Want to Avoid a Thirsty Future? Eat Less Meat

from MOTHER JONES

Can the Water Supply Support Your Meat Habit?

Every year, Americans eat 200 pounds of meat each—equal to a little more than two McDonald’s quarter-pounders, per person, per day. That’s about twice the global average; but now the rest of the globe (led by China) is catching up fast.

Except, by 2050, it’s highly unlikely that Americans will be able to maintain anything close to current levels of carnivory, or that people in China, India, and other developing nations will be able to enjoy current US-style diets.

There are a number of ways to reach this conclusion—for example, meat production is a massive generator of climate-changing gases—but here’s one that seems pretty fundamental: There just isn’t enough water. To find out whether the global water supply can support your meat habit, clickhere.  [READ MORE]