Interesting Facts about US Consumption

[Baron1710]

Originally Posted by citizen

•Fifty percent of the wetlands, 90% of the northwestern old-growth forests, and 99% of the tall-grass prairie have been destroyed in the last 200 years.

I am not convinced of this "fact".

[citizen]

The issue I guess is not what great dollar deals we can get at the local piggly wiggly but that - this being a Christian nation - the stats aren't saying much about our Christianity.

We consume MORE than what we NEED and that it should not be something that we are guilty of...POW!

[acjcpastor]

Okay, after reading all your post, I'm still haunted by this one: "The average individual daily consumption of water is 159 gallons, while more than half the world's population lives on 25 gallons."

Have you ever been forced to sit next to one of those low water consumers on a long flight from overseas? I have and I thank God most people I hang around with here in the good ol' USA use a little more water to wah their arm pits than the rest of the world.

[RandyWayne]

Rule number 1 of a socialist/environmentalist: Anyone who consumes more then ME is consuming too much and should be soaked to pay for the "poor" so I don't have to.

[Cindy]

Semi-home made foods are affordable. And can be very healthy. Veggie pizza is very good. Make your own sauces and freeze them, as well as your veggies. Yummy!!!

[Socialite]

Originally Posted by sandie

And if we want to get technical about the personal attacks:

#3 "But we have become gluttonous and ungrateful."

That's a broad brush which now only includes Christians, I supppose.

We all have personal convictions and things that we think should be corrected in society. She's entitled to those beliefs just as I'm entitled to question when those things are posted on a public forum

I hope she succeeds in those personal convictions and wish her only the very best in her attempts.
I'm sure by her example she'll succeed in convincing others to do likewise.

I think we need to go back and define "personal attack."

There's nothing PERSONAL about anything citizen has said!

[Socialite]

Originally Posted by Hoovie

I am not sure that I buy that rhetoric. I hear the stories on the news too. They can't afford to buy veggies, the only thing they can afford to eat is Mcdonalds... I disagree. They eat Mac and cheese because they want to. They eat Mcdonalds because they have money to blow and love big macs.

Growing up we never went to macdonalds - way to expensive. What is cheap to buy is veggies. Aldi's very often has canned green beans and peas 4 or 5 for a buck. It's all about choices - if some poor people make poor choices - that's cool it's a free country. The answer isn't limiting choice or blaming others for their stupidity.

Not true.

You're not informed on this topic even remotely if you are suggesting to me that unhealthy food cost less than healthy food.

The average poverty-line home has two workers as well -- which also means lack of time and energy for nutritious meals. Sure, choice is one of those things, but last I checked all the healthy food stores that don't have nasty corn syrup as their top ingredient are also the most posh and expensive of stores. And farmer's markets aren't any cheaper (though I frequent them and encourage them because the more of us that pay the extra money to make better choices, the cheaper the supplies will be).

Poor people have poor people food options. No grand conspiracy in that. Agreeing with that position doesn't mean we are going to raise your taxes or require you to sign-up as a political liberal.

[Socialite]

Originally Posted by ILG

Although I understand what you are saying to a degree, I am not comparing McDonalds to canned veggies. I am comparing fresh veggies and fruit and nutritious foods with the stuff that people grab off the shelf that is full of MSG, aspartame and trans fats.

I'm thinking Food, Inc here

Good point

[Socialite]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

My wife works at a CVS in a very low-income area of town. It is utterly amazing how much these "poor" spend on booze and cigs, and yes, junk food. I remember living in an apartment years ago that was far too expensive for what I was making and even with a roommate we had almost no money left over after rent. It is incredible how cheaply someone can eat when they have to. A jar of peanut butter for a couple of bucks and 5 loaves of bread from the grocery store bakery and I was set for a week. That doesn't mean I didn't get VERY sick of peanut butter, but I never went hungry. I was not entitled to eat a restaurant every day like those evil rich who can afford to.

It was subsequently the consumption/spending of those evil rich which now provide me with the job I have today, as the IT guy for a private school.

Not all poor people have complicated their poverty with booze and cigarettes. In fact, it's an unnecessary characterization of the poor.

I'm a supporter of orgs that help educate the poor on healthy choices, btw. Health is too far-off an idea to think about for many of them. Most definitely addictions contribute, and are causal to poverty as well. But they aren't the reason they are impoverished.

[Socialite]

Originally Posted by Hoovie

I don't think any of us want to see the "poor" living on peanut butter and bread. But when I see the interviews of welfare recipients complaining that they only get $800. a month for food stamps, it's apparent they are missing something more than money. Education might go a long way - if they were willing to learn...

That's why I support many inner-city orgs that promote education (something we take for granted as non-poor people).

Who complained about $800/month? Link?

I can't tell you how many poor people there are, just out of pride, that refuse to go on welfare. The stigma is heavy, and even poor people have pride.