Food for Thought

Glenn Stewart Coles, 9251 Yonge Street, Suite 8-924, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, L4C 9T3

Text Box: The rising prices of oil and gold have dominated recent headlines. These two measuring sticks are setting price records that directly impact world economy. As the supply of oil diminishes, we can anticipate higher costs for the lifeblood of our society. The price of gasoline will likely reduce the amount of driving long before the oil runs out. Unfortunately, transport costs will rise dramatically in a society where just about everything is transported. Of even greater importance than the price of oil and gold is the price of food staples. Over the past year the prices of wheat and rice have tripled. The two food basics, along with corn and soybean, form the majority of the world’s diet. Shortages are directly related to recent droughts and storms, with world stockpiles at the lowest in thirty years. Speculation says that two or three abundant harvests are necessary to replenish the stockpiles, since currently humanity is consuming more than it produces. What if these abundant harvests are not forthcoming? There are two key choices that humanity has made impacting the supply of staple foods. Firstly is our propensity for meat. The amount of grain required to raise a cow or chicken far exceeds the return in protein meat. It takes sixteen pounds of grain to produce one pound of beef. It takes six pounds of grain to produce one pound of pork and three pounds of grain to produce one pound of chicken. This inefficient delivery of protein is based on habit and preference rather than nutritional need. As grain prices rise, so will the cost of meat. The other key decision being made by humanity is the creation of bio-fuels. Intended to subsidize our need for diminishing oil, crops that could be feeding people or animals are instead being converted into bio-fuel. The decision to grow fuel-corn rather than food-corn is basely primarily on economics, since the fuel sells for more. In a world where money is king, many will go hungry. While North Americans have been sheltered from a food crisis so far, other places around the world are not so lucky. In Egypt, riots have broken out in food lines for subsidized bread. In Haiti, the prime diet for many impoverished people is a cookie made from butter, salt and dirt. In Mexico, the price of corn tortillas has inflated 400 percent over the past few months, resulting in angry protests. In India, export of rice has been banned except for high-end basmati rice, which most locals cannot afford. In many African nations, dependency on foreign aid has weakened local farmers, resulting in extreme vulnerability for starving African nations. In the twentieth century there was abundance of everything. The result was the development of society dependent upon continuous and cheap supplies of oil and food. In the twenty-first century, we are learning that all things have limits. Are we capable of adjusting to a new way of life or will we face years of crisis before the survivors adapt? As always, change begins with each individual. Over the next few years, we will see if enough individuals can make the changes necessary to ensure the survival of our species. © Copyright Glenn Stewart Coles, 2008 First Published March 31, 2008

Weekly Inspirations

Food for Thought

Over the past year the prices of wheat and rice have tripled.

Texture, Sunrise Over Wheat

Texture, Sunrise Over Wheat Giclee Print
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New Deutschmark is Born, But in the Meantime How Many Have Died of Hunger?

New Deutschmark is Born, But in the Meantime How Many Have Died of Hunger? Giclee Print
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Gathering Wild Rice

Gathering Wild Rice Giclee Print
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Wheatfield under a Cloudy Sky, c.1890 Art Print
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