The Coming Global Revolution

Published on 27 Jul 2013 | An amazing speech by Rainn Wilson on the coming global revolution that must happen in order for us to move forward as a human race.

"I think that there is another revolution coming. I'm not sure what it's going to look like, but I think it's going to be very interesting and it's going to unfold over the next 10 years."

Restrict Foreign Ownership?

US farmers scramble to buy Brazil's farmland

Published on Sep 29, 2012 by AlJazeeraEnglish : Phil Corzine, a fourth-generation farmer from Illinois, is living the American dream, but it's happening on dusty soy farms in the interior of Brazil, rather than the cornfields of Iowa.

Corzine, 53, owns or manages seven farms in Goias and Tocantins states in the agricultural heartland of Brazil.

Rising corn costs are a high price to pay

Published on Sep 9, 2012 by AlJazeeraEnglish : America's corn harvest may be under way, but a summer drought has withered away much of the nation's expected yield.As a result, the price of corn is up as much as 40 per cent over last year.That's a problem because corn is a key ingredient in almost everything, from ketchup to coca-cola.

Food Price Watch : August-2012.

MAIN MESSAGES: The prices of internationally traded maize and soybeans reached all-time peaks in July, following an unprecedented summer in both the United States and Eastern Europe in terms of high temperatures and lack of rain fall. Wheat prices have also soared to levels comparable to the 2011 peaks but below all-time records. Prices of rice remain stable from abundant supplies.

The abrupt food price increases turned favorable price prospects for the year upside down. World Bank experts do not currently foresee a repeat of 2008; however negative factors—such as exporters pursuing panic policies, a severe el Niño, disappointing Southern hemisphere crops, or strong increases in energy prices—could cause significant further grain price hikes such as those experienced four years ago.

Countries in the Middle East and North and Sub-Saharan Africa are most vulnerable to this global shock. They have large food import bills, their food consumption is a large share of average household spending, and they have limited fiscal space and comparatively weaker protective mechanisms. Domestic food prices in these regions have also experienced sharp increases even before the global shock due to seasonal trends, poor past harvests, and conflict. Local circumstances will also largely determine how high domestic prices will be pushed from much higher international prices. 

source here  :  

Water Scarcity May Force World to Go Vegetarian by 2050

By the year 2050, the world’s population maybe be consuming a plant-based diet — and not necessarily out of concerns of animal welfare. If current trends continue, scientists at the Stockholm International Water Institute warn, switching the world to a mostly vegetarian diet may be the best option for feeding a growing population.

By 2050, the world’s population is expected to hit 9 billion people. That number currently hovers around 7 billion, and, with concerns that another global food crisis may be just around the corner, scientists are worried about how the planet will possibly be able to feed another 2 billion people.

One of the biggest concerns is water. Currently, about 70% of the world’s water goes into agriculture; animal products use between 5 and 10 times more water than plant-based products, and 1/3 of arable land is used to grow feed for animals. That is, of course, a lot of resources going towards a food that makes up such a small percentage of our diets.

On average, humans get 20% of their protein intake from these resource-sucking products. Simply put, in a world of 9 billion people, there will not be enough water to feed everyone. That is, unless people reduce their intake of animal protein. If, by 2050, the world’s population decreases their intake of animal products to just 5%, there just might be enough water to go around.

If these findings aren’t enough of a reason to go vegetarian, I don’t know what is.

source  >>