I really, really like statistics. I like how they can shock people and shake some sense into them, educate us about things we suspected, perhaps, were true, but were largely unaware of their scale. Of course, part of the excitement comes from the fact that statistics can be manipulated and one always needs to take them with a pinch of salt, and be aware of their source. Knowledge can be used to achieve all sorts of ends.

Today I decided to share 3 statistics which I thought shed light onto current affairs and are particularly important to be aware of at the moment.

1. On Plastics

Around 90% of seabirds have ingested plastic. We are adding around 8m tonnes of waste every year to the ocean.

2. On Food Waste

According to the United Nation Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), if food waste was a country, it would be the third global greenhouse gas emitter after China and the US.

3. On Weapons

An American woman is fatally shot by her partner every 16 hours, and nearly 20 American children are shot in an average day. 

There are many more interesting statistics to look at, and they are not always positive. It is much easier to bury our heads in the sand and simply ignore these facts and continue living in blissful ignorance, but once you see the truth you cannot unsee it.

As they said during the Enlightenment: Sapere Aude! Dare to Know! And as they say now: stay woke.