- The more the United States adds people, the more water
we use, the more food we eat, the more land we cultivate, the more fertilizer
we use, the more energy we burn-thus, the more we pollute the air, land
and water.
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- Example: the Mississippi River spews millions of gallons
of toxic water into the Gulf of Mexico 24/7 to create a 10,000 square mile
dead zone. Toxins include fertilizer runoff, insecticides, herbicides,
household wastes, sewage and a host of chemicals. Vertebrates cannot live
in it, thus, our poisons created a dead ocean area. As humans' ultimate
toilet, worldwide, our oceans suffer horrific consequences to marine life,
plankton and fisheries.
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- Most Americans cannot 'see' overpopulation. And, their
leaders fail to address it. Everyone finds it easy to avoid, deny or reject.
But day by day, week by week, month by month and year by year-overpopulation
impacts every American-and it's growing worse as we add 3.4 million people
to the U.S. annually, predominantly by immigration. Ironically, those
immigrants stream into America from overpopulated countries that add 77
million people, net gain, annually to the planet. Next destination: 100
million people added to America by 2035. That's 26 years from now.
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- Even more astounding, most Americans cannot get their
emotional or mental arms around what they face with an added 100 million
people. Thus, they avoid talking about it and the media ignores it.
They may avoid it, but in the end, overpopulation will not avoid anyone.
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- In an expose' article in the New York Times, Charles
Duhigg reported, "WI; Health Ills Abound as Farm Runoff Fouls Wells"
September 18, 2009.
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- MORRISON, Wis. - "All it took was an early thaw
for the drinking water here to become unsafe," Duhigg reported. "There
are 41,000 dairy cows in Brown County, which includes Morrison, and they
produce more than 260 million gallons of manure each year, much of which
is spread on nearby grain fields. Other farmers receive fees to cover
their land with slaughterhouse waste and treated sewage. In measured amounts,
that waste acts as fertilizer. But if the amounts are excessive,
bacteria and chemicals can flow into the ground and contaminate residents'
tap water.
-
- "In Morrison, more than 100 wells were polluted
by agricultural runoff within a few months, according to local officials.
As parasites and bacteria seeped into drinking water, residents suffered
from chronic diarrhea, stomach illnesses and severe ear infections."
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- "Sometimes it smells like a barn coming out of the
faucet," said Lisa Barnard, who lives a few towns over, and just 15
miles from the city of Green Bay.
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- "Tests of her water showed it contained E. coli,
coliform bacteria and other contaminants found in manure," Duhigg
said. "Last year, her 5-year-old son developed ear infections that
eventually required an operation. Her doctor told her they were most likely
caused by bathing in polluted water.
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- "Agricultural runoff is the single largest source
of water pollution in the nation's rivers and streams, according to the
E.P.A. An estimated 19.5 million Americans fall ill each year from waterborne
parasites, viruses or bacteria, including those stemming from human and
animal waste, according to a study published last year in the
scientific journal Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology."
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- As a world traveler, I witnessed what water pollution
does to human beings. Waterborne diseases kill millions of people annually.
Over 1.5 billion humans cannot obtain a clean glass of drinking water
because they live in squalor, near outhouses and human-contaminated water
sources.
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- "The problem is not limited to Wisconsin,"
Duhigg said. "In California, up to 15 percent of wells in agricultural
areas exceed a federal contaminant threshold, according to studies. Major
waterways like the Chesapeake Bay have been seriously damaged by agricultural
pollution, according to government reports. In Arkansas and Maryland, residents
have accused chicken farm owners of polluting drinking water. In 2005,
Oklahoma's attorney general sued 13 poultry companies, claiming they had
damaged one of the state's most important watersheds."
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- "One cow produces as much waste as 18 people,"
said Bill Hafs, a county official who has lobbied the state Legislature
for stricter waste rules. "There just isn't enough land to absorb
that much manure, but we don't have laws to force people to stop."
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- "In Brown County, part of one of the nation's largest
milk-producing regions, agriculture brings in $3 billion a year,"
Duhigg said. "But the dairies collectively also create as much as
a million gallons of waste each day. Many cows are fed a high-proteindiet,
which creates more liquid manure that is easier to spray on fields. In
2006, an unusually early thaw in Brown County melted frozen fields, including
some that were covered in manure. Within days, according to a county study,
more than 100 wells were contaminated with coliform bacteria, E. coli,
or nitrates - byproducts of manure or other fertilizers."
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- Ask yourself if you as a citizen of the United States
want to see another 100 million people added to this country. Ask what
your children will face. Discover what our civilization faces as it continues
its march toward 400, then 500 and 600 million people within this century.
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- Overpopulation affects every single environmental, energy,
water, species extinction, climate destabilization, pollution and quality
of life issue in the United States-as well as the rest of the world. We
must become bold, outspoken and proactive. Since we have maintained a
stable population since 1970 by averaging 2.03 children per family, we
must take action on what causes our overpopulation crisis: legal and illegal
immigration from a line of immigrants that grows by 77 million annually.
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- We must enact a "U.S. Sustainable Immigration Policy"
of less than 100,000 annually. Why? That's how many egress the country
each year. Thus, zero net gain. Result: stable population and ability
to manage and solve our environmental, water, food, energy and other challenges.
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- If we fail, as a civilization, we will become like a
dog chasing its tail into utter exhaustion and collapse.
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- _______
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- To take action: First and foremost, join www.numbersusa.com and
become one of nearly a million Americans making impact with pre-written
faxes and phone calls to change immigration policies toward a stable future.
Bi-partisan and highly effective!
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