Challenges
The Challenges facing us today are the solutions of yesterday.
The realities facing humans today are the most intense in human history.
Peak Oil: Quietly, inevitably, geologists, physicists, investment bankers and oil industry experts are positioning themselves for the momentary super slide of the US and Global economies. We have run out of new major fields to tap. The experts are beginning to admit oil production will begin its decline in 2007 or 2008.
Small drops in production can produce devastating effects. During the 70's shortfalls of 5% caused the price of oil to nearly quadruple. In the recent California natural gas crisis, production drop of less than 5% caused prices to skyrocket by 400%.
World Population: We add 2 million people to our population every 5 days! The world population grew from 2.5 billion in 1950 to 6.1 billion in 2000. That growth exceeded the total during the last 4 million years! Ninety percent of new growth will be in developing countries. The area where that stress is being felt first is world availability of food and water.
Immediate Food Shortages: World grain demand has tripled over the last half century to 1,855 million tons in 2000. Eroding soils, falling water tables, depleted fisheries, rising temperatures and rising populations have combined to create grain deficits for the last 4 years. In 2002 world grain totals were 100 million tons short!
Over pumping Aquifers: China, a population of 1.3 billion is leading the charge toward ecological disaster. Because of over pumping, China faces rapidly growing deserts and exponentially falling water tables. When China depletes its grain reserves and turns to the world grain market to cover its shortfall, now 40 million tons per year, it could destabilize world grain markets overnight. Many countries, including the world's big three grain producers, are pumping deep, non replentishable aquifers dry creating an unseen and potentially disastrous situation. " We are currently using our children's water." Plan B.
Massive financial realignment
One hundred fifty years ago corporations were a minor player on the world stage. This soulless entity with many of the rights of humans has become the system by which men put their profits first and foremost. Global financial alignment is becoming more desperate. Worldwide, the richest 20 percent of people presently account for 86% of global consumption while the poorest 20% get by on 1.4%. By the mid 90s, the income of the top 1% equaled the combined income of the poorest 57% (2.7 billion people).
The 800 Lb Gorilla
OK this is the number one challenge we feel faces our nation and our world.
No, it's not Peak Oil, its not the War in Iraq, its not even George W Bush, It's not even the obscenely widening gap between the wealthy and the rest of the populace. Click link to understand.
