Angedechu Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 (edited) I bought today Collapse for Jared Diamond, after seeing it finally at discount in a library. This is the book famous for methodically describing why the Vikings settlement in Greenland collapsed. This made me thought about the most thrilling and thriving economy of the SW universe : the moisture farmers. (Luke's uncle) Basically, the economy function like this : the water farmer collecter water (duh) for his own need and sell the extra to big hydropronic farmers. Saying they run on thight budget is an understatement. The hard info we have is this 1)One well maintained vaporator can provide enough water for three humans. 2)The Lars homestead had 63 vaporators. We will be generous and suppose that ''enough water'' means enough water for all needs (sanitation, cleaning). The department of Homeland Security advise 1 gallon per person per day in case of emergencies for food preparation, drink, hygiene and cleaning. This means 3.87 liters per day. Let's say then that according to this, a single SW vaporator can provide around 12 liters of water per day (3.87 x 3). Of course, I suppose that a modern American is more wasteful with his water than a Tatooiner, but on the other hand, even California in summer is not as hot as Tatooine on average (less water lost by transpiration. But hey, it's a basis) This means that the Lars Homestead have 62 vaporators produding 12 liters of water during the 304 days of the Tatooine year. So, 226 176 liters per year, and 226 tons of water. What can you do with 226 tons of water ? On Earth, it would be impossible, even using the best techniques, to have much more 200 tons of the most resilient crop (as, see, plants are made top up of 90% of water). It's far worse than this, in fact : for produce one liter of wheat, you need as much as a a thousand liter of water (which is a ton). This would meant that the Lars homestead would produde enough water for 226 liters of wheat. 226 liters means 58.39 gallons, a little more above 15 bushels of food. To give you an example, a single bushel of grain can produce around 100 loaves of bread of 1.5 pounds. This means around 2250 pounds of bread per year. A medieval Human ate aroud 2 pounds of bread per day. This means, back on Tatooine, (2) pounds per personn (3) per day (304). With medieval consumption, the Lars family would have, to barely survive, eat 1824 pounds out of their 2250 pounds production (this means well over 80%) We can suppose that people on Tatooine use less water extensive crops than wheat (but on the other hand, the mention of farming on Tatooine refers to hydroponic farms, which are incrediblty water-intense) Issue is, the Homestead is not a medieval farm, but an high tech operation, requiring constant supply of high tech parts and even droids (one per vaporator, in fact). Uncle Lars also have to buy clothes and various supplies, not to mention that he is NOT getting a 100% return on the water he farm. (Hydroponic farmers use it to grow crops. What a surprise : they are by far the richest Humans on Tatooine, even if the Darklighter family was not too harsh with it's rates). And the cherry on the cake : Tatooine is not only a desert planet (where the only other source of food that can be gathered are mushrooms picked on the vaporators....If we take 20 days life cycle for the growth of mushrooms, which is extremely generous, this meant at best 15 ''crops'' of 5-6 mushrooms x 62 vaporator per year, which is really not much) but a planet filled with hostile natives that love to break the vaporators. Truly, a wonderful to place live on : where a pissed off Tusken breaking three of your vaporators one night almost means that you will have to go pawn your matress to pass the year. Edited May 13, 2012 by Angedechu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirdthestrill Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Excellent work. One thing I would point out is that there are probably far, far less water intensive crops that they grow, and hunting is also an option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angedechu Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 Yeah. But the lore says hydroponic farms, which are WAY more wasteful than even the most outrageous irrigation techniques. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velaran Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Excellent work. One thing I would point out is that there are probably far, far less water intensive crops that they grow, and hunting is also an option. "Ugh, Aunt Beru! Womp Rat stew again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angedechu Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 Hunting womp rats as Luke did (shooting them from the sky with an airspeeder) is probably not very economical Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velaran Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Hunting womp rats as Luke did (shooting them from the sky with an airspeeder) is probably not very economical Well you can shoot them from the ground. With a blaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirdthestrill Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 (edited) "Ugh, Aunt Beru! Womp Rat stew again? I'd also like to point out (Even though it doesn't support my point) that most Womp Rats are completely filthy creatures full of garbage and toxic waste. Edited May 13, 2012 by Mirdthestrill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angedechu Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 http://images.wikia.com/starwars/images/e/e1/Womprat.jpg The womp rat cream does exist. I would not eat it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfninjajedi Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Well Luke did it for fun really, besides I think it would be challenging lining up your shot while flying around in an airspeeder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velaran Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Bantha then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angedechu Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 Hunting Banthas, the sacred animal of the Tuskens....the people that go break your vaporators when they fill irritated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velaran Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 (edited) Dewbacks? Or Wraid? Edited May 13, 2012 by Velaran Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angedechu Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 Dewbacks were edible and a delicacy, but also a form of transportatio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiddeth Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Hydroponics, It is less wasteful of water than irrigation farming. But great Post every informative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angedechu Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 Hydroponics, It is less wasteful of water than irrigation farming. But great Post every informative. I will stand corrected, but I was sure hydroponics require lots of fresh water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnsignSorrow Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 (edited) Good read. Yeah, I don't know why anyone would want to live on Tatooine. Yet, it is my favorite world in StarWars. There is something charming about it. Edited May 13, 2012 by EnsignSorrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandmthethird Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 wow you picked that one apart lol however this is a fantasy story in a fantasy world. and you should never let the facts get in the way of a good story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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