Feed or Feedback: Agriculture, Population Dynamics and the State of the Planet

Placing agriculture at the forefront of environmental issues, this book argues that every major impact the human species has had on the natural environment has been a result of the change from a hunting-and-gathering method of food supply to a farming one. Historical information is presented about ecological, environmental, and demographic changes in human society from the advent of agriculture to today. The rates of deforestation, soil erosion, and water consumption as they relate to agriculture are assessed.