Fish proverb v2.0 (continued)

This article in the New York Times summarizes new research on the effects that early human populations had on on the oceans. Sample quote:

“Hunter-gatherers with fairly simple technology were actively degrading some marine ecosystems” tens of thousands of years ago.

Humans have been remarkably clever at finding new technologies for harvesting large protein packets from the oceans. We have lagged far behind in the discovery and implementation of rules that avoid the most wasteful and inefficient uses of aquatic resources.

21 August 2009 | Paul Romer | Permalink
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  1. Uhm, maybe owners with property rights to the “protein packets” would have a good incentive not to destroy their capital base? I mean I could chop down my walls and sell it for firewood but I saw how that turned out in soviet russia..

    — ModelCitizen · Sep 2, 11:31 PM · #

  2. The interesting thing, if you go back much earlier in time, is that these proteins allowed men to grow their brains over a very long period of time. That fact slowly made us who we are now. But we don’t know exactly how much damage they did to the coastal ecosystems over hundred of thousands of years, as Al Gore was not around yet. (Wasn’t he?) :)

    Congratulations for the Charter Cities idea. I watched your TED video and I hope that a foresighted leader somewhere in the world will be courageous enough to implement it.

    — Jean-Philippe · Sep 13, 05:58 AM · #

 
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