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Published Letters: 54
Editor's Choice: 6
Build spherical, submersible cages that start off the coast of Brazil with a load of baby fish and arrive in Tokyo where full grown Tuna are harvested.
Each self-contained biosphere has equipment for automatic feeding, diagnostics, GPS, and data communication for remote control. The oceans' natural currents act as a conveyor belt helping move the farm from port to port, while taking care of waste dispersal, and providing a a more natural habitat for the fishes.
If fully realized, we could feed the planet for less than it costs to hunt fish today, with minimal impact on the natural ecosystem. What's the problem?
Example: http://www.oceanfarmtech.com/
The buy local, pay a living wage argument isn't the important point. The best advice to the American consumer would be to demand quality. It doesn't matter if Walmart supplies it or China manufactures it.
But when considering a purchase, ask yourself this question: "when will this product end up in a landfill"? From childrens' toys to icecream makers, the answer for most of the crap we buy probably ranges from a week to a year.
Walmart doesn't seem to think anyone would ever pay more than $49 for an icecream maker. But try it once, and you'll discover it doesn't actually make icecream. The electric motor will get you started but doesn't have the power to stir once the cream thickens, and as the icecream starts to harden, even the steel crank fails because its PLASTIC gears skip when you turn the handle.
Unless you know a product can be serviced, upgraded, and recycled, the chances are, your house is just a temporary detour on it's way to the landfill.
