Many of these articles deal with the effects of population on the environment,
but most make no mention of population! Please help change that by telling
news sources whenever they publish such articles. Together we can make a difference.
A few articles do talk about the link, and we heartily commend them!
The Population Illusion
May, 2011 -
The "YouChooseBayArea" juggernaut is selling the illusion that 2.2 million people
will move here and we "have to" put them somewhere. Not true. If we choose to
raise our population by that much, our Global Footprint will rise by at least 25%
[article]
[archive]
U.N.Predicts 10.1 billion people by 2100 May -
This article corrects some common mis-perceptions about population. It is growing rapidly, but
can be slowed by easy access to contraception, better education for women, and
changing social norms.
[article]
[archive]
Delta Water Plan Flawed May -
About 25 million residents, millions of acres of farmland and the fisheries of the Delta
rely on Delta water. The latest by-pass tunnel plan is full of holes, says panel of
experts.
[article]
[archive]
China's Population Growth Slows April -
National Bureau of Statistics says that the slowed rate of population growth has
"eased the pressure on resources and the
environment and laid a relatively good foundation for steady and rapid economic and social
growth.
[article]
[archive]
"
You Choose Bay Area"
??? March 2011 - The Silicon Valley Community Foundation, the
Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and the MTC have a plan to put 2.2 million people more people in the Bay Area by 2035. They are seeking public comment.
We choose not to have 900,003 more households!
Let them know what you think! [article]
Resisting Dickensian Gloom
by Tony Recsei. Forced high density policies don't reduce our carbon footprint or
energy use. This is a very well researched article summarizing many studies. It
was posted on a "smart growth" blog and many people have commented.
Facinating reading.
[article]
[archive]
New Anti-Abortion Math April -
Gail Collins writes of the emotional anti-abortion, anti-birth control politics in Texas and the
effects on education and health care. The is why we all need to become aware of what
overpopulation is doing to our environment and our lives.
[article]
[archive]
Reversing China's One-child Policy? - April -
As the government experiments with encouraging more births, many parents prefer to
have just one child to give them better chances.
[article]
[archive]
Looking Out for the View - April 2011 -
Thanks to local homeowners and several land trusts, a beautiful streach of the
Hudson River in New York has been saved from a nuclear power plant,
a gas-fired power plant, and a cement plant. Olana Partnership.
[article]
[archive]
Are Malthus's Predictions coming true? - April 2011 -
Jeffrey Sacks' good overview. His main point is that all the technological innovations since
Malthus's day we have converted rich stores of natural capital into high flows of
current consumption. We note that more people live on the edge of starvation today
than were alive in Malthus'time.
[article]
[archive]
Vitality of Independent Local
Businesses Feb, 2011 - Ranking of 363 metro regions.
Ocean City, NJ; Bellingham, WA; Medford, OR top the list.
Owners of local businesses care more about their regions than do corporate officials
2000 miles away.
[article]
[archive]
Smart Growth: The Worst Kind of Sprawl?
Studies find that urban construction is no better for the environment
than the suburban. People have pretty much the same
global footprint either way. Transportation is a small part of it, and is offset
by extra resources to build high rises.
[article]
[archive]
Tikopia: Living within Limits Feb, 2011 -
The history of the Pacific island Tikopia shows that when humans are confronted with
obvious limits to
our resources, we are smart enough to constrain our population and enjoy
comfortable, prosperous lives.
[article]
[archive]
NPR interview of National Geographic's 7 Billion
and Counting. Feb 2011 -
Lots of good information, especially about India, but a
strong accomodationist bias. Why not focus on reducing our
numbers to where all people can live prosperously and not overload the planet's resources
and environmental systems?
[article]
[archive]
300 Years of Fossil Fuels in 300 Seconds, Jan 2011 -
Great(!) video on the history and effects of humanity's use of fossil fuels. As supplies
dwindle relative to our population, what will we do?
[short video]
Conjectures on Human Growth Limits, Jan 2011 -
Ross McCluney's classic survey of ways to address the question of the best population size
for our Planet. Hint: it depends on how we want to live...
[archive]
Mother: Caring our Way out of the
Population Dilemma, Jan 2011 -
The film follows Beth, an American mother who comes from a Catholic family of 12 and has adopted
an African-born daughter as she
travels to Ethiopia where she meets Zinet, the oldest daughter of a desperately poor family
of 12. Zinet has found the courage to break free from thousand-year-old-cultural barriers,
and their encounter will change Beth forever.
