numbers don't lie
I listened to a message from Rob Bell yesterday that genuinely shocked me. The message series is titled "Calling All Peacemakers", and in it, he shared some disturbing numbers:
The United States makes up 12% of the world's population, but uses 85% of it's water.
40% of the world lacks basic sanitation facilitation.
1 billion people in the world lack safe drinking water. American's consume 26 billion liters of BOTTLED water annually.
Every 16 seconds, someone in the world dies of hunger. Yet 2 out of 3 Americans are considered overweight.
80% of the world lives in sub-standard housing. Average new homes size: Ireland 930 square feet., U.K. 815 square feet, U.S. - 2349 square feet.
8% of people in the world own a car. 1/3 of American families own 3 cars.
Daily oil consumption (in millions of barrels a day): Japan 5.5, China 5.6, US 20.
The US accounts for 25% of global oil consumption.
The US holds 42.8% of weapons worldwide.
In 2002, the US spent more on defense than the next 18 biggest spenders combined.
US defense budget - $348 billion.
Cost to provide basic educate for everyone - globally - $6 billion.
Cost to give water and sanitation to everyone - globally - $9 billion.
Cost to provide basic health and nutrition for everyone - globally - $13 billion.
(Maybe if we spent more time and money taking care of the world, we wouldn't have to spend as much time and money defending ourselves from it.)
posted by Stephanie @ 1/10/2007 08:29:00 AM
3 Comments:
That is awesome!!! I know Bell talked about some of that stuff in one of the sermons I gave you. Is that where it is from, or is that from the mp3s you've been listening to?
by the by, I should have the noomas soon. I'll try and start a new group when I return from Sundance.
This kind of reminds me of this one Sarah McLachlan music video where she's just sitting there playing the guitar in her hotel room, and used the budget for the video to contribute various charitible orgs all over. It was pretty amazing what she accomplished and she's only one person.
Yeah, it's from his "Calling all Peacemakers" series. i think i was in shock the first 24 hours after i heard it. we could be doing so much good for the world, and instead... what are we doing? it opened my eyes to so much of the waste that goes on in this country, and not just at a governmental level. how much money do people spend every year ordering lattes and cappuccinos from starbucks? imagine what we could do that money.
Makes me want to create a huge sign with all those numbers on it and start showing up at political rallies. wanna come? :-) it'll be fun.
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