Unfortunately, the alternate option was not “let them stay hostage a while longer”. It was “let the hostages die”. And maybe that would have been the more ethical call. But let’s not delude ourselves that they could have been kept alive any other way.
The energy input is the sun, and most of the calories come from the air (carbon dioxide). Given so much external input, harvesting from a plot without reducing soil fertility is totally possible. With nitrogen-fixing crops (soybeans being the poster child), even the nitrogen fertilizer comes from the air.
The plants use energy from the sun to turn carbon dioxide from the air into edible calories. When our animal bodies “burn” the food we eat, that turns it back to carbon dioxide, which we exhale.
Modern industrial farming is not sustainable for the next hundred years, no, but there are a lot of levers to work to transform it into something that will reliably feed future generations.
One lever is amount and kind of meat in the average diet. It takes something like seven pounds of grain to make one pound of beef. Modern chicken breeds are amazingly efficient at converting feed grain to chicken meat, but even they are something like two pounds in to one pound out. Reducing the percent of meat in our diets would make our food go significantly further.
It reduces bone density. Not to unhealthy levels in teens, but there are concerns the lower baseline will increase osteoporosis risk when the patients get to old age.
They can also only be used for a couple of years. Some non-binary people want to be on them permanently, but doctors won’t prescribe that. Some kids want more time to decide, and unfortunately there isn’t anything safe to use through the full teenage years.
President Biden told a Democratic lawmaker and members of his Cabinet after the State of the Union address that he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that they will need to have a “come-to-Jesus meeting.”...
With Hamas being very clear about wanting to commit genocide, the choice is this conflict is not genocide vs. no genocide. The choice is about which side is given more opportunity to commit genocide. Horrific that is the choice, but it’s not like disarming the Israelis would result in fewer human deaths in that region.
It used to be more true, when straight chlorine was what was used. Now most municipalities use chloramine, which is more stable. Most plants don’t care, but it’s an issue for fish, so there are “water conditioner” products for aquariums that remove both chlorine and chloramine.
Israeli military rescues four hostages alive from Gaza, including Noa Argamani (www.nbcnews.com)
rule (lemmy.cafe)
FAQ...
We have found it. (lemm.ee)
Netanyahu snaps back against growing US criticism after being accused of losing his way on Gaza, says Israel won't stop until 'total victory' is achieved (apnews.com)
Trans youth will no longer be prescribed puberty blockers, NHS England says (www.thepinknews.com)
Trans youth will no longer be prescribed puberty blockers at NHS England gender identity clinics in a new “blow” to gender-affirming healthcare....
Biden on hot mic: ‘Come-to-Jesus meeting’ with Netanyahu on the way (thehill.com)
President Biden told a Democratic lawmaker and members of his Cabinet after the State of the Union address that he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that they will need to have a “come-to-Jesus meeting.”...
But isn't it dead too? (lemmy.world)