Consumerism 2

Consider these facts:

1. Half the world — nearly three billion people — live on less than two U.S. dollars a day.
2. Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.
3. Less than one per cent of what the world spent every year on weapons was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000 and yet it didn't happen.
4. According to UNICEF, 30,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they “die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.”
That is about 210,000 children each week, or just under 11 million children under five years of age, each year.
5.Consider the global priorities in spending in 1998

Global Priority/$U.S. Billions
Cosmetics in the United States?/8
Ice cream in Europe/11
Perfumes in Europe and the United States/12
Pet foods in Europe and the United States/17
Business entertainment in Japan/35
Cigarettes in Europe/50
Alcoholic drinks in Europe/105
Narcotics drugs in the world/400
Military spending in the world/780

And compare that to what was estimated as additional costs to achieve universal access to basic social services in all developing countries:

Global Priority/$U.S. Billions
Basic education for all /6
Water and sanitation for all /9
Reproductive health for all women /12
Basic health and nutrition /13