The next world war isn’t going to be a cold one.
It’s going to be a shooting war, its going to be a ballistic war over a rapidly shrinking ecosystem.
It’s going to be a war for the last of our dwindling energy, drinkable water, breathable air.
- Kittridge – Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning
Yes, I know, it’s a movie quote. Yet, it has the ring of truth to it, doesn’t it.
Look at these factors and it rings truer.
Lifespan…how many years of farmable soil left
The world grows 95% of its food in the uppermost layer of soil, making topsoil one of the most important components of our food system. However, generating three centimeters of topsoil takes 1,000 years, and if current rates of degradation continue, all of the world’s topsoil could be gone within 50 years.
Is the amount of drinkable water decreasing?
While the amount of freshwater on the planet has remained fairly constant over time—continually recycled through the atmosphere and back into our cups—the population has exploded. This means that every year competition for a clean, copious supply of water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and sustaining life intensifies.
Is air pollution decreasing or increasing?
Over the last decades, air pollution emissions have decreased substantially; however, the magnitude of the change varies by demographics, according to a new study by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.
We are probably doomed. Our governments always thinks they are smarter than everyone else, no matter which party governs. So, there are no plans to correct.