Cover of January, 1915 National Geographic Magazine (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I just finished reading the excellent article, “The New Food Revolution” in the current National Geographic (May 2014). It presents some interesting but very scary facts about the increasing global population and the food supply by 2050. It poses the question: “Where will we find enough food for 9 billion people?”
Some highlights
- Agriculture is among the greatest contributors to global warming (aka climate change).
- When we think about threats to the environment, we tend to picture cars and smokestacks, not dinner.
- Agriculture in its present state poses the biggest danger to the planet environmentally. That includes pollution, biodiversity, our lakes, rivers, coastal ecosystems and water supplies.
- We have cleared vast areas of grassland and rain forests for farms losing crucial habitats for wildlife.
- Most of our grain production is used to feed cattle, pigs, and chickens and the demand for meat is growing even in developing countries.
The article proposes five steps that could help solve the world’s food dilemma. These are presented in the accompanying video. CLICK HERE
What can we all do personally by using simple steps?
- Serve smaller portions
- Eat leftovers to reduce food waste
- Encourage restaurants, cafeterias, and supermarkets to develop waste-reducing measures.
- Become more thoughtful about the food we eat and where it comes from.
- Make connections with farmers and food.
You can go to www.natgeofood.com to get daily food news, videos, blogs, interactive graphics, photos, and food facts of the day. This blog (Food, Facts, and Fads) will also be expanding on this timely topic from time to time.
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