CAN WE CHANGE CAN WE CHANGE STEREOTYPES STEREOTYPES AND IMPROVE AND IMPROVE

THE QUALITY OF LIFE?THE QUALITY OF LIFE?

Marijan Jost Marijan Jost

JOST Seed-Research, Krizevci, CroatiaJOST Seed-Research, Krizevci, Croatia

53rd EOQ Congress

Cavtat, May 12-14, 2009

AA stereotype stereotype is is a a conventional and conventional and oversimplified perceptionoversimplified perception,,

a common form of social consensusa common form of social consensus..

People People often often base base unsustainable unsustainable behaviorbehavior

oonn generally accepted stereotypes. generally accepted stereotypes.

Let see twoo of them:Let see twoo of them:

1) 1) WWe live in e live in “a“a century of century of sciencescience”.”.

In the last In the last two centuriestwo centuries : :

a number of sci. revolutionsa number of sci. revolutions - - chemistry, physics, genetics, chemistry, physics, genetics, information technology, information technology, biotechnology, biotechnology, andand nanotechnology. nanotechnology.

TThe amount of knowledge doubles he amount of knowledge doubles every every 55 years years ( (in genetics every in genetics every 22 yearsyears).).

OOur generation is the ur generation is the 11stst in the world in the world history to lose more knowledge than history to lose more knowledge than

it has gainedit has gained!! (P(P.R. Mooney, 2001..R. Mooney, 2001.)) ______________________________________________________________________________________________

GLOBALIZATIONGLOBALIZATION:: the forces eroding our the forces eroding our eco-system, human cultures, and eco-system, human cultures, and societiessocieties..

AAlmost half of the world’s languages lmost half of the world’s languages disappeareddisappeared,,

half of those remaining will half of those remaining will be fergotenbe fergoten withwithinin the current generation the current generation..

TThe erosion of language he erosion of language means:means:the erosion of our traditional knowledge the erosion of our traditional knowledge

of the eco-system and of the eco-system and our adaptour adaptationation capacity to capacity to changes. changes.

For examples - For examples - traditional healerstraditional healers::

AAlong with language, the knowledge long with language, the knowledge of medicalof medical preparations and preparations and

treatments were lost for evertreatments were lost for ever..

English Plantain Plantago lanceolata

Lemon balm Melissa officinalis

Common wasp

(Vespula vulgaris)

TThe prefix he prefix scientificscientific for modern for modern systems, and systems, and unscientific unscientific for for

traditional knowledge traditional knowledge has less to do with knowledge has less to do with knowledge

and more with powerand more with power..

VandanaVandana ShivaShiva,, 2000. 2000.

Past Past cultureculturess perceive perceivedd “ “NATURENATURE” ”

as a livingas a living and highly sensitive and highly sensitive being, capable of responding being, capable of responding positively positively

when handled well, but also when handled well, but also

responding furiously when responding furiously when mistreated.mistreated.

Science has never been more powerful Science has never been more powerful than it is today, and in the future it will than it is today, and in the future it will be able to do much more than it will be be able to do much more than it will be

allowed to do.allowed to do.

Justus von Liebig Justus von Liebig ((18471847) -) - tthe inventor of chemical he inventor of chemical agriculture, when looking back on his own life wrote: agriculture, when looking back on his own life wrote:

““I have signed against the wisdom of the creator I have signed against the wisdom of the creator and, justly, I have been punished. I wanted to and, justly, I have been punished. I wanted to improve his work because, in my blindness, I improve his work because, in my blindness, I believed that a link in the astonishing chain of laws believed that a link in the astonishing chain of laws that govern and constantly renew life on the surface that govern and constantly renew life on the surface of the Earth had been forgotten. It seemed to me of the Earth had been forgotten. It seemed to me that weak and insignificant man had to redress this that weak and insignificant man had to redress this oversight.” oversight.”

2)2) Development of human society starts Development of human society starts whenwhen our ancestors our ancestors began to growbegan to grow plants for plants for food.food. Msopotamia – “Cradle of civilization”Msopotamia – “Cradle of civilization”

IrIrrigation was destroying the soilrigation was destroying the soil::

33 millennia of excessive millennia of excessive salinizationsalinization convertedconverted the fertile soil into sterile, the fertile soil into sterile,

not suitable for growing any crop.not suitable for growing any crop.

Plato witnessed land degradationPlato witnessed land degradation ((Phoenicia, GreePhoenicia, Greecece, Carthag, Carthageena, and Romna, and Rome)e) : :

” ”The plains that were full of rich soil The plains that were full of rich soil are are marshes marshes now now..””

Every nation that fell did so not Every nation that fell did so not only due to political reasons but only due to political reasons but because their agriculture because their agriculture policies failed.policies failed.

N.P. BrandenN.P. Branden,, 2002. 2002.

In the history of civilization the In the history of civilization the ploughshare has been far more ploughshare has been far more destructive than the sworddestructive than the sword..

D.J. HillelD.J. Hillel,, 1991. 1991.

Some facts:Some facts:

The human race is destroying soil 13 times The human race is destroying soil 13 times

faster than it can be createdfaster than it can be created..

Freshwater consumption is almost twice Freshwater consumption is almost twice thatthat

of its annual replenishment.of its annual replenishment.

For each food energy unit on our table, For each food energy unit on our table,

10 energy units were spent in production.10 energy units were spent in production.

Any manipulation of soil that increases its yield is good. P. Warshall, 2000.

The USA – the largest food producer The USA – the largest food producer at the momentat the moment

11% 11% field areas is under field areas is under irigation withirigation with

10 000 t 10 000 t woter per hawoter per ha

adingading

2-5 t/ha 2-5 t/ha of different saltsof different salts

The results =The results = saliniza salinizattiion,on,

sterile soilsterile soil

USA: AUSA: About 20 t of soil/hectare/year bout 20 t of soil/hectare/year

are lost by wind or water erosion.are lost by wind or water erosion.

A train that could encircle the planet 24 times!

W. Jackson, 1985.

ConclusionConclusion

What is right and acceptable is what What is right and acceptable is what produces good consequences: produces good consequences:

access to basic human needs, access to basic human needs, andand sustainability to protect future sustainability to protect future

generationsgenerations..