is that once you create an industry
> that depends on a reliable supply of something like this, there are
> usually huge pressures to keep it 'sustainable'--which defeats the
> purpose."
>
> I have some trepidation about "The Nile Group" in particular,
> because I have been personally contacted by them when they were
> interested in starting arundo plantations in Hawaii (as they still
> may be; I don't know). Is this environmentally responsible? (I'll
> let you answer that for yourself.)
>
> ...and one final note: "The current commercial use of arundo has
> been in the production of reeds for wind instruments. It is a small,
> limited market but shows that arundo can be cultivated without
> posing problems as an invasive plant." Really? I'm somehow unable
> to follow this "logic"...
>
> Aloha,
> pt
>
>
> Olivia Kwong wrote:
>
> http://www.miller-mccune.com/article/729
>
> A New Leaf: Making Paper From Weeds
> An invasive ecological bad guy may be able to paper over his
> evil ways and
> absorb some carbon as well.
> By: Lisa Conti | October 07, 2008 | 09:00 AM (PDT)
>
> The giant reed (Arundo donax) is mostly green. It's a weed that
> looks a lot
> like bamboo.
>
> Native from the Mediterranean to India, the enormous grass
> colonizes stream
> beds of the coastal United States. Growing in wetlands, it
> chokes out
> native plants, threatens animal life, is a fire hazard and poses
> problems
> to existing infrastructure such as bridges. The Plant
> Conservation Alliance
> has named it to its "Least Wanted" list.
>
> See the link above for the full article text.
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
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> Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR) - http://www.hear.org
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>
> Philip A. Thomas - pt at hear.org <mailto:pt at hear.org>
>
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Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR) - http://www.hear.org
P.O. Box 1272
Puunene (Maui), Hawaii 96784 USA
Philip A. Thomas - pt at hear.org
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