There are just too many poeple
19/03/07 19:52 Filed in: Misc
The biggest environmental problem: too many people: "If governments want to cut greenhouse gas emissions we have to address the accelerating growth in the world's population, expected to increase from 6.7 billion now to 9.2 billion by 2050. Some population activists argue the world can only support a population of two to three billion, even as few as 500 million in future."
(Via digg.)
I've got to say that I've felt for a long time that
the fundamental environmental problem we face is that
there is just to many people on the planet.
And of course the solution is simple reduce the population. Now I'm not going to suggest any thing like a cull, but for most of the western world (and we have to take the blame for most of the environmental damage I'm afraid), life spans of 80 are now the norm and childhood deaths are thankfully rare. Go back maybe 100, 150 years when this wasn't the case, then there was a justification for large families (3 or more children), but now days I don't think this is the case any more.
Even if we did start living in a very environmentally friendly way, I think it's doubtful that the planet could support the 6 billion of us there is now, let alone having some room for growth. I recall reading somewhere, that some environmental scientist worked out that it would take the resources of 6 earths to enable everyone of the planet to come up to a normal western standard of living. Now this could be some of that environmental hot air I was talking about yesterday, but to me it shows we have to basic choices, reduce our standard of living (which won't ever happen if people have the choice) or reduce the number of people.
Now I know that people are greatest asset we have, but there are too many of us. I think the China had the right approach with the single child idea. Now I don't think that would ever work here in the UK, but do think that persuading people to have fewer children is the right way to going.
We can do this now in a gentle way or we can wait and let nature find her own way of keeping our numbers down. Nature always dose find a way to control plagues and I'm guessing it wouldn't be pleasant for the human race as a whole.
For the record I come from a small family (I have a sister) and I am very unlikely to ever have any offspring for reasons I'm not going to go in to here!
And of course the solution is simple reduce the population. Now I'm not going to suggest any thing like a cull, but for most of the western world (and we have to take the blame for most of the environmental damage I'm afraid), life spans of 80 are now the norm and childhood deaths are thankfully rare. Go back maybe 100, 150 years when this wasn't the case, then there was a justification for large families (3 or more children), but now days I don't think this is the case any more.
Even if we did start living in a very environmentally friendly way, I think it's doubtful that the planet could support the 6 billion of us there is now, let alone having some room for growth. I recall reading somewhere, that some environmental scientist worked out that it would take the resources of 6 earths to enable everyone of the planet to come up to a normal western standard of living. Now this could be some of that environmental hot air I was talking about yesterday, but to me it shows we have to basic choices, reduce our standard of living (which won't ever happen if people have the choice) or reduce the number of people.
Now I know that people are greatest asset we have, but there are too many of us. I think the China had the right approach with the single child idea. Now I don't think that would ever work here in the UK, but do think that persuading people to have fewer children is the right way to going.
We can do this now in a gentle way or we can wait and let nature find her own way of keeping our numbers down. Nature always dose find a way to control plagues and I'm guessing it wouldn't be pleasant for the human race as a whole.
For the record I come from a small family (I have a sister) and I am very unlikely to ever have any offspring for reasons I'm not going to go in to here!
|