The End of the Age of Cheap Food

The age of cheap food is over. As the economist reports: world grain prices rose 77% last year and has accelerated up 141% since January! The prices have shot up due to several factors. China and India are consuming more, but this is just a gradual increase. The targets for Biofuel consumption are a large factor in the price increase as the US and Europe set targets for renewable fuel consumption. Farming reponds slowly to change in demand and this results in a lack of supply. In the past, shortages in food supply have been localized due to war or disaster. Today, it's a worldwide shortage affecting many countries at once.

As usual, this affects the poor first. This quote by the economist sums it up: "“For the middle classes,” ... “it means cutting out medical care. For those on $2 a day, it means cutting out meat and taking the children out of school. For those on $1 a day, it means cutting out meat and vegetables and eating only cereals. And for those on 50 cents a day, it means total disaster.” The poorest are selling their animals, tools, the tin roof over their heads..." 1 billion people live on $1 a day, 1.5 billion live on $1 to $2 a day. When help finally comes from the World Food Organization or prices stabilize it will be hard for the poor to recover and many will have lost their lives.

There are many factors which can help reduce the impact of food shortages on the world. Trade barriers can be lifted, thus allowing for market stabilization of food prices. Europe and the USA can eliminate their targets for biofuel consumption which are contributing to the food shortage. These actions will take time and may never happen. Luckily, there are things we can do right now to help. 1) Consume less fuel. Use less oil to transport goods and services. Drive more efficient vehicles and use public transit. This will reduce the demand for Biofuels. 2) Eat locally. The food you eat grown nearby takes less oil to transport to your farmers market or local store. It allows food grown elsewhere to be eaten by the region in which it was grown. Also look for food grown without oil based fertilizers. 3) Re-use/Recycle. Plastics are oil-based. Less new packaging = less fuel used. Reused or recycled materials use less energy. 4) Eat less meat. It takes 5 times the amount of grain to feed a cow and produce meat for a meal as it does to nourish a person with the same caloric intake of grain. Less meat means more grain for everyone.

Recycle the Ringer

A week ago Gil's cell-phone "broke". Well... actually someone hit it with a 4 iron. But that's another story. The giving season recently ended and I'm sure many of you have old cell-phones, computer monitors, and TVs to get rid of. Did you know that it's actually illegal to throw those out?

Luckily, it's easy to recycle most items. In some cities, such as Kirkland, you call a number and leave the items at your curb for special pickup. In Seattle, and across the US, they have TAKE IT BACK programs where you bring the electronics to a drop-off station. These include places you probably go every weekend such-as Staples, Office Depot and Best-Buy.

What if you're feeling lazy, or want contribute to a good cause by doing it? Cell-phones can be mailed FOR FREE at ECOMOTO. Schools can even fundraise by going door-to-door to collect old phones. If you want to support the troops, send your used phones to cellphonesforsoldiers.com.

For more resources on electronics recycling go here.