Another Turn of the Crank essays

Another Turn of the Crank essays 0Wendell Berrys Another Turn of the Crank is about sustainability of the environment. He believes that you must first start at a local level then sustainability can be accomplished at a global level. This is the same idea that was expressed at the start of this course, think globally, act locally, which means the consequences of our actions effect the world. As I address the some of the chapters in the book I will associate how Berrys ideas link into the material discussed in this class. Farming and the Global Economy is the first chapter of the book. He starts with the history of farmers during WWII. The farmers were quickly becoming a minority because the nation was not supportive of its farmers. They wanted to mass produce and buy cheap industrial goods. Farmers cant buy cheap machines, fertilizers, chemicals, and produce crops cheaply without losing any money. Wendell recommends two efforts to help the survival of the farmer. The first is up to the farmers, which they need to minimize their dependence on industrial supplies. Farmers need to replace purchased goods and services with natural health and diversity and with their own intelligence (5, Wendell). The second concern is for cooperation between the farmers and the local community. The community needs to see that a sustainable local food economy is appealing. The human population cannot live on imported food. Someone has to grow it, why not let the people in our own community do it. The topic of the farmers has to do with decentralization. We talked about this in class time and time again. We need to let the local communities take control. We need more self reliance in our own communities, and not in the big corporations. This is one of the main steps to attaining a sustainable environment. The next chapter, Conserving Communities, opens with surprising numbers. Times magazine reporte ...