On 25 Aug 2004 01:25:38 GMT, (Fx199) wrote:

>>Subject: Meat-Eaters - Using Up the World's Water.
>>From: (know buddee)
>>Date: 8/24/2004 3:02 PM US Eastern Standard Time
>>Message-id: >
>>
>>Meat-Eaters Soaking Up the World's Water
>>
>>A change in diets may be necessary to enable developing countries to
>>feed their people, say scientists
>>
>>by John Vidal
>>Guardian/UK
>>
>>
>>Governments may have to persuade people to eat less meat because of
>>increasing demands on water supplies, according to agricultural
>>scientists investigating how the world can best feed itself.
>>
>>They say countries with little water may choose not to grow crops but
>>trade in "virtual water", importing food from countries which have
>>large amounts of water to save their supplies for domestic or
>>high-value uses.
>>
>>With about 840 million people in the world undernourished, and a
>>further 2 billion expected to be born within 20 years, finding water
>>to grow food will be one of the greatest challenges facing
>>governments.
>>
>>Currently up to 90% of all managed water is used to grow food.
>>
>>"There will be enough food for everyone on average in 20 years' time,
>>but unless we change the way that we grow it, there will be a lot more
>>malnourished people," said Dr David Molden, principal scientist with
>>the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), which is
>>part-funded by the British government and is investigating global
>>options for feeding growing populations.
>>
>>"The bottom line is that groundwater levels are plummeting and our
>>rivers are already overstressed, yet there is a lot of complacency
>>about the future," the IWMI report says.
>>
>>"Western diets, which depend largely on meat, are already putting
>>great pressures on the environment. Meat-eaters consume the equivalent
>>of about 5,000 liters[1,100 gallons] of water a day compared to the
>>1,000-2,000 liters used by people on vegetarian diets in developing
>>countries. All that water has to come from somewhere."
>>
>>The consensus emerging among scientists is that it will be almost
>>impossible to feed future generations the typical diet eaten in
>>western Europe and North America without destroying the environment.
>>
>>A meat and vegetable diet, which most people move to when economically
>>possible, requires more water than crops such as wheat and maize. On
>>average, it takes 1,790 liters of water to grow 1kg of wheat compared
>>with 9,680 liters of water for 1kg of beef.
>>
>>In its report, the IWMI says it it unlikely people will change their
>>eating habits because of concerns about water supplies. "And in many
>>sub-Saharan countries, where the pressure on water will increase most
>>rapidly in the next 20 years, people actually need to be eating more,
>>not less," the report says.
>>
>>Anders Berntell, the director of the International Water Institute,
>>based in Stockholm, said: "The world's future water supply is a
>>problem that's ... greater than we've begun to realize.
>>
>>"We've got to reduce the amount of water we devote to growing food.
>>The world is simply running out of water."
>>
>>Research suggests that up to 24% more water will be needed to grow the
>>world's food in 20 years, but many of the fastest-growing countries
>>are unable to devote more water to agriculture without sacrificing
>>ecosystems which may be important for providing water or fish.
>>
>>
>>The option of increased world trade in virtual water seems logical,
>>the scientists say, but they recognize that it depends on countries
>>having the money to import their food. "The question remains whether
>>the countries that will be hardest hit by water scarcity will be able
>>to afford virtual water," the report says.
>>
>>The best options for feeding the world, it says, are a combination of
>>hi-tech and traditional water conservation methods. Improved crop
>>varieties, better tillage methods and more precise irrigation could
>>reduce water consumption and improve yields.
>>
>>Drought-resistant seeds, water harvesting schemes and small-plot
>>technologies such as treadle pumps [simple foot pumps] all have the
>>potential to boost yields by 100%, the report says.
>>
>>The scientists did not examine the use of GM foods which have been
>>hailed by some companies as the way to avoid big food shortages.
>>
>>"Even without GM foods, in many parts of the world there is the
>>potential to increase water productivity. Even without them there is
>>hope," one of the report's authors said.
>>
>>Another option considered is that of farmers using more urban waste
>>water for irrigation. It is estimated that up to 10% of the world's
>>population now eat food produced using waste water from towns and
>>cities.
>>
>>Cities are predicted to use 150% more water within 20 years, which
>>will be both a problem and an opportunity.
>>
>>"This means more waste water but also less fresh water available for
>>agriculture. In the future, using waste water may not be a choice but
>>a necessity", the report says.
>>
>>The authors say western governments need to change their policies:
>>"Agricultural subsidies keep world commodity prices low in poor
>>countries and discourage farmers from investing [in water-saving
>>technologies] because they will not get a return on their investments.
>>
>>"Land and water rights are also needed so people will invest in
>>long-term improvements."
>>
>>© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004
>>
>>
>>Published on Monday, August 23, 2004 by the Guardian/UK
>>http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,38...103681,00.html
>>
>>pub'd here too:
>>http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0823-02.htm
>>
>>===============
>>
>>"Man must change or die. There is no other course."
>>The World Teacher
>>http://www.share-international.or
>
>Or we could stop overpopulation...DUH
Or we could understand scare tactics, like if no one has heard 75%
of the earth is covered by water, Yes I know salt, however before it
gets to far down the drought stage some Company will find it
financially benificial to invent/improve a method to remove salt from
sea water at good cost per gallon breakdown.