The Great Disaster of 2050

Currently, we are experiencing the "Perfect Storm" trifecta disasters of the meltdown of the housing, stock, and financial markets. All of these bubbles that burst in 2008 were predictable and preventable, yet ignorance and greed allowed them to turn into a global disaster.

In 2050, we will experience "The Great Disaster", which is also predicable and preventable:
1. Global Warming is likely to raise global temperatures by 2-8 degrees fahrenheit, sea levels will rise 1-5 feet, 150 million people (in coastal cities and countries) will become refugees, more severe weather (droughts, flooding, hurricanes).
2. Population increase to 9 billion resulting in more famine, violence, killing, and wars as people try to meet their basic human needs of food, water, and shelter.
3. Petroleum will essentially be gone as the known oil reserves are depleted, resulting in lower food production and higher costs.
4. Water shortages will become commonplace as glaciers in the Himalayas, Rockies, and Andes mountains disappear, resulting in little summer water for farms and cities. Lower rainfalls is resulting in water with higher mineral content reducing crop yields.

In the Great Depression, one-third still lived in relative comfort. In the Great Disaster of 2050, one-third will still be OK, but 6 billion people will not. That would be like everyone alive today living in daily fear of violence, starvation, and disease. It would be like the quality of life was reduced by 10 to 90% for every plant and animal on this planet. Australia is already experiencing severe flooding and mosquito diseases in the north; with severe droughts and wildfires in the south.

After 40 years of warning, Global Warming is starting to be addressed, but without dramatic changes, much of the harmful consequences will not be avoided. Cheap oil and coal will encourage faster depletion and will accelerate global warming. Population growth is the looming disaster which we can immediately address, yet without religious support, we will continue to ignore and even encourage the population bubble. The problem is that all four of these disasters are growing gradually and people don't see gradual changes. The problem is that people will get use to a gradual decrease in their quality of life, as humans are probably better at adapting to adverse conditions than they are at using their reason to prevent disasters.

Energy Cost of Bottled Water

Summary of the March 6, 2009 Science Magazine podcast:

200 billion liters of bottled water consumed worldwide in 2007
33 billion liters of bottled water consumed in the U.S. (1/6th of the world, yet our tap water is clean).
The 200 billion liters required 50 million barrels of oil to make, bottle, transport, cool, dispose, etc.
Essentially, when you drink bottled water, it might as well be 1/4 filled with oil.
Recycling of the empty bottles only helps reduce trash, as they are mainly used for other purposes like making carpets.

A Pur or Brita water filter on the faucet works well for removing chemicals and unpleasant taste. A reusable aluminum, stainless steel, or Nalgene water bottle works for carrying water. If you consume some bottled water, try reusing the bottle by refilling it with filtered tap water. Because the U.S. uses over 25% of the world's energy, we are the biggest wasters of energy, and we need to learn to save in EVERY way possible.

"A Drop Of Blood" Campaign (a national/international call for action)

Draw a red drop on a small piece of paper and, using cellophane tape, put it on a gas pump.

Reason: The people of the U.S. (and much of the world) are basically addicted to oil. We have grown so dependent on our cars and trucks that they are used everyday and even multiple times a day. Because we are addicted, it subconsciously effects the ways in which we think and act. "A Drop of Blood" is to remind ourselves and others that we must think and act more intelligently, in order to fight that oil addiction. That oil addiction is resulting in tremendous harm in the world, such as the invasion of Iraq and global warming. The hidden price of oil is: millions of human lives have and will be lost, thousands of species have and will be extinguished, and tens of millions of people in the U.S. (hundreds of millions in the rest of the world) will see the quality of life decrease for their family and loved one. In tens of years, the revealed costs of our addiction will be a planet that is many degrees warmer resulting in horrific loses, on a weekly basis, which are beyond any current recognition. The U.S. only has 5% of the World's population but use over 25% of the World's energy, so we must make dramatic cuts.

Non-violent acts of civil disobedience: Gandhi and Martin Luther King both realized, sometimes it take non-violent acts of civil disobedience to bring about a change for the better. It must be non-violent because it must not be done in anger or fear. It must be civil disobedience because corporations and government leaders are also addicted to oil, so it adversely effects the ways in which they think and act. We all must be reminded of the hidden costs of our oil addiction.

If you realize that the Invasions of Iraq were over oil, put up "A Drop of Blood".
If you lost a loved one because of wars for oil, put up "A Drop of Blood" in their memory.
If you recognize that Global Warming is a critical issue, put up "A Drop of Blood".
If you care about all of the animal species that are dying due to Global Warming, put up "A Drop of Blood".
If you care about future generations, put up a "A Drop of Blood".

Put up "A Drop of Blood" on your light switches, in you house, as a reminder to conserve electricity.
Put up "A Drop of Blood" in your car, as a reminder to conserve oil and to have one handy.
Put up "A Drop of Blood" on a gas pump, as a reminder to others that the hidden cost of oil is blood.
Put up "A Drop of Blood" even if it gets taken down, as we must keep conserving oil, for the common good.
Put up "A Drop of Blood" until our leaders make energy policies for the long-term good of everyone and the generations yet to come.

With your efforts, the result will be reduced gas prices, less carbon emissions resulting in less Global Warming, and a better chance for survival for every plant and animal currently on this planet. With everyone conserving, Global Warming will be slowed to give our future generations a better world. But, we have already started on a downward slide, so we need to act immediately and conserve until Global Warming is reversed.
http://www.adropofblood.org