General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsUnless It Changes, Capitalism Will Starve Humanity By 2050
Capitalism has generated massive wealth for some, but its devastated the planet and has failed to improve human well-being at scale.
Species are going extinct at a rate 1,000 times faster than that of the natural rate over the previous 65 million years (see Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School).
Since 2000, 6 million hectares of primary forest have been lost each year. Thats 14,826,322 acres, or just less than the entire state of West Virginia (see the 2010 assessment by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN).
Even in the U.S., 15% of the population lives below the poverty line. For children under the age of 18, that number increases to 20% (see U.S. Census).
The worlds population is expected to reach 10 billion by 2050 (see United Nations projections).
More: http://www.forbes.com/sites/drewhansen/2016/02/09/unless-it-changes-capitalism-will-starve-humanity-by-2050/#209277704a36
See also; "Earth to expire by 2050" : http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/jul/07/research.waste
And before anyone says "Technology will fix it!" remember; you're talking about a species who couldn't fix a leaking pipe in the Gulf of Mexico for MONTHS. Prevention is a far wiser course than wishing for a cure!
cantbeserious
(13,039 posts)The Oligarchs, Corporations and Banks have brainwashed Western Citizens.
former9thward
(32,023 posts)Malthus predicted it in the 1800s and Paul Ehrlich (The Population Bomb) said that starvation would end humanity in the 1970s and 80s. Didn't happen. Capitalism is propelling tens of millions of people in the developing countries into the middle class every year.
SoLeftIAmRight
(4,883 posts)The oceans are not endless - they just seems so to one that has never sailed them.
brooklynite
(94,595 posts)Or will it tell everyone what they can and can't eat?
The oceans aren't being overfished because of a desire for profit; they're being overfished because of demand.
SoLeftIAmRight
(4,883 posts)Clean water is the second
Most of those developing-country people who got lifted out of poverty were in China.
Lorien
(31,935 posts)and ocean dead zones are spreading at alarming rates throughout the world. Zones bigger than Texas every year, where NOTHING lives. Not flora, not fauna, NOTHING. Google it. The massive dead zones are caused by toxins that are being dumped into the ocean from agriculture, fracking and other industries, and climate change, which is caused by the burning of fossil fuels and meat consumption (deforestation). What makes up the other 35% of our oxygen? The planet's "emerald necklace" of rain forests, which are also being wiped out thanks to meat and fuel production. No forest and no ocean flora = no oxygen= NO US (or most other species). Bury your head in the sand if you like, but you'd damn well better pray that we do find a way to make a U-turn within the next 15 years. Otherwise 30 years from now those of us who remain will be killing each other over scraps!
SammyWinstonJack
(44,130 posts)Hortensis
(58,785 posts)Believe me, even if the Kochs manage to bring us to the point of walking less for lack of air, at that point the people living then will insist on BIG change. But, it's happening now, more in other countries than here, but that is our fault.
Andy823
(11,495 posts)Start at your local level and find people to run for office that will really change things. Find those same kind of people to run for state offices, and then national office. You have to start change from the bottom up, not the top down. Unless you fill the local, state and congressional offices with people who will work to make real changes, nothing will happen.
In the meantime you need to make damn sure that republicans are booted out of office, because one thing is for sure, if they gain control at all levels of government nothing will ever change for the better, but it will change for the worse. Change doesn't happen in a day, and it doesn't happen with just one person, it takes millions.
Lorien
(31,935 posts)linuxman
(2,337 posts)Capitalism has a vested interest in keeping people alive. It's good business.
Enjoy the Malthusian circlejerk, everyone.
Ghost in the Machine
(14,912 posts)CanSocDem
(3,286 posts)polly7
(20,582 posts)Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)HughBeaumont
(24,461 posts)clarice
(5,504 posts)tk2kewl
(18,133 posts)clarice
(5,504 posts)moondust
(19,993 posts)I suppose some enterprising profiteer will sell both sides some gunz and violence will break out and...
Welcome to the future.
malaise
(269,054 posts)They think they're way too many of us.