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www.activistpost.com... to a stunning new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nearly a third of all food produced in the United States gets wasted. We are probably the most wasteful society in the history of the planet, and we are also one of the most gluttonous. More than 35 percent of all Americans are considered to be officially "obese" by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This era of gluttony and taking food for granted will soon be coming to an end.
Thanks to crippling drought in key growing areas and other extremely bizarre weather patterns, a massive food crisis is beginning to emerge all over the planet. If you don't think that this is going to affect you, then you simply are not paying attention.
Nearly a third of the 430 billion pounds of food produced for Americans to eat is wasted, a potential catastrophe for landfills and a wake-up call to officials scrambling to feed the hungry, according to a stunning new report from the Department of Agriculture. The just-issued report revealed that in 2010, 31 percent, or 133 billion pounds, of food produced for Americans to eat was wasted, either molded or improperly cooked, suffered “natural shrinkage” due to moisture loss, or because people became disinterested in what they purchased.
Feeding the homeless is about to get harder as a new policy is set to begin this Saturday, Feb. 15, in Columbia, SC. Charities and non-profits will be required to pay a fee and obtain a permit 15 days in advance in order to feed the homeless in parks. One impacted charity that was interviewed by the Free Times, Food Not Bombs, has been serving food to the homeless in Finlay Park every Sunday for 12 years. The group’s organizer, Judith Turnipseed, noted that the group has an impeccable track record and always tidies up after the meal. But with the new crackdown, Food Not Bombs will have to pay at least $120 per week for the right to feed the homeless.
Government has lost its mind. It is no more evident than their decision last week to cut off water to America's food basket. Squeezed by the worst-ever drought in the state's history, California is dying of thirst. Crushing news was delivered to farmer's that no water would be coming from the Federal government. This dreaded decision was compounded by the Sierra Mountains getting just 25% of normal snowpack. There is no water to replenish already dangerously low reservoirs, so no water for farmers.
benrl
Aquaponic gardening.
Fish in large tank, pumps, few hundred in parts you can start your own fish hatchery/ garden.
Meat and veggies from a relatively small investment in funds and space.
So what are we going to see in the coming year? Water shortages to farmers, less crops, less meats,
The 124 golf courses in the Coachella Valley consume roughly 17% of all water there, and one-quarter of the water pumped out of the region’s at-risk groundwater aquifer, according to the Coachella Valley Water District. Statewide, roughly 1% of water goes to keep golf courses green.
Obama Plays Water-Guzzling Desert Golf Courses Amid California Drought
Asktheanimals
Absolutely Jude, food prices are gonna shake people down big time.
Grow a garden, raise chickens, goats, whatever you have room to raise.
Get started now because 90% of it will be corporate mega-farm food within a year.
The full force of government and regulation is being unleashed against small farms to run them out of business.
Bassago
reply to post by jude11
So what are we going to see in the coming year? Water shortages to farmers, less crops, less meats,
How about we shut down some of those golf courses the pres is so fond of playing on? Those things use a ton of water. There's 1 -17% of the California problem solved. I'm sure nation wide we could conserve even more.
The 124 golf courses in the Coachella Valley consume roughly 17% of all water there, and one-quarter of the water pumped out of the region’s at-risk groundwater aquifer, according to the Coachella Valley Water District. Statewide, roughly 1% of water goes to keep golf courses green.
Obama Plays Water-Guzzling Desert Golf Courses Amid California Drought
edit on 185pm4747pm92014 by Bassago because: (no reason given)
31 percent, or 133 billion pounds, of food produced for Americans to eat was wasted, either molded or improperly cooked
boncho
31 percent, or 133 billion pounds, of food produced for Americans to eat was wasted, either molded or improperly cooked
Must point out…
This is the most overused stat used in alternative news sites. When you actually look at the wastage though, it means things like, food that spoiled, regulations that do not allow food to be sold or served under certain conditions, etc.
Food waste does not mean people are actually wasting food. A better description would be, it's the choice not to get e-coli poisoning or have millions of people die form food borne illness like the developing world.
Quite correct that the entire number does not mean thrown off the plate because that would be impossible to track. But you have to admit that what we actually wipe off our plates could feed Nations.
boncho
reply to post by jude11
Quite correct that the entire number does not mean thrown off the plate because that would be impossible to track. But you have to admit that what we actually wipe off our plates could feed Nations.
Yes, and the amount of heat lost in ICE engines could probably heat every home the world over. This is an interesting read - Garbage did not exist in the 1800s, instead it was scraps. And scrap material would be bartered by pedlars to be reused in creating new items. Food scraps were used to feed livestock, pets and wandering animals used to be the garbage collectors.
I actually like the angle of this thread, I just wanted to throw in the point I was making earlier. Since we do now make major waste, part of that is tied to production, distribution and of course consumerism. While one could get angry about all this waste it is actually these 3 things that allow us to produce so much, to be able to waste so much.
If we did not have the production capacity, nor the transportation ability, people would be left to purchase food from local producers for the majority of their food stuffs. The farms would be smaller and production capacity much smaller as well. So… It's a catch 22. Without the new methods the current population would have trouble sustaining itself.
Now, to address the thread. There is no way the west is going to go back to reduced production. Sure the free market has pushed for organic, grain fed, etc. And did get some smaller producers with better quality control as a result, but not enough to change the landscape.
So the thread posits the question, do our cheery overlords wish to see the same production capacity as the 1800s to reduce the number of people since population growth is nicely tied in with food and energy production?
Hmm…
Who knows, sounds like a good saturday night film. Whether its the weather or simply control of a global food supply I suppose one day we will have the answer.
boncho
reply to post by jude11
Quite correct that the entire number does not mean thrown off the plate because that would be impossible to track. But you have to admit that what we actually wipe off our plates could feed Nations.
Yes, and the amount of heat lost in ICE engines could probably heat every home the world over. This is an interesting read - Garbage did not exist in the 1800s, instead it was scraps. And scrap material would be bartered by pedlars to be reused in creating new items. Food scraps were used to feed livestock, pets and wandering animals used to be the garbage collectors.