In today's integrated world economy, ... eradicating poverty may contribute as much to U.S. security as eradicating terrorism.

The throwaway economy that has been evolving over the last half-century is an aberration, now itself headed for the junk heap of history.

One way or another, the choice will be made by our generation, but it will affect life on earth for all generations to come

Another agricultural trend of growing concern is the increased nutrient content of coastal waters resulting from fertilizer runoff in agricultural regions. Augmented by urban sewage discharge in some situations, this results in huge algal blooms, which, as they die and decay, deplete the oxygen content in the water, leading to the death of the fish.

Each summer, for example, nitrogen and phosphate washing from farmlands in the Mississippi Valley enter the Gulf of Mexico, creating a massive algal bloom covering some 16,000 square kilometers. As the blooms die off, this area-roughly the size of New Jersey-is so deprived of oxygen that no fish survive.

We are witnessing the beginning of one of the great tragedies of history. The United States, in a misguided effort to reduce its oil insecurity by converting grain into fuel for cars, is generating global food insecurity on a scale never seen before.

The 20th century was the time when the world turned to use of fossil fuels and the 21st century will be the century of the renewables.