This weekend I spent time with my friend Nathan George would is working on a project called TRADE AS ONE. Nathan has a prophetic voice and passion to connect first world wealth with global needs. I invited him to share in a class I’m teaching called Rhythms in the Life of the Master. These statistics that Nathan shared on Sunday have been raddling through my head and heart this week:
• 1/6th of the 6 Billion people live on less than $1 per day and cannot satisfy the most basic human needs
• Aids has already killed 10s of million of Africans & projected to kill 25 million more in the next decade
• The richest 1/5th consume 16 times more meat, 17 times more energy than the poorest 1/5th
• If every person in the world had the lifestyle of the average American, we would at present population rates need anywhere from 2.5 to 4.5planet Earths to sustain us.
• Among the 4.5Bn inhabitants of developing countries, 3 in 5 lack access to basic infrastructure, 1/3rd have no drinkable water, ¼ live in substandard accommodation, and1/5th have no sanitary or medical services
• Americans spend more on cosmetics and Europeans more on ice cream than it would cost to provide schooling and sanitation for the 2Bn people who go without both.
• Worldwide, the top 20% of high income earners a/c for 86% of all private consumption. The poorest 20% a/c for only 1.3%
So in an ironic turn, after talking about the disparity between wealth and poverty in the world, I spent the afternoon at a mansion in Atherton, the home of my son Isaiah’s buddy, whose father helps lead apple. Very nice people who long for a healthy sustainable world.
