- In this continuing series on environment and population,
we drill down to the nitty-gritty of what our civilization faces by bringing
you the top authors that speak up and speak out.
-
- Bill Ryerson, director of <http://www.populationmedia.org>www.populationmedia.org ,
hosts top writers that address the most pressing issue facing America and
humanity in the 21st century. In a compelling piece, Dr. Richard
Grossman explained why Americans and all countries ignore the population
predicament accelerating by the day around the world: "Pay Attention
to Population Issues".
-
- On average, 57 million humans die annually. Birth rates
refill that 57 million and add another 80 million net gain annually.
That breaks down to 10,000 additions per hour, 240,000 per day net gain.
They flood into first world countries at an ever increasing rate of speed.
The USA imports 3.1 million annually on its way to adding 75 million immigrants
by 2035.
-
- But why don't we address it? Dr. Grossman gives a few
reasons:
-
- "A friend recently asked why people don't pay more
attention to population issues. Here is the combined list that we put
together, with my comments. Do you know other reasons?
-
-
- 1. The increase in
population is so slow that it is difficult to notice. True! But that is
why we have census figures, which show that our population is rising geometrically
(like compound interest). Other figures show that we are using resources
that should belong to our progeny.
-
-
-
- 2. We are accustomed
to looking at near causes, not ultimate causes. It is easy to see that
there are more extremes of weather, and to read about climate change, but
how many people actually connect those facts with the underlying cause-more
people emitting greenhouse gases?
-
-
-
- 3. Population issues
have to do with family size selection, and that is ultimately a personal
decision. True again! Fortunately, people are choosing to have smaller
families. Unfortunately, there are many barriers in their way. We need
more research on safe and effective contraception, and we need to make
all methods available to all people with little or no expense.
-
-
-
- An aside. Some people accuse me of advocating "population
control". Other than using the term "birth control", I have
assiduously avoided the word "control". Indeed, I believe that
people should have as many children as they want-including none. My role
is to help people achieve their family size goals.
-
-
-
- 4. Religions tend
to either promote large families or prohibit contraception-or both. Although
I believe in freedom of religion (as does the Constitution of the United
States), I also believe in the ability of people to use their God-given
brains. Most religious prohibitions date back to the era when "...Be
fruitful, and multiply" was more relevant.
-
-
-
- 5. Large size, whether
it be vehicle or family size, is an important attribute. This seems to
be a male thing. Get over it, guys!
-
-
-
- 6. Many otherwise
reasonable people don't realize that there are limits to growth. Or, perhaps,
they just never thought about the possibility of limits. Our European forefathers
came to a sparsely populated continent and enjoyed its bounty. Regrettably,
the level of resource usage that we have enjoyed cannot go on forever.
-
-
-
- 7. The International
Conference on Population and Development turned away from population and
toward reproductive health (RH). The reasons were good. Concentrating on
population, in India for example, had led to coercing people to be sterilized.
RH would include family planning, but RH includes other important services
such as prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.
-
-
-
- 8. The influence of
vocal anti-abortion activists. Many people who are against abortion associate
population issues with abortion. Remember that the best way to slow population
growth-and to prevent abortions-is with good access to modern
contraception
-
-
-
- 9. The success of
family planning and attention to declining birth rates. Indeed, most rich
countries (and many poorer ones) have fertility rates that will eventually
lead to stable population sizes-but there are still many other countries
that have high growth rates.
-
-
-
- 10. Many people confuse the decreasing rate
of growth with population shrinkage. Wrong! The world's population is still
growing by 80 million people a year, and the overshoot of our global Ecologic
Footprint is 50%. That means that we are far from being sustainable.
-
-
-
- 11. The media don't pay much attention to
population issues. This is the reason for this column! For more than fifteen
years the Herald has been the only newspaper in the country-perhaps in
the world-to carry a regular column treating population issues.
-
-
-
- 12. People deny that the world will be very different
in the future than what we have known. It is easy to just assume that the
world will continue with the status quo, but oh, so wrong!
-
-
-
- "I have left a couple of reasons out of this article,"
said Dr. Grossman. "Some people believe we need growth for our economy
to thrive; last month's article dealt with growth. More troublesome is
how we can support the increasing numbers of old people with fewer young
people coming along.
-
- "Happily, National Geographic has ignored the taboo
against population. This prestigious magazine is running a series of articles
in 2011. January's cover reads: "Population 7 billion: How your world
will change".
-
- "Many of us will not be around long enough to see
our world deteriorate much more. It is our kids and grandkids who will
feel the effects the most."
-
-
- You may contact Dr. Grossman at <http://www.populatiomedia.org>www.populatiomedia.org
-
-
|