[trailer]
[archive]
E.P.A. revokes West Virginia Mining Permit, Jan 2011 -
You'd think the Clean Water Act wouldn't allow you to
dynamite the tops off 2,278 acres of mountains and dump
the rubble into nearby valleys and streams, but this is only the 2nd time in 40 years the EPA has
done anything about it.
[article]
[archive]
Internal U.S. migration slows, Jan 2011 -
Interesting data, biased perspective. The Brooking Institute bemoans stalled "Brain Gain", but that's a stalled
"Brain Drain" everywhere else.
[article]
[archive]
Japan Keeps a high wall for Foreign Labor, Jan 2011 -
don't want population growth, no matter what the world's business pundits say.
They will face the "horrors" of a falling population:
lower housing costs, relatively more jobs available at higher wages, less traffic, less polution,
less construction, less lost open space. What do you think?
[article]
[archive]
Developers Prosper Despite Defaults, Jan 2011 -
Why do they build what is not wanted or needed?
"Capital is blind. It will go wherever it can for a return. That's it in a nutshell."
[article]
[archive]
Vermont's slow population growth
is not a problem to many residents. They want to keep what they like
about the State in the first place. - Jan 2011
[article]
[archive]
"Freedom" by Jonathan Franzen, Jan 2011 -
This bestselling novel features a character who is concerned about the effects of overpopulation
on everything else. Great reviews.
[video interview]
[archive]
9 Billion by 2045, Can the Planet take the
strain? National Geographic, Jan 2011. Interesting interviews with various people.
[article]
[archive]
African Farmers Displaced as Investors move in,
Dec 2010-.A World Bank study tallied farmland deals covering at least 110 million acres — equal to California plus
West Virginia — announced during the first 11 months of 2009 alone
[article]
[archive]
West Bank Settlements, Dec 2010-. If any 2 countries need restrictive population policies, they are Israel & Palestine
[article]
[archive]
Las Vegas Real Estate Bust and the Census, Dec 2010 - When the Builders get the upper hand, and the bankers just pour on the money, booms happen. Then comes the pain, but the damage is done..
[article]
[archive]
Teenage Birth Rate falls due to Recession, Dec 2010- Teen birth rates drop 6%..
[article]
[archive]
Traffic in Beijing is Worst in World, Dec 2010-. The speed of traffic at rush-hour is dropping towards 9mph, bicycle speed, back where it was 20 years ago when people actually rode bicycles.
[article]
[archive]
Supply of Places to Fish is Dwindling, Dec 2010-. Fish are a very important protein source, but the oceans are one of the commons that are being overused due to increased population and consumption.
[article]
[archive]
Saltwater Intrusion Strain the Floridan Aquifer, Dec 2010-. 3 billion gallons withdrawn daily by thousands of small towns and large cities such as Orlando, Jacksonville, St. Petersburg in Florida, and Savannah, Georgia.
[article]
[archive]
How to Spend One Million Dollars to Reduce Climate Change, Dec 2010-
Research paper showing tons of CO2 abated for family planning, girls' education, energy efficient buildings, reduce slash & burn forestry....
[article]
[archive]
The Moral Right to Set Limits, Dec -
To me, it seems right for us each to protect the positive qualities of our own region, the only place where we have even a modicum of the political ability to do so. But there is always a nagging question about that...
[article]
Enough Is Enough, Nov 2010 -
Report on the first Steady State Economy Conference in Leeds, UK.
How an economy can provide prosperous lives for the
World's peoples if population stops growing.
[article]
Deadly Fire Trips alarms about China's Building Boom, Censors respond, Nov 16 -
government censors blocked criticism of safety failures, and promoted
the "necessary risks" of living in skyscrapers.
[article]
[archive]
Opposition to Power Line at Fjord Runs Deep, Nov 11 -
A beautiful place. Why run a high-tension power line with 125
foot towers through the middle of it? Another toll of increasing population.
[article]
[archive]
Inquiry Revived in Beating of Russian Editor, Nov 11 -
A Russian editor angered local officials by criticizing efforts to build
a highway from Moscow to St. Petersburg through a cherished forest in Khimki.
He was severely beaten and left to freeze in the snow. The investigation was
quickly dropped, but surprisingly is being revived.
