Article: Could Food Shortages Bring Down Civilization?

Author: Lester r. Brown

Main Ideas: Some people think that a civilization cant be destroyed World grain production has decreased in the world As demand for food is growing the amount of production is growing resulting in the inflation of food prices Somalia is number one in failing states with the what prices rising more and more countries are failing and fighting for food Places like India consume about a pound of grain a day About 90% of the grain is consumed indirectly meaning it is consumed as milk, meat, and eggs The amount of grain made in the U.S. can feed half a billion Indians The grain produced in the U.S. is instead used to make ethanol The amount of ethanol produced can meet 18% of the U.S automotive fuel needs 70% of the freshwater is used in irrigation 15% of Indias food supply is produced to the mining of freshwater The topsoil is being blown away reducing the amount of nutrients in the soil Rising surface temperature can affect crop yields Some countries are banding export because of the decrease in food production Scientist say that for every one degree that rises corn yields drop 10 %

Summary:

The amount of food production is affecting civilizations everywhere. With the demand of food increasing the food cost is increasing and the people are fighting for food. The U.S. makes a lot of grain that could feed almost all of India but it is being used to make ethanol to power cars and machines. The three major problems is the amount of water used to irrigate, the top soil is being destroyed, and the surface temperature is increasing. These three problems are affecting the amount of food that is being made and that amount of people that are able to eat. My Thoughts: I think that everyone should help each other and not make a certain food and only use it for something else when it can feed other countries. When countries cant have food they go against each other making wars in their own country. So What? Food production is decreasing making civilizations suffer What If? If everybody contributes to food production will poor civilizations be able to stay strong and survive What does this remind me of? Who says? Lester r. Brown