On the edge of common sense: Improve the needs of food, clothing, shelter

Food, clothing and shelter, the basic essentials of life. From the earliest caveman to modern soccer mom, from the Palestinian refugee to the Hurricane Katrina victim, from the Dalai Lama to Dolly Parton, first on the list is something to eat, something to wear and someplace to live. Food is first on the list because it is most essential. As has been said, "When you have lots to eat, you have lots of problems, when you don't have enough to eat, you have one problem." The latest eco-news slant de jour is the hysteric "discovery" that ruminants (enteric fermentation) release more methane into the atmosphere than cars (mobile transportation). In fact, they release many times more, though it stays in the atmosphere a much shorter time than carbon dioxide. But it's too bad they can't mention methane is only one of the big three greenhouse gases, along with carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. All of agriculture produces only 5.87 percent of all greenhouse gas. Energy production and use (coal, oil, natural gas and transportation) is responsible for a whopping 86.3 percent. And, transportation (cars and trucks) accounts for 33 percent of all those fossil fuel emissions. Do the math...read more