[article]
[archive]
Novel Tactic in Greenhouse Gas Fight, Nov 2010 -
The Montreal Protocol(1987) was successful at eliminating
chlorofluorocarbons and protecting the ozone layer. Negotiators are
considering expanding protections to include HFCs, which are
thousands of times more potent greenhouse gasses than carbon
dioxide.
[article]
[archive]
Aquifers: Deep Waters Slowly Drying Up, Oct 2010
Groundwater provides about half the planet's drinking water.
Farmers pump, oblivious of others' actions and the impact of their own.
Much of the water is used in inefficient irrigation; and for
low-value crops. About half of the aquifers straddle borders.
[article]
[archive]
Water Use in Southwest: Day of Reckoning, Sept 2010
Water level in Lake Mead lowest since the late 1950's. Today more than 28 million people
in California, Arizona and Nevada depend on it.
"We have a very finite resource and demand which increases and enlarges every day,"
said the president of the Colorado River Water
Users Association.
[article]
[archive]
Saying No to 'I Do', the Economy, Sept 2010
People are having fewer marriages and babys due to the poor Economy.
Population growth is not a inevitable force of Nature.
Let's retool the
Economy so as not to demand endless (imaginary) growth.
[article]
[archive]
Birth Control over Baldness, Sept 2010 -
New contraceptives could be a powerful tool in fighting global poverty.
Amazing that the N.Y.Times would publish such an OpEd. I've assumed
there is a ban on discussing the Link.
[article]
[archive]
Top 50 Birth Control Blogs.
Sept 2010.
Grouped by Educational, Methods, Population Issues, Reproductive Rights, Religious,
Ethnic & Local issues.
[article]
[archive]
Nobody Ever Dies of Overpopulation, Garret Hardin
Much of the Pakistani land which
flooded in 2010 is floodplain which was marshland that was
only settled in the last 30 years...
[article]
[archive]
How many People can live on Planet Earth Sept, 2010
Sir David Attenborough asks this question in
this fascinating video (YouTube).
China: Redevelopment Plan Scrapped for Historic Beijing Neighborhood Sept, 2010
Even in authoritarian China, people can block government/Developer plans to "improve", "modernize" or
"make green" their cities.
[article]
[archive]
The Coming Famine by Julian Cribb book review-Aug.
Cribb says we've passed peak oil, water, fertilizer and land;
he argues for more technological research and eating lower on
the food chain. He does not mention stabilizing population
(at least this reviewer does not note it).
[article]
[archive]
Risks of Deep Water Drilling 2010/08/30
Population pressure forces us to take risks we cannot control with deeper and
more complex drilling worldwide.
[article]
[archive]
Florida's "Hometown Democracy" amendment - Blocking Build-Build-Builders.
September 27, 2009 - Orlando Sentinel .
Our development pandemic threatens the economy as much as the environment. Building more
houses when the number of buyers has not increased deflates the value of houses that is going
to linger for years and years.
[article]
A Pivotal Moment: Population, Justice & The Environmental Challenge
Dec 23,2009 This new book compiled by Laurie Mazur discusses environmental issues as they affect
equality, justice and sustainability. Regarding the UN's low and high estimates for World
population in 2050 "if we take seriously the twin imperatives of sustainablilty and equity, it
becomes clear that it would be easier to provide a good life - at less environmental cost - for
8 rather than almost 11 billion people."
[Press Release]
Pakistan: Drowning today, Parched tomorrow 2010/08/16
Pakistan's fast-growing population has a very
uncertain outlook for future water supply. Sharing the waters
of the Indus River is a major source of conflict between Pakistan and India.
The U.S. may support a $12 billion agricultural and hydroelectric project.
[article]
[archive]
Downward Spiral of Hasty Population Growth July, 2010
More frequent need to rebuild roads, bridges, schools undercuts the economics of raising
population to offset future shortage of younger workers. Jane O'Sullivan article about
Australia applies to other nations that rely on high
population growth and high GDP growth.
[article]
[archive]
Four Urban Growth Boundary measures: on November ballots.
Establish boundary in Cloverdale.
Renew Petaluma's and Santa Rosa's.
Defend San Ramon's.
[Greenbelt Alliance's] campaign.
The Population Problem is falling Births!!! July, 2010
It is amazing how some news sources report on population.
With population growth as the prime mover behind
28 environmental and social ills,
from traffic to world-wide hunger to "ethnic cleansing", they report on possibe
shortages of workers in 20 years although worker productivity is rising.
