Why is This a Crisis?

It’s time for a wake-up call – no, a shake-up – about the growing pressure on America’s land, energy, and resources. Here at ZrO Waste Group, we’ve been closely analyzing the numbers, and what we’ve discovered is staggering. The statistics reveal a collision course that requires urgent action if we’re going to continue thriving as a country.

Let’s start with the land we rely on for survival. Back in 1900, there were approximately 841 million acres of farmland for a population of just 76 million people. Fast forward to today, and while the population has grown to nearly 336 million, there are only 878 million acres of farmland – and studies show that its declining by 1–2 million acres per year. At this rate, by 2035, we could have only 860–870 million acres left, barely enough to sustain growing demands for food production. What the studies didn’t take into account is that PFAS has likely compromised an additional 20 million acres of farmland, potentially rendering it unusable.

The problem doesn’t stop at land use. Energy tells a parallel story. In 1900, electricity was a luxury, with generation in its infancy and demand limited. But by 2000, the U.S. was generating 3,800 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh), just keeping pace with demand at 3,600 billion kWh. The growing use of AI, electric vehicles (EVs), and electrification is driving up energy demand. AI queries, for example, consume 10 times the energy of a standard internet search. EVs require 30 kilowatt-hours to travel 100 miles, which is the same amount of energy needed to power an average home for a day. With residential properties already accounting for 20% of America’s electricity use, the 3.3 million EVs on the road today—an increasing number each year—are significantly adding to the strain on energy supply. This rising demand leaves no room for inefficiencies or waste.

And then there’s waste itself. In 2000, the U.S. had over 1,967 landfills. Today, that number has shrunk to around 1,200, a trend that reflects improved waste management but also creates a stark reality: we’re running out of places to put our garbage. If we continue at this pace, there may be fewer than 1,100 landfills by 2035. With a population increase of 7.5% from now to then, increased amounts of waste will lead to landfill closures at an increasingly fast rate.

So, why is this a crisis? It’s because all these systems – land, energy, and waste – are interconnected. Shrinking farmland, rising energy demand, and dwindling landfill capacity are symptoms of the same larger problem: we are consuming resources faster than the earth can sustain. Without significant changes, we’ll face serious consequences for food security, energy availability, and environmental health.

At ZrO Waste Group, we believe it doesn’t have to be this way. By leveraging our technology to eliminate waste, generate renewable energy, atmospherically harvest water, and grow food indoors, we can turn the tide. But it’s going to take all of us – industries, governments, and individuals – to make it happen.

Stay tuned for more updates from us at ZrO Waste Group. Together, we can shift from crisis to opportunity and build a more sustainable future for generations to come. Let’s take action now before it’s too late!