Reproduction & Climate Change
Carrying Capacity - largest number of individuals of a particular species that can survive over long periods of time in a given environment, this level depends on the effect of the limiting factors.
With a world population approaching 7 billion (6,602,224,175 July 2007 est.) and evidence of climate change everywhere, environmental activists and (the "greener") politicians are calling for reduced-carbon emissions, better fuel efficient vehicles, clean energy, etc. Almost no one has said what I think is the most obvious factor inflicting harm on the planet, reproduction.
Stop having children! Every child brought into this world has basic biological needs that contribute to a host of world problems, especially global warming. In the United States you can safely assume that the child will most likely be raised with a poor diet (lots of beef, processed foods, overabundance of calories), mindlessly consume tons of material possessions throughout their life, drive their own car/s, make 2-3 children of their own and live into old age (if they survive the health obstacles of our society).
Given the drastic situation we're in, it is extremely selfish to have children. Not to mention there are already children living who need homes. I suspect I know what the roots of this problem are:
Religion - Abraham religions talk about Earth being destroyed, with an after-life away from our planet who really cares what happens here right? Being "fruitful and multiplying," God wants you to make babies (I wonder if God would say that today given the imminent doom of our planet?). Many religions are anti-birth control and work to keep women uneducated and oppressed (religious battle of the cradle). Babies are seen as "a blessing" as well as a "gift from God," instead of a simple biological process that any two opposite sex idiots can perform.
Capitalism & Marketing - Live the American dream. People are bombarded constantly with advertisements (radio, television, bill-boards, magazines, etc), and this works to stupefy people into mindless consuming zombies. The media wants you to have children and then to raise them in a way that is profitable for big corporations. (Celebrities are constantly having babies! You can too!)
Racism & Bloodlines - Whether overtly or unconsciously racist, people think of their genes as ideal and superior. They want the children they raise to be biologically their own (also partly an animalistic tendency) and they generally want their children to have children.
Ignorance & Apathy - A majority of people are unaware that over-population is the problem. They feel it's their right to make babies and that if it was "ok" for their parents, then it's fine for them. And/Or "I don't care, I want my 'own' kids."
This is just a simple outline, certainly it is possible to get socio/psychologically deeper on all of these issues.
What's the answer? Definitely education and birth control.
Is it too late? Probably, but I believe that any action taken to lower birth rates will at the very least slow the demise of the planet and contribute to a higher quality of life for those living.
With a world population approaching 7 billion (6,602,224,175 July 2007 est.) and evidence of climate change everywhere, environmental activists and (the "greener") politicians are calling for reduced-carbon emissions, better fuel efficient vehicles, clean energy, etc. Almost no one has said what I think is the most obvious factor inflicting harm on the planet, reproduction.
Stop having children! Every child brought into this world has basic biological needs that contribute to a host of world problems, especially global warming. In the United States you can safely assume that the child will most likely be raised with a poor diet (lots of beef, processed foods, overabundance of calories), mindlessly consume tons of material possessions throughout their life, drive their own car/s, make 2-3 children of their own and live into old age (if they survive the health obstacles of our society).
Given the drastic situation we're in, it is extremely selfish to have children. Not to mention there are already children living who need homes. I suspect I know what the roots of this problem are:
Religion - Abraham religions talk about Earth being destroyed, with an after-life away from our planet who really cares what happens here right? Being "fruitful and multiplying," God wants you to make babies (I wonder if God would say that today given the imminent doom of our planet?). Many religions are anti-birth control and work to keep women uneducated and oppressed (religious battle of the cradle). Babies are seen as "a blessing" as well as a "gift from God," instead of a simple biological process that any two opposite sex idiots can perform.
Capitalism & Marketing - Live the American dream. People are bombarded constantly with advertisements (radio, television, bill-boards, magazines, etc), and this works to stupefy people into mindless consuming zombies. The media wants you to have children and then to raise them in a way that is profitable for big corporations. (Celebrities are constantly having babies! You can too!)
Racism & Bloodlines - Whether overtly or unconsciously racist, people think of their genes as ideal and superior. They want the children they raise to be biologically their own (also partly an animalistic tendency) and they generally want their children to have children.
Ignorance & Apathy - A majority of people are unaware that over-population is the problem. They feel it's their right to make babies and that if it was "ok" for their parents, then it's fine for them. And/Or "I don't care, I want my 'own' kids."
This is just a simple outline, certainly it is possible to get socio/psychologically deeper on all of these issues.
What's the answer? Definitely education and birth control.
Is it too late? Probably, but I believe that any action taken to lower birth rates will at the very least slow the demise of the planet and contribute to a higher quality of life for those living.