Comment on Primitive Technology: Natural Draft Iron Smelt

Dmian@lemmy.world ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

• Treevan@aussie.zone ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

  He also demonstrates how industry was responsible for significant deforestation around their centres. It has also been linked to collapse of civilisations.

  A good book to see how critical wood was to people: aforestjourney.com

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  • IonAddis@lemmy.world ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    Yeah, I’ve come to realize even in the medieval world, people had a huge impact on the environment even then. Esp. regarding wood. There’s a reason cutting wood and gathering sticks was valuable–people needed daily cooking fires, and heat in the winter.

    Add industry, even just smelting iron, bronze, copper, or firing bricks, and that’s an even bigger need for fuel.

    I imagine natural game was under similar pressures, which is why people moved to herding/farming instead of relying on hunting and gathering. And game was also affected by trees being cut for industry and fuel.

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    • Treevan@aussie.zone ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      Glassblowing was another big one. Plus framing for stone construction.

      Colonialism seems to born out of the need for more wood since it underpinned all energy, trade, and construction. We can see now how fossil fuels are working out for us instead.

      There are some good examples of bay side cities being abandoned due to siltation of their bays, some kilometres worth of silt. Massive centres of trade and then nothing due to erosion because of a lack of trees.

      If John/Primitive Tech can focus on efficient energy usage then all the better.

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