[article]
[archive]
China's Instant Cities 07/2010
Pictures and comments on China's booming construction. "Industry has long been yoked to
visions of utopia, but also ... the toxic emissions,
rising temperatures and habitat fragmentation associated with unchecked growth"
[article]
Water Dispute Increases India - Pakistan Tension July, 2010
Sharing a major river, both countries have large and growing populations
and both need a population policy so that they can live comfortably with the resources available to them.
[article]
Population surge outstrips efforts to eradicate slums
227 million people escaped slum conditions between 2000 and 2010. However, due to population increase
and urban migration the number of slum dwellers increased from 776 million to 827 million.
[article]
Teen pregnancy fashion?
Will trendy advertising
for cute pregnancy clothes encourage teenage girls to think it's cool to be pregnant?
"Forever 21" with 400 stores and 12,000 employees just introduced such a line.
Call their corporate offices 213-741-5100 (& 888-494-3837)
and let them know what you think.
[article]
Climate Change:
Calling Planet Birth
Family size is the great unmentionable in the campaign for more environmentally friendly lifestyles.
Having 1 less child in the US would reduce carbon emissions 19 times more than
all the E.P.A.'s recommended actions combined. -
[article]
Gulf Oil Spill 2010: The burgeoning population forces us to take
the unknown risks of drilling in mile-deep ocean. Here are two
of many stories about the debacle:
Oil Hit Home- Arc of Frustration in Louisiana- May, 2010 - [article]
Deepwater Reefs threatened by Gulf Oil Spill- June 1, 2010 - 1200 foot deep ecosystem threated
by oil and by the dispersants.
[article]
Senate Gets Climate & Energy Bill- As Gulf Oil Spill grows, the Bill proposes even more drilling,
but no efforts to limit population growth.
[article]
The Critics Deconstructed Intersting article about the attacks against population activists,
and the need for population awareness
[article]
The Last Taboo What unites the Vatican, lefties, conservatives,
environmentalists and scientists in a conspiracy of silence?
Read
The Last Taboo
by Julia Whitty in the June 2010 issue of
Mother Jones: "Who's to Blame for the Population Crisis?"
Population Growth is Bad For San Diego -Apr 2010
"Rather than throwing all our efforts at trying to handle ever-increasing
numbers of people, we should be directing our efforts at preventing the increase."
[article]
Drop in Birthrates in 2008 is Linked to Recession -Apr 2010
Population growth is not inevitable. When incentives favor postponing having children,
many people do.
[article]
Smart Growth? the smart alternative is No Growth
Although city planners are trained to call some patterns of growth 'smart',
in many areas the only truely smart alternative is No Growth
[article]
Parting the Waters - mid-East wars over Water Rights - March 31, 2010.
30 of the 37 Wars over Water in the past 60 years involve Israel and its neighbors.
Fewer people living in these desert regions would leave more water per person. This should
inform the population policies of all countries involved.
[article]
Florida's Seafood Becomes Less Local - March 31, 2010.
Florida used to be a by-word for the abundance of the sea. Now the "trash fish" of
30 years ago may be too rare to fish commercially or recreationally. Isn't this a clarion call
to reduce our human population so that we can again enjoy the abundance of nature???
[article]
California's Pipe Dream - a water crisis.
March 27, 2010.
A clear summary of water use in California, with it's agricultural,
environmental, residential, and development needs.
With population growing at about 300,000 a year, we'll have to stop watering our gardens
and drink recycled urine....unless we stop the numerous projects designed to keep
people coming.
[article]
See National Geographic's "Water" issue, April 2010
Peak Oil 2005-2012-2020?
March 16, 2010.
Three recent articles with different estimates of the year of peak
oil production. The more we can stop population growth and begin to
reduce oil energy consumption, especially in the industrialized countries, the longer our
supplies of relatively abundant fuel and historically cheap transportation will last.
[article]
Also see
peak oil
More:
Population, Nature, and What Women Want by Robert Engelman.
In this new book, Engelman offers a vision that celebrates women’s widespread desire
for smaller families. Mothers aren’t seeking more children, he argues, but more for their
children. If they’re able to realize their intentions, we just might suffer less climate change, hunger,
and disease, not to mention sky-high housing costs and infuriating traffic jams.
