Ok this is a little off topic, but why does "GW" get so much attention yet overpopulation is never mentioned?

Question

IMO it is a far bigger and more urgent issue. So why is it never mentioned? Is it because the solution to massive overpopulation would have to be too radical and would involve taking away peoples freedom to breed?

This may sound comical but I am actually being very serious.

Your thoughts..?

Answer 1

Overpopulation is nothing to do with GW. Family with many family members know how to live economically but a Family with one or 2 children know how to spend lavishly. They want all types of comfort and luxury which results in pollution and GW. So its better not to compare GW with population.

Answer 2

Because overpopulation is much harder to fix.

Answer 3

Actually this is the fact that prompted the pogrom that later morphed into AGW. Read a document published by the club of Rome called Limits to Growth and you will understand the whole thing much better than you do now. Their report says simply that we have discovered all the resources the planet has and for the rest of eternity we will have no more. Thus they worked on several concepts from nuclear winter to global warming and finally climates change to promote reducing world population and conserving critical resources.

The core problem of this group is they have almost imagination away from ways to acquire more riches and power than they already have and to keep those who are born to the lower classes from rising up to compete with them. Thus was born the idea of AGW, evil basic citizens are wasting the world precious resources driving around in cars when they could walk instead, living in nice houses when they could live in shacks. So yes the thoughts of over population was key in the wealthy inventing the concept of AGW and using their mass media to sell it to the lower classes.

Answer 4

I agree with you. We are all balls of energy. Every living person and thing have energy(heat) radiating off of ourselves. There are too many people and people in countries like Africa where they cant even take care of themselves continue to reproduce. Even here in the U.S. Theres so many desolate woman having kid after kid after kid. I like Chinas idea of 1 kid per family. It is very radical thinking put I believe it will help mankind.

Answer 5

I think overpopulation is very important, and obviously an important contributor to global warming as well as many other environmental problems.

However, I don't think it's necessary to limit population by government measures. In fact, I think it's counter-productive to other progressive goals, as you see in China, where the one child policy has encouraged selective abortions and abandonment of girl children.

The best way to reduce the world's population, as has been shown over and over around the world, is to educate girls and provide them economic opportunity in their own right. Birth rates drop where women are empowered, it's very simple.

It's also important to provide improved education about contraception in order to enable women to control their own fertility, and to provide improved health care for pregnant mothers and children. When maternal, infant, and child mortality rates drop, it becomes less necessary for couples to have 6, 7, 8 or more children apiece, especially when this is combined with greater economic security due to improved education and job opportunities for both partners.

I support microfinance and other organizations working to empower women for these reasons:

http://hubpages.com/hub/investinwomen

http://www.squidoo.com/duakhalil

Answer 6

Europe is having a negative population growth. It is so serious, that many european countries are rewarding people who have babies with an extra $3,000 Euros a year just to have a baby.  

China has entire cities where there are no female babies. Not one. They will soon extinguish themselves if they keep up that rate.

America has a zero population growth. In other words, when you get old, unless you have a kid to take care of you and not remove your feeding and drinking tubes, you will be screwed.

so... there's no overpopulation problem, there's an underpopulation problem.  i.e. ever go to some towns like in Cleveland? there are modern ghost towns!   I would LOVE if more people were here. It would be much more interesting.

Answer 7

July 11 was World Population Day. The world's population is currently 6.7 billion people, and our numbers are likely to grow to between 7.8 and 10.8 billion by 2050 according to demographers at the United Nations. As a [environmentalist/parent/global citizen] concerned about the future of the planet, I find these numbers alarming.

But the good news is that we know how to encourage slower population growth. We can do it through positive and cost-effective programs like providing educational opportunities for girls, expanding economic opportunities for women, and expanding access to comprehensive reproductive health and family planning services to the millions of women and couples around the world who already demand these services. But our policymakers aren't responding to the urgency of this situation.

On June 26, the Bush Administration announced that, for the seventh straight year, it would withhold funding for the United Nations Population Fund. Given the important work that this agency does to slow global population growth and save women's lives, this announcement is appalling.

World Population Day reminds us that individuals have a basic human right to determine freely and responsibly the number and timing of their children. When people can plan their families, they can plan their lives. They can plan to beat poverty. They can plan on healthier mothers, healthier children, and a healthier planet. We have a responsibility to current and future generations to ensure that all people have the family planning information and services that many of us take for granted.

Answer 8

Perhaps scientists don't mention it because the link between Human caused global warming and population should be plainly obvious.

More people = more cars, electricity required, more food required, more houses etc etc.

Answer 9

I'll take people who make the "overpopulation" claim seriously after they have themselves surgically rendered infertile.  People should live by their convictions before trying to force them on others.

Edit:  Plans are easily changed if no steps are taken to realize them.  Actions speak louder than words.

Answer 10

There is no such thing as "overpopulation."

People are "the ultimate resource."

http://www.juliansimon.com/

Answer 11

I've often wondered if GW is partially a smokescreen issue.

Overpopulation has far too many unpopular solutions for most people to stomach.

Answer 12

i actually agree with you. People are breeding way too much!  There are certain cultures that seem to just breed more than they should.  Case in point, i dont want to sound like a racist, but religious people that don't believe in using condoms are just popping out children all the time.  I live in Florida and I see Mexicans with a minimum of 2 children at their side all the time! I mostly see them with at least 3 or 4 children all the time and most of the time they are pregnant to boot.  And these aren't people that are making a lot of money either... education wise not so much.  This is when the movie Idiocracy actually makes plenty of sense even though it is a comedy, it has a lot of truth to our current situation.

China having one child per family isn't a bad idea.  There are a lot of people that shouldn't be breeding out there and thats creating some issues that will be seeing in the future such as schools, housing, medical, we will be over populated to school the children that are being produced as well as housing for all these big families.  I can only imagine what the job market will look like in 15years.  Overpopulation creates Global Warming and the destruction of Earth.

Ned:

Of course there are a lot of people that don't believe in using Condoms and I think that is a big problem in our world, not only for over population but also for AIDS and other diseases that can be spread via sexual contact and can be avoided or even lessened if condoms were used.

If you ever watched the movied Idiocracy, it does have some truth to it.  It seems that those that are having children are the ones you wouldnt want to be reproducing, b/c those that are educated and can afford the children are more concered with their career and might not want to or are waiting till they are financially stable to have children, instead of those not able to take care of them and then in turn we, the working class have to pay for their children.  If you want to pay for these kids, go right ahead, but I dont feel that I should have to help the people that aren't helping themselves.

Answer 13

Overpopulation is a problem close to being solved. Family size is dropping everywhere as women gain education and economic power.  Many countries are no below replacement rates. Taking away the freedom to breed is not required.