Picture: Rice, one of the highest produced foods in the world.
By Darci Palmquist 13 Oct. 2011
Published Originally by Cool Green Science
Link to Article: http://www.grist.org/population/2011-10-13-we-can-feed-10-billion-of-us-study-finds-but-it-wont-be-easy
Summary: This article is based based on a recent prediction by scientists that the worlds population will reach 10 billion in aproximatly the year 2100. Specifically this article talks about the threat of a great increase in hunger that will become visible as our population increases. It then talks about a study recently conducted by researchers all over the world that revealed that it would be possible to feed 10 billion people. However the scientists who participated in this study discovered that in order to accomplish this task we as humans would have to change many things about the way we obtain our food. The list is as follows:
Stop farming in places like tropical rainforests, which have high ecological value and low food output;
Improve crop yields in regions of Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe where farmland isn't meeting its potential;
Change farming practices to better manage water, nutrients, and chemicals;
Shift diets away from meat;
Shift diets away from meat;
Stop wasting food (up to one-third of all food grown is wasted either in production, transport, or after purchase).
These strategies; scientists believe will increase the worldwide food output 100- 180%
Opinion/ Reflection: I think that it is just crazy how fast our population is growing. One day its six billion and the next day its like, well 8. I think that the list of strategies listed here would be very helpful if we actually used them. I find it pretty upseting that we don't and if we really wanted to do something good for ourselves we would actually follow the researchers advice. If we dont it could lead to our collapse and the collapse of the biosphere.
Questions:
1 Remembering what we learned in class what is your opinion on exponential population growth?, Explain
2 Do you agree that these strategies could truely increase the food output 100-180%?, Explain
3 Come up with another strategy that could be used and explain it.
Opinion/Reflection: I think it's really surprising just how much we can increase the amount of food that we creatt and yet we aren't doing any of it. Aren't people concerned about those who starve? You can donate all of the money you want to a cause that helps feed those in poverty, but the only way to permanently fix the hunger problem is to change the way we farm all around the world. I also feel kind of guilty since I feel like I just waste a lot of food.
ReplyDeleteQuestion #2: I think that the new strategies could increase food output, but it would take a lot of time, effort and money to get to that point. We can't just increase food output over night, and it will take the effort of every nation to help with this problem.
Opinion/ Reflection
ReplyDeleteI was really surprised that we will actually be able to feed ten billion people if we work hard enough. It seems like if there were that many people there would be other things to worry about as well, but at least food could be taken care of.
Question 3
Another strategy that could work is to ration food, which could also take care of the problems of obesity, diabetes, and general unhealthiness. If people just ate what they were given there would be less waste.
I think that it is really interesting that we can calculate hom many people we will be able to support on the planet at one time. We know what needs to be done, and how to do it. This being said I think that we as a species will still overshoot our carrying capacity. Honestly enev though it is physically possible to support 10 billion humans, I do not think we can. It would justtake a huge change in the way many people live and I sadly do not think we are capiable of that as a species. I wish we were but historically it has been very difficult for us to make large changes in our global lifestyle as a whole. In answer to question number 2, I do think that if we were able to impliment all of these strategies it could increase our food outupt by well over 100%. Sadly however i do not think that it will happen.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dave that this is insane how fast the human population is growing.I really think that we should start becoming concerned about how populous we are becoming. We should consider trying to slow down the population growth somehow because if we don't put a cap on it soon, mother nature will for us. I also disagree that these strategies will increase the food production 180%. That is a ton more food than we are producing now, and even if we did stop wasting food, we would never be able to reach that 180% production increase.
ReplyDelete