Peter Singer, possibly the world’s most renowned bioethicist (I mean, how many others can you think of?), found himself on NPR’s Marketplace today to discuss this food crisis we’re in the midst of. Dr. Singer starts with a very simple question: “Why are we in the midst of a food crisis when world production of food per person has actually grown steadily since the 1960s?”

There are a few reasons according to Dr. Singer, not least of which is our new forays into ethanol production, which takes 100 million tons of corn off our tables. But it’s the meat people eat that’s really doing it. Dr. Singer breaks it down old skool:

But most corn isn’t eaten by humans; it’s eaten by animals and that’s the biggest part of the problem. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, 756 million tons of grain plus most of the world’s soybean crop are fed to animals and that amount has increased sharply in recent years as Asian nations have become more prosperous and their populations have started eating more meat.

The solution to this problem is actually quite simple and elegant: cut back on your consumption of meat, dairy, and eggs (I type this, it should be noted, as I drink a glass of milk. I know, I know). Failing that, Dr. Singer mentions that PETA is offering a reward to anyone that can create meat in a lab. Now, if you do eat meat, and you’re disgusted by the idea of eating fake meat sometime in the future and would rather not start eating less meat, just think of how much you’d hate being forced into a vegan diet later down the road.

And not to proselytize, but meat itself is actually just dead flesh, and that’s kind of gross, too. Anyway, you can read or listen to the rest of Peter Singer’s commentary here, or takepart here to learn how you can get on your way to a vegetarian diet.

Also, if you have a couple minutes, go here to read a fascinating article by Dr. Singer on the charitable burden we all face. A very good read.