Book review: Life on the Brink: Environmentalists Confront Overpopulation

 

Part 5: Why the silence on human overpopulation?

 

If you look around the United States, even in the overcrowded, over packed and gridlocked cities of America—you won’t hear a peep about overpopulation. Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago and more cities feature enormous brown clouds blanketing their cities with an airborne toxic soup that every citizen breathes with every breath.  Brian Williams reports on the horrific traffic jams on the East Coast, but he won’t mention the overpopulation factor causing them.  Same with Diane Sawyer, Scott Pelley, Wolf Blitzer, Megyn Kelley, Robert Siegel and all the top anchors on all the media reports!

All of Asia crammed into less and less space to live, breathe, grow food and enjoy quality of life. (Source: WorldMysteries.com)

They convey that none of us should question unending growth.  It’s like a 450 pound fat man on “Biggest Losers” TV show who can barely walk, knows he’s going to die of a heart attack—but he decides to follow the American mantra of “Sustainable Growth” and keeps shoving Big Macs with double cheese, French fries and a Big Gulp down his gullet until he reaches 550 pounds and beyond.

Both his path and the United States’ path can only end up in the same condition: human misery, suffering and ultimately collapse.  But in the case of human overpopulation around the planet, we humans destroy millions of other creatures on our own way to our own destruction.

In Life on the Brink: Environmentalists Confront Overpopulation by Professor Philip Cafaro of Colorado State University and Professor Eileen Crist of Virginia Tech, we find the top authors and scientists in the world attempting to alert humanity to its impending future viability on this planet. 

 

 

Humanity’s smoke stacks filling the biosphere with enormous pollution through particles, carbon, toxic ash, toxic chemicals and other filth. (Source: WorldMysteries.com )

In Chapter 4, Martha Campbell asks, “Why the silence on overpopulation?”

“By 2050, human population is projected to reach as high as 10.5 billion,” said Campbell.  “Uganda is projected to grow from 33.8 million to 91.3 million. Niger from 16 million to 58 million, and Afghanistan from 29 million to 73 million.”

That’s nothing!  India adds 11 million net gain annually to its 1.2 billion in 2013 while China adds another 8 million net gain annually.  Both countries expect to explode to 1.6 billion followed by China’s 1.55 billion.  If you have watched NBC lately, Brian Williams reports on the air pollution cover Shanghai and Beijing.   He hasn’t covered the water pollution, but the Ganges and the Yangzi Rivers feature open sewer pipes that turn into 20,000 square mile dead zones at their mouths.  How do I know?   I sailed on both rivers and the water-plastic-debris-trash-human waste made me sick to my stomach.

 

At 82 million, Egypt, a country that cannot feed itself in 2013  and relies on grain imports, refuses to use birth control via Islam’s death grip on the people, and expects to hit 150 million by mid century.  You cannot help but guess their fate.

 

“In 1900, Ethiopia had 5 million, in 1950 it had 18.4 million, in 2010 it had 85 million and is projected to reach 173 million by 2050,” said Campbell.  “Their rapid population growth figures in the decimation of nearly all of Ethiopia’s forests and consequently climate change.”

Packing humanity into less and less space. (Source: WorldMysteries.com )

 

On a personal note, I researched to find that Africa houses nearly 1 billion people in 2013, but expects to reach 3.1 billion within 90 years.  Can you imagine every human scavenging every last creature on the Dark Continent for food?  Nothing will be left of all those wonderful creatures.  In 1900, Africa sported 12 million elephants. Today, 475,000 remain and dwindling fast via poachers.

 

Campbell calls the subject of “population” as the “delicate” subject because it involves sex, cultures, religions and serves inequities around the world.  Such religions as Islam, Christianity, Catholic Church, Hindus and many others don’t take kindly to birth control.

 

Campbell discusses the six reasons for the population “Perfect Storm” facing all life on this planet, especially humans causing it. 

 

Campbell said, “Use of family planning prevents death from unintended pregnancies and from induced abortions.  Children from smaller families are more likely to enter and stay in school.”

Humans fill the Earth and water with billions of tons of plastic trash and no end in sight as they rampage the planet. (Source: www.WorldMysteries.com )

 

This chapter brings home the enormity of the power of cultures and churches and corporations to squash the population discussion.  It shows that cultures and beliefs trump and override reason, empirical evidence, common sense and logical action.

 

Thus, 10 million children and 8 million adults die of starvation and starvation related conditions every year around the globe.  Another 18 million stand in the doorway of death in 2013.  It’s only a matter of time.

 

One philosopher said, “Humans were God’s worst invention.”

Part 6: The great backtrack

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Part 5:  Martha Campbell asks, “Why the silence on population?”

Life on the Brink: Environmentalists Confront Overpopulation

Authors: Philip Cafaro, Eileen Crist

Publisher: The University of Georgia Press, www.ugapress.org

ISBN: 978-0-8203-4385-3

Price: $24.95  www.amazon.com

Alexandra Paul talks about human overpopulation and saving our world by all women having 1 child only: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNxctzyNxC0

This film will rock you:  MOTHER: CARING FOR 7 BILLION  

In a five minute astoundingly simple yet brilliant video, “Immigration, Poverty, and Gum Balls”, Roy Beck, director of www.numbersusa.ORG, graphically illustrates the impact of overpopulation.  Take five minutes to see for yourself:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPjzfGChGlE&feature=player_embedded

 

“Immigration by the numbers—off the chart” by Roy Beck

This 10 minute demonstration shows Americans the results of unending mass immigration on the quality of life and sustainability for future generations: in a few words, “Mind boggling!”  www.NumbersUSA.org

 

This is the best website to start:  www.numbersusa.org ; 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.

 

Visit www.TheSocialContract.com for the best information on what we face as a civilization as to overpopulation, energy, immigration and much more.

 

Canada www.immigrationwatchcanada.org ; in Australia www.population.org.au andPublicPopForum@yahoogroups.com; in Great Britain www.populationmatters.org ; and dozens of other sites accessed at www.frostywooldridge.com.   In Florida, www.flimen.org .

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-

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

Trailer to his latest movie on overpopulation:  http://youtu.be/KLWxWOcUrVc

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

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

DC: 202-258-4887

Email: gac@starbrightmc.com

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

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