Part 22: Rich, poor, developing, poverty, population control

“People who take issue with population control do not understand that if it is not done in a graceful way [birth control and family planning], nature will do it in a brutal fashion.” Henry Kendell

If you visit websites like www.worldhealthorganization.com , you will see that Kendell’s quote holds true as 18 million human beings die of starvation or starvation related diseases annually.  Those prove HUGE numbers, but world leaders don’t blink.  As those numbers grow, none of us can continue our blithe ignoring them.

In his book, Too Many People, Lindsey Grant addresses such things as our destruction of earth’s operating systems and much more.  You may find his book at  www.sevenlockspress.com and www.amazon.com .   Grant is a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Environment and Population Affairs.

“If we look forward to a world less divided between the very rich and the starving, we must expect a dramatic increase in GNP per capita, worldwide,” said Grant.  “If world population grows as expected, total economic growth must rise tenfold to achieve such a goal, even in the best assumptions. That growth will be particularly malignant as the new industrialized countries put their heavy industry in place, probably without much regard to environmental concerns.”

Our great predicament, as a species stems from our ‘cultural’ growth paradigm in a limited world. When you see politicians speak, they always call for more ‘growth’, and the citizens applaud it as if growth will solve their problems. When in fact, ‘growth’ causes all their problems at this stage in human development on this planet.  Why?  They suffer a limited and myopic world view and they simply do not understand the implications that you understand from reading this series.  Our impact, on this planet’s support systems, accelerates with our numbers. 

It’s not linear either; but it multiplies into negative feedback systems in multiple areas.  In other words, we don’t just ‘affect’ one specific area.  Air pollution ‘just’ doesn’t dirty the air: it causes acid rain, it poisons the soil, it damages woodlands, it acidifies the oceans, it causes birth defects in the creatures that feed on poisoned food chains and much more.

“Put aside the endless speculation about how large populations will grow, and when,” said Grant.  “The nation and the world are already substantially overpopulated as we pursue the life style which the developed countries now enjoy and which developing countries would like to have.”

QUANTIFYING REVERSE GROWTH

Grant attempts to call for a maximum of 1.0 billion humans as a sustainable world population. He predicted that 10 years ago. He might modify that number in 2010. One of his peers, Dr. Jack Alpert, www.skil.org , calls for a 100 million total human population on the planet if it expects to survive the 21st century. See Alpert’s video on his quest for one child per woman from here on out! Various other experts weigh in on a sustainable number.  They profess between 1.0 and 2.0 billion.   As Alpert provides scientific proof, 100 million will be our only choice.

“A satisfactory worldwide GNP per capita points toward a population of her perhaps one billion,” said Grant. “Any population reduction in arid zones would help to bring human needs into better balance with water supplies and would lessen the endemic overgrazing; populations one-third the present size would seem a wonderful relief, indeed.  The uncertainties associated with climate change, and with chemicals and their impacts, suggest the need for a margin of safety beyond the calculations we can presently quantify.”

As we move through Grant’s book, I hope your mind extrapolates our dilemma. And, I hope you take action with the websites provided.  It’s not like we enjoy decades to change this around.  Not when you understand another 77 million humans add to the planet annually!

“We are already at war with the biosphere that supports us,” said Grant. “More than any other proposed solution, a solution on the demand side—population—offers an effective way to end or ameliorate the problems I have described.   It works across all those sectors, and, remarkably enough, it will save money rather than demanding more investments.”

In the remainder of his book, Grant addresses models that work for the 21st century.  As I receive hundreds of emails responding to this series, most understand and agree with the realities presented by Grant. Some don’t possess a clue and would argue for their own misery and extinction by adding more human numbers.  Few understand the depth of our environmental destruction and long term ramifications.  For example, for over 20 years, humans slaughtered and continue slaughtering 100 million sharks annually.  I’m sorry, but that’s not normal and not sustainable.  We humans cannot continue causing the extinction of 100 species daily!

All for what?  More humans! You must be kidding me! Is there a point to our expansion?  Tell me what you think it is, please!

##

If any of us, no matter what our race, creed or color might be, refuse to engage our U.S. Congress as we have not for 30 years as to the population/immigration equation-our children will find themselves living in a terribly degraded America where the American Dream will be described by the history books as a 'fleeting fantasy' from the era of 1950 to 2010.

These are several of the top organizations where you can take collective action to change the course of American history as well as in Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Take collective action at:

This is the best website to start:  www.numbersusa.com ; watch Roy Beck’s “Immigration by the Numbers” at 14 minutes. Bi-partisan and very effective. Become a faxer of pre-written letters to your reps to make positive  change.

Also: www.fairus.org ; www.capsweb.org ; www.thesocialcontract.com ; www.populationmedia.org ; www.worldpopulationbalance.org ; www.populationconnection.org ; www.quinacrine.com ; www.familyplanning.org/ , www.skil.org ; www.growthbusters.com; www.populationpress.org ; www.thinkpopulation.org ; www.carryingcapacity.org ; www.balance.org ; www.controlgrowth.org ; in Canada www.immigrationwatchcanada.org ; in Australia www.population.org.au andPublicPopForum@yahoogroups.com; in Great Britain www.optimumpopulation.org ; and dozens of other sites accessed at www.frostywooldridge.com.

Must see DVD: "Blind Spot" www.snagfilms.com/films/title/blind_spot/ , This movie illustrates America's future without oil, water and other resources to keep this civilization functioning. It's a brilliant educational movie! www.blindspotdoc.com

Must see: Rapid Population Decline, seven minute video by Dr. Jack Alpert-

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTWduFB_RX0

Must see and funny: www.growthbusters.org ; www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXSTrW_dARc
Dave Gardner's Polar Bear in Bedroom: growthbusters.org/2010/03/save-the-polar-bear-in-your-bedroom ; Dave Gardner, President, Citizen-Powered Media ; Producing the Documentary, GROWTH BUSTERS; presents Hooked on Growth: Our Misguided Quest for Prosperity, Join the cause at www.growthbusters.org ;760 Wycliffe Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80906 USA; +1 719-576-5565

Check out this link with Wooldridge on bicycle and Lester Brown and panel discussion:

www.upnorthmedia.org/watchupnorthtv.asp?SDBFid=1631

Tomorrow's Americaproject on www.youtube.com/contemporarylearning.

Producer: GEORGE A. COLBURNwww.tomorrowsamerica.com

DC: 202-258-4887

Email: gac@starbrightmc.com

Link to www.tomorrowsamerica.com for more discussions on America's predicament.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

www.starbrightmediacorp.com

www.tomorrowsamerica.com

##

Frosty Wooldridge has bicycled across six continents - from the Arctic to the South Pole - as well as six times across the USA, coast to coast and border to border. In 2005, he bicycled from the Arctic Circle, Norway to Athens, Greece. He presents "The Coming Population Crisis in America: and what you can do about it" to civic clubs, church groups, high schools and colleges. He works to bring about sensible world population balance at www.frostywooldridge.com He is the author of: America on the Brink: The Next Added 100 Million Americans. Copies available: 1 888 280 7715