Cracks in Arctic Ice and Kona Coffee Seeds
That’s a far stretch, isn’t it? Global warming and Kona Coffee. What’s the connection?
Well, probably there are several, but I’ll focus on just one. There are at least two facilities in the world that are ‘banking’ heritage seeds of plants from all over the world. The best known is probably the so-called Doomsday Seed Vault in Norway in the Arctic Circle, only 500 miles or so from the North Pole. Sponsored by $30 million from the Bill Gates Foundation as well as donations from the Rockefeller Foundation, Monsanto Corporation, Syngenta Foundation and the Government of Norway, among others, this is said to be a major effort to ‘conserve crop diversity for the future.’
So if there is a catastrophe of some sort… nuclear war, an astroid hitting earth, devastating weather… or perhaps failure of agriculture worldwide caused by glitches in GMO crops… there would be a source for seed stock to replant. To start again.
This is a most excellent idea.
One thought that this project gave me was that we need to get Hawaii’s unique biodiversity represented in this effort. I’ll take a look into it, but if there is anyone reading who has a way to help do that, please kokua ( co-coo-ah, to help out, one if the word’s meanings) and leave me a comment.
The first thought I had, however, was that we probably need to make a seed bank ourselves, here in Hawaii. Perhaps a much smaller facility, without the blast doors and airlocks of the Doomsday vault, because if we need those on this island… we probably won’t need the seeds.
And the reason I’m thinking that we need one here is that the Arctic seems to be melting awfully quickly.
BBC News reported on May 23 that ‘vast’ cracks have appeared in the Arctic ice-cap. As you read the article and see the video, you may think along with me that ‘vast’ may not be large enough a word for it.
The Canadian military was traversing a series of giant ice shelves in Canada’s far north along with some scientists, in a safari of snowmobiles. It was part scientific expedition, part a projection of national sovereignty as the question of oil rights under the melting polar cap becomes significant. They found 23% less sea ice this year than ever before. And even more astounding, cracks in the shelves so huge that they are hanging together only barely, like a jigsaw puzzle held together by the shape of pieces fitting together. They say it is extremely unstable, and may break apart at any time.
I’m reminded of the days, long long ago, when refrigerators had to be defrosted. You would take out all the food, put the refrigerator on ‘warm’ cycle, and wait for it to melt. If it was taking too long, and it always seemed that way to me, you could help it along by chiseling off some of the ice on the outside of the freezer compartment. At first it was very tough to do, very slow going. But all of a sudden it got easier, and big chunks started almost falling off, and then they were so loose that you could just reach in and take them out with no effort.
I’m wondering if that is the way with the gigantic freezer that is the Arctic ice cap. If so, the melting process may suddenly produces a great change. And if that is so, then the Doomsday vault may be in just the wrong place at the wrong time.
Or perhaps the Canadians are alarmist, and things will be just fine.
But sadly, probably not. Because please note that Monsanto and Syngenia are two of the major donors. They are perhaps the largest proponents of GMO crops in the world today. And another backer is the Rockefeller Foundation, which is generally credited for beginning the ‘green revolution’ founded on chemical fertilizers. I’m wondering if these are the people whose hand we want controlling possibly the last source of heritage seeds, pure seeds which may someday be the only ones not touched by the transgenic qualities of GMO crops.
There is no way, in fact no reason, to stop them. They will go their own way. But perhaps ordinary farmers and ordinary people should take a bit of charge of our own future. A Hawaii regional seed bank would be wonderful. Until then, perhaps all Hawaii farmers would be wise to set aside some seed in as safe a place possible, as generations before us have done. One day our children, or generations beyond, may thank us.
