Severe food shortage follows lack of rainfall in Syria - 27 Jun 2010  
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Thanks to recent donations from nations and organizations such as Ireland and the European Union, the United Nations World Food Program has been able to distribute food to some 200,000 people who have been hard hit by drought in the last four years.

However, the agency has noted that 110,000 people are still in need of emergency aid. Weather conditions combined with inefficient water use has resulted in diminished wheat output in some areas, while others have been turned into wastelands. Although a government wheat subsidy program has increased output somewhat, tens of thousands of wells dug illegally by people desperate for the resource have damaged the water table as the country, once a wheat exporter, has had to import the grain for the past three years.

Recent estimates state that up to a million people have fled to such cities as the capital Damascus, seeking other livelihoods to support their families. The World Food Program has alerted that further distribution of such staples as rice, oil, flour, chickpeas and salt are pending additional funding.

With our appreciation and Heaven’s blessings for the concerned endeavors of the European Commission, Ireland and the United Nations World Food Program, we pray for the welfare of those in Eastern Syria, as well as all other areas hit by climate-related weather catastrophes and food shortages. May the abundance of a balanced ecosphere soon grace every population as we step quickly in unison to adopt sustainable lifestyles that support all life on Earth.

During an October 2009 videoconference in Germany, Supreme Master Ching Hai reminded as on previous occasions of the need to be responsible stewards of our planet, offering a solution to safeguarding the world’s precious resources.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: With current droughts and water shortages already affecting millions and only expected to get worse, worse and worse.

But even though our predicament is very grave, we do still have time if we act now. And the solution is still very simple. It’s the vegan diet – no animal products.

Scientists have found that each person eating a meat and dairy based diet uses around 4,500 gallons of water per day,compared to 300 gallons per day for a vegan diet. This also means that 1 pound of animal protein requires 100 times more water to produce than 1 pound of grain protein. Over the course of a year, the vegan diet saves approximately 1.5 million gallons of water per person.

This is the key. If everyone switches to this beneficial lifestyle, our planet will be cooled in no time,scientifically speaking and my promise.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LDE65C0PE.htm
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2010/0625/1224273270482.html
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gcIch8huOKOHntUsNTX5Ce4PC8HA