 Which alternative energy source has the most potential for North Carolina?  Which source comes in second?

2.8 Critique the advantages and disadvantages of traditional agriculture/aquaculture techniques and compare with sustainable agriculture/aquaculture techniques. Include the economics and environmental impacts in this comparison. 2.8 Judge potential impacts of sustainable techniques on environmental quality (include magnitude, duration, frequency).

 Pros Less time Don’t have to pay as many workers May get more of one crop  Cons Typically only grow one crop (monoculture) Often uses slash and burn Deplete soil nutrients (Need to farm somewhere else after a season or two) Possible pollution from use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers Need to constantly buy chemicals and seeds

 Pros Natural, continually replenishing nutrients in the soil Extends the “life of the land” Don’t need to buy chemical pesticides and fertilizers  Cons Takes time and attention to crops to be proactive about problems Hard to do on a large scale (Note: This is just a test plot)

 Common Practices Aquaculture Intercropping Crop rotation Companion Planting Trap crops

 Farming aquatic species, commonly salmon, shrimp, tilapia, oysters.  Pros: Protein source can be grown in areas with poor soil (NEED clay soil) If Sustainable: Integrated systems can be used  Barnacles growing on the nets filter fish waste and can be scraped off and fed to the fish  Fish can be farmed in rice tanks: fish fertilize rice and both can be harvested

 Marine or open water aquaculture has its risks if not sustainable.  Cons: >>

 The practice of rotating use of different fields from crop to crop each year, to avoid exhausting the soil.  Applies to plants and animals (cows, etc)  Pros Nitrogen fixation (beans) replenish soil nutrients Different types of crops use different nutrients  Cons Need to replant, change layout

 The practice of growing two or more different crops at the same time on a plot. ex/ a carbohydrate-rich grain that depletes soil nitrogen and a protein-rich legume that adds nitrogen to the soil Pro:  Use space more efficiently  Grow a greater variety of crops  No need to rotate crops Con:  Harder to harvest on a large scale

 The practice of planting specific plant together to help deter insects or to attract insects away from crops of interest  Pros Plants do the work (“fertilize” each other)  Cons Need to know what crops grow well together and which ones to avoid

 A plant that attracts agricultural pests, usually insects, away from nearby crops  Pros: Insects won’t get to main crop  Cons: Need to take time and space to plant a crop you won’t harvest

 Peace Corps Volunteer from Panama started a NGO (NonGovernment Organization) called Sustainable Harvest International (Cosecha Sustenible)  Subtitles  Need 10 facts

 Create an eye-catching, interesting, and creative ad promoting one of the sustainable agriculture techniques.  Poster should include: Name of technique How it’s done Why it’s beneficial  Poster should NOT just be a list of facts. BE CREATIVE!