[article]
Global Population Speak Out (GPSO) - February 2010
A month-long grassroots initiative urging us each to take action
around population. Population is an approachable issue, especially in the
context of sustainability initiatives and discussions; we can each make a difference.
Over 150 sponsors, and 229 actions reported so far. Visit their
website, learn more, and become a population activist.
California Water Myths: Finger Pointing
Dec 14,2009 Legislation will force urban users to decrease water usage
20% by 2020. The authors say we shouldn't blame agriculture. That's true, but they don't
mention
overpopulation. They don't say that if population doesn't grow 20%, we won't have to cut back
our water usage. Might this glaring ommision have anything to do with the political and
economic power of the developer's lobby in Sacramento? Hmmm...
[article]
Oceans' Absorption of Emissions Is Slowing
Nov 19,2009 The Oceans have absorbed the Greenhouse Gas CO2 in vast quantities, but the intake
rate has slowed markedly since 2000. The more it
absorbs, the more acidic it becomes, and the less it can absorb. This is one more effect
of population growth on the environment; one more factor that may push the environment across a
tipping point...
[article]
Warming Increased in Last Decade
Dec 9,2009 Copenhagen: The World Meteorological Organization reported that 2000-2009 has been warmer
than the 1990's, which were in turn warmer than the 1980's. Yet the Climatological Conference
has been dominated by bickering between the "rich" and the "poor" nations. And
nobody is talking about overpopulation which is driving the increased emissions of
both rich and poor nations.
[article]
Finding a Way to Cut Numbers
Nov 20, 2009 Three ways population is finding it's way back into the news, sometimes
quite circuitously.
women's greater suffering because of climate change.
British comission said curbing population growth through
contraception must be at the heart of efforts to combat global warming.
Iran has promoted ontraception through the mosques. Average number of children fell from 7
to 1.9.
[article]
Population Problem Solves Itself?
Nov 2: Amazing? But the November cover of "The Economist" makes that claim.
Maybe that's not too surprising when you consider all
the
money to be made from rising population.
But I don't think 3 billion more people in the world will help solve our environmental
problems. How about you?
[article]
October 21, 2009
The technological solutions to the world's problems can not succeed if we do not address the
factor of population growth. The Green Revolution of the 60's&70's was supposed to end world
hunger, but we now have over 1 billion hungry people, many more than before that technological fix.
[article]
October 2, 2009
Oct 2, 2009 Drought is ever more common in the U.S. as well. Global Warming may play a part, but the
authors conclude that the root of the water problem in the Southeast is the growing population.
In Georgia, the population rose from 6.48 million in 1990 to 9.54 million in 2007.
[article]
The Rio Agenda: Population is Part of Sustainability
January 17, 2012 - Read our latest blog post on why addressing population is critical at the upcoming Rio UN conference on sustainable development [populationgrowth.org]
[archive]
Who is Your State's Biggest GHG emitter?
The EPA releases a new online mapping tool to track sources of greenhouse gas emissions
- Jan 11, 2012
[article]
[comment]
Overpopulation at its worst?
In the Congo's capital, parents only feed their children every other day.
Demand U.S. contribute
to U.N. contraceptive program!
- Jan 10, 2012
[article]
[comment]
Japan's economy stronger than USA's
This is usually obfuscated by using total GDP to measure growth, but per-capita GDP is stronger
in Japan.
- Jan 3, 2012
[article]
[comment]
Slower Population Growth
in USA but some lament loudly, as if Arizona and Nevada don't have enough houses and
people yet. What is enough? - Dec 22, 2011
[article]
[comment]
Durban Climate Talks
Dec 12, 2011 - Not much accomplished. People in 50 years will wonder
"what were they thinking" just squabbling over who caused the leaks in
the boat rather than all bailing together.
[article]
[comment]
Plan to Widen Availability of Morning-After Pill Is Rejected
December 7, 2011 - Obama Administration overrules FDA decision that emergency contraceptives be sold freely over the counter.
[New York Times]
[archive]
The Birth Control Solution
November 2, 2011 - Nick Kristof of the New York Times on why family planning is one solution to many of our pressing problems, from climate change to poverty.
[New York Times]
[archive]
Growthbusters: Hooked on Growth
Howmany.org cosponsors Berkeley screening on November 15th. Growthbusters is a new documentary that raises questions about the public policy goals of economic and population growth, and their relationship to social and environmental health and well-being.
