Food Crisis? What Food Crisis?
Following up on this post of December 2008, just a little reminder from us here at APOV than nothing's changed at all in this new year 2009 ... and it sure looks like nothing will change any time soon.
But don't take it from little old moi - take it instead from this bright, eighth grader from New York (ah - the promise of youth indeed):
But don't take it from little old moi - take it instead from this bright, eighth grader from New York (ah - the promise of youth indeed):
The Food Crisis
by Alex Atwater
Unlike other crises that are well known, the food crisis is unfamiliar to many people. The economic crisis, the war in Iraq, the cost of health care and education are all crises covered in the media. Although the food crisis is something that deserves to be one of the top priorities globally, it is not as exposed as it should be.
There are currently over 6 billion humans living on this planet, with a population projection of 8 billion by the year 2050. When it comes to feeding these 6 billion mouths we're not in the least bit efficient, especially in our own country. An example of this inefficient food system is "after cars, the food system uses more fossil fuel than any other sector of the economy--19 percent," according to a New York Times Magazine article. Another problem is that it takes more calories to produce a pound of beef than the calories contained in that pound of beef itself. Also, 5,000 gallons of water must be used to produce one pound of beef. We do not have enough water on the planet to fulfill the feedlots water need. A by-product of our food production is the excessive pollution that it creates. America's farm animals have been moved to feedlots so that production can be increased to feed 190 lbs of beef a year to the average American. However, this makes no ecological sense because the waste product is not being utilized as fertilizer, therefore contributing to our pollution problem. The use of fossil fuel as fertilizer further contributes to the problem.
The food problem is becoming more apparent every year. In the past several months alone more than 30 nations have experienced food riots, and so far one government has fallen, "But while there are alternatives to oil, there are no alternatives to food" (NY Times Magazine, 10/12/2008).
While there are many solutions that can be put into place, the most urgent ones are as follows: first, the American farming system needs to become less reliable on fossil fuel and gear itself toward solar, wind and geothermic energy. Just as important, a mandatory composting system should be created to allow farmers to freely utilize the fertilizer. This would offer multiple benefits, such as a decrease in waste, cut back on the need for irrigation and fossil fuel fertilizer, and improve the nutritional value of the food. People should be made aware of the importance of re-regionalizing their food and to support their local farms. This would cut back on usage of fuel to transport the food and result in a fresher product.
(Keep reading ...)
by Alex Atwater
Unlike other crises that are well known, the food crisis is unfamiliar to many people. The economic crisis, the war in Iraq, the cost of health care and education are all crises covered in the media. Although the food crisis is something that deserves to be one of the top priorities globally, it is not as exposed as it should be.
There are currently over 6 billion humans living on this planet, with a population projection of 8 billion by the year 2050. When it comes to feeding these 6 billion mouths we're not in the least bit efficient, especially in our own country. An example of this inefficient food system is "after cars, the food system uses more fossil fuel than any other sector of the economy--19 percent," according to a New York Times Magazine article. Another problem is that it takes more calories to produce a pound of beef than the calories contained in that pound of beef itself. Also, 5,000 gallons of water must be used to produce one pound of beef. We do not have enough water on the planet to fulfill the feedlots water need. A by-product of our food production is the excessive pollution that it creates. America's farm animals have been moved to feedlots so that production can be increased to feed 190 lbs of beef a year to the average American. However, this makes no ecological sense because the waste product is not being utilized as fertilizer, therefore contributing to our pollution problem. The use of fossil fuel as fertilizer further contributes to the problem.
The food problem is becoming more apparent every year. In the past several months alone more than 30 nations have experienced food riots, and so far one government has fallen, "But while there are alternatives to oil, there are no alternatives to food" (NY Times Magazine, 10/12/2008).
While there are many solutions that can be put into place, the most urgent ones are as follows: first, the American farming system needs to become less reliable on fossil fuel and gear itself toward solar, wind and geothermic energy. Just as important, a mandatory composting system should be created to allow farmers to freely utilize the fertilizer. This would offer multiple benefits, such as a decrease in waste, cut back on the need for irrigation and fossil fuel fertilizer, and improve the nutritional value of the food. People should be made aware of the importance of re-regionalizing their food and to support their local farms. This would cut back on usage of fuel to transport the food and result in a fresher product.
(Keep reading ...)
0 POVs/Comments:
Post a Comment
Please feel free to comment on APOV. However, remember to keep in check your tone and respect for all here. Let rational, reasoning, enthousiastic and passionate conversations and discussions rule first and foremost in our participatory democracy, so as to facilitate the free exchange of reality-based facts and ideas. In between, do not forget to have fun and enjoy yourselves ... in other words: keep on rockin'! - Mentarch