Prince Charles has told Americans: Cut down on steaks.
The heir to the Throne of 16 countries, including the UK, Canada and Papua New Guinea, is a keen environmentalist and has made many speeches on green issues to various organisations, including the UN, over the years.
Speaking at the the Future of Food conference at Georgetown University in Washington, the Prince said that the need for vast amounts of irrigation in industrialised food production was threatening to deplete reserves of the "magical substance we have taken for granted for so long".
"For every pound of beef produced in the industrial system, it takes two thousand gallons of water," he said.
Meat-loving Yanks consume twice as much beef each year as the British.
Charles also met Obama at the White House.
Prince Charles tells America to cut down on steaks ... for the sake of the world
America's appetite for beef is jeopardising the world's water supply, the Prince of Wales said during a visit to the US.
By Jon Swaine, in Washington
05 May 2011
Follow Jon Swaine on Twitter
Prince Charles delivers a speech on sustainable farming in the Gaston Hall at the Georgetown University, Washington
In a speech in Washington, the Prince said that the need for vast amounts of irrigation in industrialised food production was threatening to deplete reserves of the "magical substance we have taken for granted for so long".
"For every pound of beef produced in the industrial system, it takes two thousand gallons of water," he told the Future of Food conference at Georgetown University.
"That is a lot of water and there is plenty of evidence that the Earth cannot keep up with the demand."
The Prince called for an overhaul of food production, championing organic and sustainable techniques
Americans eat more than 41kg of beef a year on average, according to the UN, almost twice that consumed by Britons and four times the international average.
The Prince called for an overhaul of food production, championing organic and sustainable techniques, and also criticised the US for allowing the destruction of vast regions of its rural land.
"Here in the United States I am told one acre is lost to development every minute of every day, which means that since 1982 an area the size of Indiana has been built over," he told the 700–strong audience. "Again, in the US, soil is being washed away 10 times faster than the Earth can replenish it."
Five days after the marriage of Prince William, the Prince said his address made "a change from making embarrassing speeches about my eldest son".
The future King meets President Barack Obama in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington
telegraph.co.uk
The heir to the Throne of 16 countries, including the UK, Canada and Papua New Guinea, is a keen environmentalist and has made many speeches on green issues to various organisations, including the UN, over the years.
Speaking at the the Future of Food conference at Georgetown University in Washington, the Prince said that the need for vast amounts of irrigation in industrialised food production was threatening to deplete reserves of the "magical substance we have taken for granted for so long".
"For every pound of beef produced in the industrial system, it takes two thousand gallons of water," he said.
Meat-loving Yanks consume twice as much beef each year as the British.
Charles also met Obama at the White House.
Prince Charles tells America to cut down on steaks ... for the sake of the world
America's appetite for beef is jeopardising the world's water supply, the Prince of Wales said during a visit to the US.
By Jon Swaine, in Washington
05 May 2011
Follow Jon Swaine on Twitter
Prince Charles delivers a speech on sustainable farming in the Gaston Hall at the Georgetown University, Washington
In a speech in Washington, the Prince said that the need for vast amounts of irrigation in industrialised food production was threatening to deplete reserves of the "magical substance we have taken for granted for so long".
"For every pound of beef produced in the industrial system, it takes two thousand gallons of water," he told the Future of Food conference at Georgetown University.
"That is a lot of water and there is plenty of evidence that the Earth cannot keep up with the demand."
The Prince called for an overhaul of food production, championing organic and sustainable techniques
Americans eat more than 41kg of beef a year on average, according to the UN, almost twice that consumed by Britons and four times the international average.
The Prince called for an overhaul of food production, championing organic and sustainable techniques, and also criticised the US for allowing the destruction of vast regions of its rural land.
"Here in the United States I am told one acre is lost to development every minute of every day, which means that since 1982 an area the size of Indiana has been built over," he told the 700–strong audience. "Again, in the US, soil is being washed away 10 times faster than the Earth can replenish it."
Five days after the marriage of Prince William, the Prince said his address made "a change from making embarrassing speeches about my eldest son".
The future King meets President Barack Obama in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington
telegraph.co.uk