[Event Details]
Ecological Economics in a World of 7 Billion
On November 10th, HowMany.org presents Randy Hayes, founder of Rainforest Action Network, for a talk in Berkeley
addressing ecological economics and the impacts of overpopulation, overconsumption and globalization
[Flyer]
[Article: The Growth Paradigm]
Revisiting Population Growth: The Impacts of Ecological Limits
October 13, 2011 - Robert Engelman, president of Worldwatch Institute, on accepted predictions of population growth in a rapidly changing global environment
[Yale Environment 360]
[archive]
Women Urge Others to go Public About Abortions
October 13, 2011 - Powerful Bay Area Republican builds support for candor on family planning
[San Francisco Chronicle]
[archive]
Cut and Run: Costs of Not Supporting Family Planning
October 13, 2011 - HowMany.org's Suzanne York discusses the latest threat to population funding
and the importance of access to family planning services
[SFGate blog]
[archive]
One Child Families in India
Our own Suzanne York describes a rising preference for smaller families as more Indians
become middle class.
[SFGate blog]
[archive]
Gretchen Daily, Nature's Economist
Protecting the environment by quantifying the economic benefits we derive from
it. A critical way to reach economists, politicians and business people who need to see
practical consequences of their actions.
[original]
[comments]
Enter the Anthropocene
August 2011 - The Age of Man. A name for a new geologic epoch, one defined by our own massive impact on the planet.
Effects will endure in the geologic record long after our cities have crumbled.
[original]
[comments]
Anne Ehrlich weighs in on sustainability
August 2011 - What to do? Stop the denial.
Perpetual growth is the creed of a cancer cell, not a sustainable human society.
[original]
[comments]
Halloween 2011 is Scary
July 2011 - It's the Day World Population Surpasses 7 Billion. Halloween comes from
a Celtic festival marking the end of Summer's plenty and the beginning of Winter's
austerity. What is in store for our planet now?
[original]
[comments]
David Attenborough
July, 2011 - "Half a century ago, the WWF was formed to help save endangered
animals. Today, it's human beings who are increasingly at risk, through overpopulation
and food scarcity." - Very informative article!
[original]
[comments]
Al Gore video sparks Right-wing Frenzy
June, 2011 - the Fox Fear Factory generates really weird criticisms of Gore's comment that
empowering women not only good for us all, but also helps us be good stewards of our planet
[original]
[comments]
The Earth is Full
June, 2011 - Thomas Friedman - The title says it all. Maybe now that Friedman has broken the ice,
a few others can also say that the Emperor (of endless, thoughless growth) has no clothes!
[original]
[comments]
Cities Face Long Wait for Jobs to Return
June, 2011 -
Many jobs have left. But regions that provide employment by building residential
housing fall into a vicious cycle, drawing more people to the region to
compete for existing jobs. Promote jobs for existing residents first.
in the region.
[original]
[comments]
The Population Illusion
May, 2011 -
The "YouChooseBayArea" juggernaut is selling the illusion that 2.2 million people
will move here and we "have to" put them somewhere. Not true. If we choose to
raise our population by that much, our Global Footprint will rise by at least 25%
[article]
[archive]
U.N.Predicts 10.1 billion people by 2100 May -
This article corrects some common mis-perceptions about population. It is growing rapidly, but
can be slowed by easy access to contraception, better education for women, and
changing social norms.
[article]
[archive]
Delta Water Plan Flawed May -
About 25 million residents, millions of acres of farmland and the fisheries of the Delta
rely on Delta water. The latest by-pass tunnel plan is full of holes, says panel of
experts.
[article]
[archive]
China's Population Growth Slows April -
National Bureau of Statistics says that the slowed rate of population growth has
"eased the pressure on resources and the
environment and laid a relatively good foundation for steady and rapid economic and social
growth.
[article]
[archive]
"
You Choose Bay Area"
??? March 2011 - The Silicon Valley Community Foundation, the
Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and the MTC have a plan to put 2.2 million people more people in the Bay Area by 2035. They are seeking public comment.
We choose not to have 900,003 more households!
Let them know what you think! [article]
Resisting Dickensian Gloom
by Tony Recsei. Forced high density policies don't reduce our carbon footprint or
energy use. This is a very well researched article summarizing many studies. It
was posted on a "smart growth" blog and many people have commented.
Facinating reading.
