PART II: Connecting the Dots! 25 Questions Prepared for presentation at the NAFSA Conference Luncheon, “Sustainability, Peace and Justice, and the United Nations”, Kansas City, Missouri, 2 June 2010.

1.When a baby is born, is the child’s blood pure?

When a baby is born, the child’s blood probably has over 200 industrial chemicals and pollutants in it such as Teflon, Scotchgard, and flame retardants.

2. What is a nurdle?

A nurdle is the small plastic pearl that is the first product of the industrial manufacture of plastic. Over 40 pounds of nurdles are produced annually for every person on the planet.

3. Worldwide, how many “disposable” plastic bags are produced every minute?

Worldwide, about one million disposable plastic bags are produced every minute, or 60 million every hour.

4. How many plastic bottles are produced in the US annually?

25,000,000,000 single-serving, plastic water bottles are produced in the US annually. 20,000,000,000 are not recycled.

5. Why did a 65 foot long dead Blue Whale wash up on the beach in California in 2007?

We don’t know, but over 400 pounds of plastic was found in its stomach.

6. What is bisphenol or BPA?

BPA is an endocrine disruptor and has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, and various forms of cancer. Epoxy resins containing BPA are used as coatings on the inside of almost all food and beverage cans. Global production of bisphenol A in 2003 was estimated to be over 2,000,000 metric tons..

7. What is India doing about migrants from Bangladesh?

India is building a wall 4,000 kilometers long and 3 meters high along its border with Bangladesh.

8. How many illegal migrants from Africa have died at sea in the last 20 years trying to get to Spain?

Approximately 11,000 people died at sea trying to get to Spain. Thousands more died trying to get to other countries.

9. What is happening to the Ogallala Aquifer?

It is now being depleted at a rate in significant excess of its recharge, and some estimates suggest that it will run dry in 25 years.

10. How much snow cover do the Pyrenees Mountains now have in the summer compared to 100 years ago?

Only about 10% of what existed 100 years ago. Land in the Pyrenees used for agriculture has dropped from 30% to 2%.

11. What is “colony collapse disorder”?

Colony Collapse Disorder is the complete collapse of bee colonies. One-third of the human diet comes from insect- pollinated plants, and bees are responsible for 80 percent of that pollination.

12. How many people on the planet go hungry every day?

Almost 1 Billion People Go Hungry Every Day.

13. How Much Food Is Thrown Away Every Day in the United States and the United Kingdom?

Enough Food Is Thrown Away Every Day in the United States and the United Kingdom to Feed 1.5 Billion People.

14. How many countries experienced food riots in 2008?

30 countries experienced food riots in 2008.

15. How many sharks are killed every day to make shark fin soup?

On average, just over 10,000 sharks per day are killed for shark fin soup.

16. How many children die every day from polluted water?

About 4,000 children die very day from polluted water.

17. How much coal is mined every second?

Over 200,000 pounds of coal is mined every second.

18. Compared to the Gulf Oil Spill, What is the Total Amount of Oil Spilled Annually in the Niger Delta?

The amount of oil spilled in the Niger Delta every year may be as much as 90% of the current amount being spilled in the Gulf.

19. How many cars does China add to its roads each day?

China adds 14 – 15,000 additional cars to its roads every day.

20. How many days of grain supplies does the world have in reserve?

The world had 116 days of grain in reserve in 1999, and now has about half that. Food prices have risen 75 percent since 2005.

21. How many pounds of grain does it take to produce one pound of meat?

It takes between seven and ten pounds of grain to produce one pound of meat

22.How many pounds of meat do Americans eat annually?

The per capita annual consumption of meat in the United States is approximately 275 pounds.

23. By 2030 How Much More Food Will We Need?

According to the UK’s Chief Scientific Advisor by 2030, we will need 50% more food.

24. By 2030 How Much More Water Will We Need?

By 2030, we will need 40% more water

25. How Many More People Are There On Our Planet Today As Compared To Yesterday?

In Excess of 200,000 People, Or About 175 More Kansas City’s Every Year.

The Global Conversation: Knowledge for Global Citizenship

Spring Semester Students studying in, or from, 20 different countries: Argentina, Belarus, Cameroon, Canada, Cyprus, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Kosovo, Lithuania, Mexico, Moldova, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and United States.

What We Try To Do In The Global Conversation ______________ Understand How We’ve Been Living On Our Planet “Connect The Dots” Take A Contextual Approach To The Problems We Face Ask The Question – “How Ought I To Live?”