It has long been known that a super-volcano in the heart of North America erupts around every 600,000 years. There are fears that a fresh one is overdue. Fortunately, there will be years of forewarning. But there is a need for planning now.
The last sizeable volcanic activity led to the "year without a summer". Agriculture in North America and Western Europe was devastated. A Yellowstone eruption would be on a far larger scale. As well as laying waste towns and cities in the United States, it would practically wipe out agriculture in most of the northern hemisphere for a year or more.
There will be a need to provide fresh fruit and vegetables for a population which has increaseed 400 per cent in 200 years. Fortunately, technology has also advanced in that time, as undercover marijuana farmers have proved. However, a plan will have to be developed in advance so that when the need arises production of the necessary growing facilities can be ramped up quickly.
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I am told that BBC Points West gave good coverage of the rally in Bristol.
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