Americans must diet to save their economy

[Simon]

"That's the message ecologists are trying to get across this week. They say the apparently looming energy crisis could be averted if US residents cut their calorie intake."

Read it: environment.newscientist.com

[mountainhiker]

"That's the message ecologists are trying to get across this week. They say the apparently looming energy crisis could be averted if US residents cut their calorie intake."

Read it: environment.newscientist.com

Reading thru that article you would think that we can eat less and global warming will no longer be an issue, the economy will surge to new highs and the world will be saved! OH, they did say we had to change the light bulbs! :crazyhappy: Wonder how much "weed" these people consumed to come up with that one.... :thumbup:

[Soliloquy]

Maybe having everyone loose some weight would result in some energy savings, but we're still requiring more and more energy for our computers, air conditioning etc.

[kclive18]

To save the economy, we must quit shipping food thousands of miles when it can be locally sourced, so that less food will spoil and less will go to waste. It's not that Americans are eating too much, it's that the restaurants and stores throw half of it away.

[EcoNrgized]

To save the economy, we must quit shipping food thousands of miles when it can be locally sourced, so that less food will spoil and less will go to waste. It's not that Americans are eating too much, it's that the restaurants and stores throw half of it away.

Throw it away or sell it for less? Apparently throwing away food and other stuff cost these places less than selling them cheaper so that more people could afford it... at least that's what they want us to believe, and that's what many small businesses are lead to believe as well.

The western philosophy of waste suggests that selling for less will make people only want to buy for less and therefore cut into your profits. It's funny how many of the consumer products businesses that are at the top of their class actually sell for less than their competitors... Walmart, McDonalds, Tim Hortons etc. Less waste is what we need, less waste = less need = less energy use. Recycle, Reduce, Reuse - these three Rs are still the best tenets of eco friendliness.

And while we're at it, I'm trying to help others look at more ways to reduce energy use as well as more ways to recycle and reuse energy.

[LNRob]

While it makes sense that if Americans were to reduce their caloric intake or go vegetarian it would benefit the environment, I don't believe many of them are going to go on a diet simply for that reason. Most people who make the decision to lose weight are going to do it for their own health and well-being, not to save the environment. Many of us want to eat healthier, weight less, exercise more, etc... But it takes work and a rock-solid reason to get out there every day, and unless you have that burning desire or something personal that motivates you to get off the couch or get out the door to exercise anyway - it's not going to happen.

I agree with kclive18 - we need to focus more on local food sources....unfortunately EcoNrgized is also right in that the large supermarket franchises and chain restaurants are very much to blame for shipping ingredients and produce from all over the globe in order to provide us with the varieties of food that we've become accustomed to.

L Robinson

OurGreenEarthProducts.com

[mountainhiker]

focus more on local food sources

You will find even many of the bigger markets looking to do this in the US. Its the only way they can get the cost of food down.