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If rapid population growth is the root cause of so many of the problems, pressures
and stresses of the 21st century, why are so few
people writing or talking about it?
Truely, the subject is missing from even the places you would most expect it.
One recent study looked at 150 articles about three population-related issues:
water shortages, endangered species and urban sprawl. They
found that only 16 of those even mentioned population increase, and only
one suggested that slowing or stopping population growth might help deal with
these problems. You may have noticed that discussion of population growth is also strikingly
absent from stories about oil prices, energy shortages, housing prices,
and more.
When something so important is sitting right in front of everyone's noses and
no one says a thing about it, that is the textbook definition of a
Taboo.
And it's not hard to see why. To have this discussion, we will have to delve deeply
into our attitudes about Race,
Birth Control,
Religion,
Individual Freedoms,
and to deal with our economic fears about job security, and desires
for prosperity.
It's no wonder that many people seem to be in denial!
Maybe it's to avoid these fears that some say that the problem will go away by itself, that
population will top out "automatically"
after we add several billion more people.
Some just give up and say there's
nothing anybody
can do about it anyway.
And now, even with 80 million extra people added to the planet every year, some
people are saying that
population depletion
is more of a problem than rising population! That's kind of like an
alcoholic saying his problem is that everybody else doesn't drink enough!
But we believe that most people will have better lives, both now and in the
future, if we have these discussions now. Our goal is to first ask what is the
optimum sustainable population for the planet, and then to find and adopt policies that
will encourage people to move towards those goals. Whatever the obstacles, the
problems are serious enough that we must overcome them.
But first, let's have a closer look at each of the fears
that have created the Population Taboo.
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Our Mission
To empower people to determine the best population size for their region
and for the planet. [ more] |
In the News
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.
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]
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]
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]
California Water Myths: Finger Pointing
Dec 14,2009 Current 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]
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