I agree with you, my friend. This is where I believe permaculture can make a difference. We need more farming and community design ;) The bananas bought around the world cost about 20 bananas for 1USD here in Honduras (Banana Republic). I've heard people paying like 20 times that in other countries. I mean, of course you can't grow bananas everywhere.. but I think you know where I'm going.

If you live way up north, you could go for peaches or apples instead of bananas. So you would probably design apple orchards instead of banana plantations :D I really love plants, this is why I give the example with farming, but permaculture is way more than just growing food.

[Here's an article] I wrote about how I came to the permaculture world if you wanna check that out.