Has the world (as we know it) ended?

Fewer Americans is better for the world at large.

tempo_n_groove said:

dankind said:

Fewer Americans is better for the world at large.

We need more assholes.

...and fewer hemorrhoids.

mace1229 said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

mace1229 said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

two parents with two kids is a ratio of 1:1. we'd probably be better off to lessen our population, but currently, I've read, it's still sustainable at the current level (the amount of food american throws out could feed the planet, for example). it's just not sustainable at the current rate of population growth. 

I know we are wasteful with food, but no way can the food we throw out feed the planet. We’re only 1/20th of the planet. We don’t throw out enough to feed 20 times our population. I’d believe we throw out enough to feed all the homeless and those without here, but not the world.
I agree with the 1:1 ratio. Problem is I don’t think we could enforce anything like that. I remember growing up as a kid and all the negative talk towards China for doing it. It wouldn’t fly here until it was already too late.

correct, it was an exaggeration and I should have qualified it as such. the real number is just as disturbing: 

According to the U.N. Environment Programme, industrialized countries in North America, Europe and Asia collectively waste 222 million tons of food each year. In contrast, countries in sub-Saharan Africa produce 230 million tons of food each year. That means sub-Saharan Africa’s food output is practically equal to the amount of food wasted by the world’s richest countries. 

source: https://www.wfpusa.org/articles/8-facts-to-know-about-food-waste-and-hunger/#:~:text=3) 30-40% of,food is damaged or spoiled

That number actually isn’t surprising to me. NA, Europe and Asia is the majority of the world. I’m not surprised the food we all collectively waste could feed sub-Saharan Africa.

I work in a grocery store and the amount of food waste through pure laziness is staggering. The amount thrown out from the store I work at alone in one week could easily feed 1000 people a week.

jhager79 said:

mace1229 said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

mace1229 said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

two parents with two kids is a ratio of 1:1. we'd probably be better off to lessen our population, but currently, I've read, it's still sustainable at the current level (the amount of food american throws out could feed the planet, for example). it's just not sustainable at the current rate of population growth. 

I know we are wasteful with food, but no way can the food we throw out feed the planet. We’re only 1/20th of the planet. We don’t throw out enough to feed 20 times our population. I’d believe we throw out enough to feed all the homeless and those without here, but not the world.
I agree with the 1:1 ratio. Problem is I don’t think we could enforce anything like that. I remember growing up as a kid and all the negative talk towards China for doing it. It wouldn’t fly here until it was already too late.

correct, it was an exaggeration and I should have qualified it as such. the real number is just as disturbing: 

According to the U.N. Environment Programme, industrialized countries in North America, Europe and Asia collectively waste 222 million tons of food each year. In contrast, countries in sub-Saharan Africa produce 230 million tons of food each year. That means sub-Saharan Africa’s food output is practically equal to the amount of food wasted by the world’s richest countries. 

source: https://www.wfpusa.org/articles/8-facts-to-know-about-food-waste-and-hunger/#:~:text=3) 30-40% of,food is damaged or spoiled

That number actually isn’t surprising to me. NA, Europe and Asia is the majority of the world. I’m not surprised the food we all collectively waste could feed sub-Saharan Africa.

I work in a grocery store and the amount of food waste through pure laziness is staggering. The amount thrown out from the store I work at alone in one week could easily feed 1000 people a week.

Sheriff Joe Arpajo would take that food and feed the inmates to save the state money.

dankind said:

tempo_n_groove said:

jhager79 said:

mace1229 said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

mace1229 said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

two parents with two kids is a ratio of 1:1. we'd probably be better off to lessen our population, but currently, I've read, it's still sustainable at the current level (the amount of food american throws out could feed the planet, for example). it's just not sustainable at the current rate of population growth. 

I know we are wasteful with food, but no way can the food we throw out feed the planet. We’re only 1/20th of the planet. We don’t throw out enough to feed 20 times our population. I’d believe we throw out enough to feed all the homeless and those without here, but not the world.
I agree with the 1:1 ratio. Problem is I don’t think we could enforce anything like that. I remember growing up as a kid and all the negative talk towards China for doing it. It wouldn’t fly here until it was already too late.

correct, it was an exaggeration and I should have qualified it as such. the real number is just as disturbing: 

According to the U.N. Environment Programme, industrialized countries in North America, Europe and Asia collectively waste 222 million tons of food each year. In contrast, countries in sub-Saharan Africa produce 230 million tons of food each year. That means sub-Saharan Africa’s food output is practically equal to the amount of food wasted by the world’s richest countries. 

source: https://www.wfpusa.org/articles/8-facts-to-know-about-food-waste-and-hunger/#:~:text=3) 30-40% of,food is damaged or spoiled

That number actually isn’t surprising to me. NA, Europe and Asia is the majority of the world. I’m not surprised the food we all collectively waste could feed sub-Saharan Africa.

I work in a grocery store and the amount of food waste through pure laziness is staggering. The amount thrown out from the store I work at alone in one week could easily feed 1000 people a week.

Sheriff Joe Arpajo would take that food and feed the inmates to save the state money.

Growing up on a farm in Florida, we always got truckloads of expired Winn Dixie or Piggly Wiggly produce for our livestock, mainly pigs. That's not to say that the family didn't also help ourselves to whatever still looked good enough to eat, but we couldn't let them know that we might eat it; it was animal-grade at that point or something, I guess.

The folks using our farm in Vermont have a similar deal with the Shaw's up there, I think.

We have a similar agreement with local farmers. Most of the products I'm referring to unfortunately aren't past code, but not visually appealing or slightly marked. Bruised apples, spotted cauliflower, ripped exterior packaging etc. All perfectly fine food thrown away because of laziness. For instance last month we had 80 cases of 8 strawberries thrown away because of one or two berries had sweaters instead of removing the off berries they all got thrown down the compactor. If the average person only knew.

Haven't read through all the posts here, but I've been reading The 6th Extinction and changes are coming sooner than people think. If the acidification of the oceans continues at the current rate, they could be a barren expanse by the end of the century. As that happens the world will dramatically change. Anything unable to adapt and evolve will die off and most species on this planet can't adapt that fast so the extinction rate will increase dramatically. Human life will probably continue for long after, but things are going to be rough for the next century.

brianlux said:

jhager79 said:

I might be the only one who thinks like this but this feels like a week that could change the world in an unaimagined way.  One of those weeks/ days that would be looked at as when things happened that didn't need to happen that set us on course for disaster. 

I hear you, J.  Reading the NY Times this morning put me in that frame of mind as well.  What a start to the day!  Can't sleep because of the heat, so get up and read about the world going to shit.  

More coffee, please! 

Somedays I think it be better to just stay in my own little bubble like a lot of people I know. They seem happy. Uninformed but happy.