> You keep throwing the phrase "petro-chemical fertilizers"...
Given that most fertilizers are composed of chemicals derived from petroleum, it's accurate. I don't use the term "conventional farming" because these techniques are extremely modern.
> Can you please elaborate on how fixing nitrogen on industrial scale is "disastrous"
To be clear, fixing nitrogen is fine, bacteria do this already naturally. The problem with fertilizers used at the industrial scale is that they end up ruining local water supplies + killing local ecosystem of bacteria and insects [1]. After a few years of using industrial fertilizers, famers end up ruining their soil and end up being dependent on fertilizer suppliers for future crops.
> most fertilizers are composed of chemicals derived from petroleum
Can you please elaborate further? Yep, in a lot of cases hydrogen for ammonia comes from natural gas. Nope, it doesn't have to be, in fact you can easily get it from water. What other "chemicals" do you have in mind?
> because these techniques are extremely modern
They are, but the concept of "not dying of famine" is also pretty modern if you consider an overall population.
> The problem with fertilizers… killing local ecosystem of bacteria and insects
I believe you confuse fertilizers with pesticides.
Given that most fertilizers are composed of chemicals derived from petroleum, it's accurate. I don't use the term "conventional farming" because these techniques are extremely modern.
> Can you please elaborate on how fixing nitrogen on industrial scale is "disastrous"
To be clear, fixing nitrogen is fine, bacteria do this already naturally. The problem with fertilizers used at the industrial scale is that they end up ruining local water supplies + killing local ecosystem of bacteria and insects [1]. After a few years of using industrial fertilizers, famers end up ruining their soil and end up being dependent on fertilizer suppliers for future crops.
[1] https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-fertilizers-h...