items of interest

with contributions from John David Ebert, Gregory A. Rixon, Pat Fosarelli, Melvin McCleod

Marvin J. Cetron and Owen Davies are professional "world watchers"—people keep an eye on the social, political, economic, and environmental forces shaping the planet and its people.

In a recent article for The Futurist, they predict major progress in health and wellness and increased longevity. They note that over the last two decades the consumption of distilled liquors has declined and that young drinkers are behaving more responsibility. In the United States, smoking is also losing ground, although it is growing rapidly in Asia. Among the challenges to future stability is the expectation that the "world's population will double in the next 40 years... To meet human nutritional needs..., global agriculture will have to supply as much food as has been produced during all of human history." Also, while there has been progress in dealing with some environmental problems, more vigilance is needed, especially in relation to potential shortages of drinkable water and the decline of plant and animal species.

"Trends Now Changing the World:
Economics and Society, Values and
Concerns, Energy and Environment"
The Futurist
January-February 2001