[article]
[archive]
New Anti-Abortion Math April -
Gail Collins writes of the emotional anti-abortion, anti-birth control politics in Texas and the
effects on education and health care. The is why we all need to become aware of what
overpopulation is doing to our environment and our lives.
[article]
[archive]
Reversing China's One-child Policy? - April -
As the government experiments with encouraging more births, many parents prefer to
have just one child to give them better chances.
[article]
[archive]
Looking Out for the View - April 2011 -
Thanks to local homeowners and several land trusts, a beautiful streach of the
Hudson River in New York has been saved from a nuclear power plant,
a gas-fired power plant, and a cement plant. Olana Partnership.
[article]
[archive]
Are Malthus's Predictions coming true? - April 2011 -
Jeffrey Sachs' good overview. His main point is that all the technological innovations since
Malthus's day we have converted rich stores of natural capital into high flows of
current consumption. We note that more people live on the edge of starvation today
than were alive in Malthus'time.
[article]
[archive]
Vitality of Independent Local
Businesses Feb, 2011 - Ranking of 363 metro regions.
Ocean City, NJ; Bellingham, WA; Medford, OR top the list.
Owners of local businesses care more about their regions than do corporate officials
2000 miles away.
[article]
[archive]
Smart Growth: The Worst Kind of Sprawl?
Studies find that urban construction is no better for the environment
than the suburban. People have pretty much the same
global footprint either way. Transportation is a small part of it, and is offset
by extra resources to build high rises.
[article]
[archive]
Tikopia: Living within Limits Feb, 2011 -
The history of the Pacific island Tikopia shows that when humans are confronted with
obvious limits to
our resources, we are smart enough to constrain our population and enjoy
comfortable, prosperous lives.
[article]
[archive]
NPR interview of National Geographic's 7 Billion
and Counting. Feb 2011 -
Lots of good information, especially about India, but a
strong accomodationist bias. Why not focus on reducing our
numbers to where all people can live prosperously and not overload the planet's resources
and environmental systems?
[article]
[archive]
300 Years of Fossil Fuels in 300 Seconds, Jan 2011 -
Great(!) video on the history and effects of humanity's use of fossil fuels. As supplies
dwindle relative to our population, what will we do?
[short video]
Conjectures on Human Growth Limits, Jan 2011 -
Ross McCluney's classic survey of ways to address the question of the best population size
for our Planet. Hint: it depends on how we want to live...
[archive]
Mother: Caring our Way out of the
Population Dilemma, Jan 2011 -
The film follows Beth, an American mother who comes from a Catholic family of 12 and has adopted
an African-born daughter as she
travels to Ethiopia where she meets Zinet, the oldest daughter of a desperately poor family
of 12. Zinet has found the courage to break free from thousand-year-old-cultural barriers,
and their encounter will change Beth forever.
[trailer]
[archive]
Internal U.S. migration slows, Jan 2011 -
Interesting data, biased perspective. The Brooking Institute bemoans stalled "Brain Gain", but that's a stalled
"Brain Drain" everywhere else.
[article]
[archive]
Japan Keeps a high wall for Foreign Labor, Jan 2011 -
don't want population growth, no matter what the world's business pundits say.
They will face the "horrors" of a falling population:
lower housing costs, relatively more jobs available at higher wages, less traffic, less polution,
less construction, less lost open space. What do you think?
[article]
[archive]
Developers Prosper Despite Defaults, Jan 2011 -
Why do they build what is not wanted or needed?
"Capital is blind. It will go wherever it can for a return. That's it in a nutshell."
[article]
[archive]
9 Billion by 2045, Can the Planet take the
strain? National Geographic, Jan 2011. Interesting interviews with various people.
[article]
[archive]
Teenage Birth Rate falls due to Recession, Dec 2010- Teen birth rates drop 6%..
[article]
[archive]
Traffic in Beijing is Worst in World, Dec 2010-.
The speed of traffic at rush-hour is dropping towards 9mph, bicycle speed, back where it was
20 years ago when people actually rode bicycles.
[article]
[archive]
Supply of Places to Fish is Dwindling, Dec 2010-. Fish are a very important protein source, but the oceans are one of the commons that are being overused due to increased population and consumption.
[article]
[archive]
The Moral Right to Set Limits, Dec -
To me, it seems right for us each to protect the positive qualities of our own region, the only place where we have even a modicum of the political ability to do so. But there is always a nagging question about that...
