Why Is Population Growth Seldom Discussed?

[Cassidy]

30. You are right - human population increase is the fundamental problem

Population growth is a fundamental biological problem. Population growth in "developed" nations is a problem because our economic system is so rapacious. Population growth in "developing" nations is a problem because the rates of increase are so high. Resources, like food and fresh water, are not infinite, although some technologies can stretch them, often at significant cost.

One of my favorite professors discussed the fundamentals here: http://www.albartlett.org/presentations/arithmetic_population_energy_video1.html

Educating women is currently the most direct way to reduce the rate of human population increase. Educated women have fewer children and they have them later.

And no, those of us for significantly reduced human populations do not want people to kill each other or themselves to solve the problem. We want people to have 2 or fewer children. We want the earth to have room and resources for rhinoceroses, tigers, black-footed ferrets, and monarch butterflies, as well as human beings.

We should encourage the reduction in population in rich countries by not allowing tax credits for more than 2 children per family. Since religious ideologies play such a role in excessive increases in population (not to mention politics in general), we should tax churches so they at least financially support their ideologies.

And just the record, I have no children. Concern about the environment was a fundamental reason why I made this choice.