[article]
Enough Is Enough, Nov 2010 -
Report on the first Steady State Economy Conference in Leeds, UK.
How an economy can provide prosperous lives for the
World's peoples if population stops growing.
[article]
Opposition to Power Line at Fjord Runs Deep, Nov 11 -
A beautiful place. Why run a high-tension power line with 125
foot towers through the middle of it? Another toll of increasing population.
[article]
[archive]
Aquifers: Deep Waters Slowly Drying Up, Oct 2010
Groundwater provides about half the planet's drinking water.
Farmers pump, oblivious of others' actions and the impact of their own.
Much of the water is used in inefficient irrigation; and for
low-value crops. About half of the aquifers straddle borders.
[article]
[archive]
Saying No to 'I Do', the Economy, Sept 2010
People are having fewer marriages and babys due to the poor Economy.
Population growth is not a inevitable force of Nature.
Let's retool the
Economy so as not to demand endless (imaginary) growth.
[article]
[archive]
Birth Control over Baldness, Sept 2010 -
New contraceptives could be a powerful tool in fighting global poverty.
Amazing that the N.Y.Times would publish such an OpEd. I've assumed
there is a ban on discussing the Link.
[article]
[archive]
Top 50 Birth Control Blogs.
Sept 2010.
Grouped by Educational, Methods, Population Issues, Reproductive Rights, Religious,
Ethnic & Local issues.
[article]
[archive]
Nobody Ever Dies of Overpopulation, Garret Hardin
or do they? Much of the Pakistani land which
flooded in 2010 is floodplain which was marshland that was
only settled in the last 30 years...
[article]
[archive]
How many People can live on Planet Earth Sept, 2010
Sir David Attenborough asks this question in
this fascinating video (YouTube).
Risks of Deep Water Drilling 2010/08/30
Population pressure forces us to take risks we cannot control with deeper and
more complex drilling worldwide.
[article]
[archive]
Pakistan: Drowning today, Parched tomorrow 2010/08/16
Pakistan's fast-growing population has a very
uncertain outlook for future water supply. Sharing the waters
of the Indus River is a major source of conflict between Pakistan and India.
The U.S. may support a $12 billion agricultural and hydroelectric project.
[article]
[archive]
Population surge outstrips efforts to eradicate slums
227 million people escaped slum conditions between 2000 and 2010. However, due to population increase
and urban migration the number of slum dwellers increased from 776 million to 827 million.
[article]
Teen pregnancy fashion?
Will trendy advertising
for cute pregnancy clothes encourage teenage girls to think it's cool to be pregnant?
"Forever 21" with 400 stores and 12,000 employees just introduced such a line.
Call their corporate offices 213-741-5100 (& 888-494-3837)
and let them know what you think.
[article]
Climate Change:
Calling Planet Birth
Family size is the great unmentionable in the campaign for more environmentally friendly lifestyles.
Having 1 less child in the US would reduce carbon emissions 19 times more than
all the E.P.A.'s recommended actions combined. -
[article]
The Critics Deconstructed Intersting article about the attacks against population activists,
and the need for population awareness
[article]
The Last Taboo What unites the Vatican, lefties, conservatives,
environmentalists and scientists in a conspiracy of silence?
Read
The Last Taboo
by Julia Whitty in the June 2010 issue of
Mother Jones: "Who's to Blame for the Population Crisis?"
Drop in Birthrates in 2008 is Linked to Recession -Apr 2010
Population growth is not inevitable. When incentives favor postponing having children,
many people do.
[article]
Smart Growth? the smart alternative is No Growth
Although city planners are trained to call some patterns of growth 'smart',
in many areas the only truely smart alternative is No Growth
[article]
Parting the Waters - mid-East wars over Water Rights - March 31, 2010.
30 of the 37 Wars over Water in the past 60 years involve Israel and its neighbors.
Fewer people living in these desert regions would leave more water per person. This should
inform the population policies of all countries involved.
[article]
A Pivotal Moment: Population, Justice & The Environmental Challenge
Dec 23,2009 This new book compiled by Laurie Mazur discusses environmental issues as they affect
equality, justice and sustainability. Regarding the UN's low and high estimates for World
population in 2050 "if we take seriously the twin imperatives of sustainablilty and equity, it
becomes clear that it would be easier to provide a good life - at less environmental cost - for
8 rather than almost 11 billion people."
[Press Release]
