Green Options » polio

Plan B 4.0 by the Numbers — Data Highlights on Poverty and Population

Earth Policy Institute — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:37:33 +0000

www.earthpolicy.org/index.php?/press_room/C68/pb4_ch7_datarelease

In Chapter 7 of the recently released Plan B 4.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization, Lester Brown lays out the Plan B goals for eradicating poverty and stabilizing population. Behind the scenes are a number of datasets and graphs that delve deeper into the trends discussed in the chapter. Here are some highlights from the Chapter 7 data:
World population has grown steadily over the past half century, increasing from 2.5 billion in 1950 to a projected 6.8 billion in 2009. The United Nations medium fertility level scenario projects that world population will grow to 9.2 billion in 2050. Their high projection takes the world to 10.5 billion in 2050. Under their low projection, which assumes rapid reductions in fertility rates, population peaks at just over 8 billion in 2042, then begins to decline.

Though life expectancies around the world have increased in the past half century, large discrepancies remain among different regions. Overall, world life expectancy increased from an average of 47 years in the mid-twentieth century to 68 years today. While life expectancy in 1950 hovered around 40 years in both Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, it has since increased far more rapidly in Asia, reaching 69 years, compared to 51 years in Sub-Saharan Africa. On a regional basis, the United States and Canada top the world with an average life expectancy of 79 years.

Earth Policy Institute: Better Health for All

Earth Policy Institute — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:12:31 +0000

By Lester R. Brown

http://www.earthpolicy.org/Books/Seg/PB3ch07_ss4.htm

Ensuring basic health care for people in low-income countries is critical to the Plan B goal of eradicating poverty and stabilizing population.

While heart disease and cancer (largely the diseases of aging), obesity, and smoking dominate health concerns in industrial countries, in developing countries infectious diseases are the overriding health concern. Besides AIDS, the principal diseases of concern are diarrhea, respiratory illnesses, tuberculosis, malaria, and measles. Child mortality is high.

Progress in reaching the United Nations (U.N.) Millennium Development Goal of reducing child mortality two thirds by 2015 is lagging badly. As of 2005 only 32 of 147 developing countries are on track to reach this goal. In 23 countries child mortality has either remained unchanged or risen. And only 2 of the World Bank’s 35 fragile states are on track to meet this goal by 2015.

To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate?

Jennifer Lance — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:13:51 +0000

Thus far, I have avoided the topic of vaccinations on Eco Child’s Play for several reasons. I am not a doctor, nor would I ever want to pretend that I know more than someone who has gone to medical school. Also, much of the information I know about vaccinations is outdated (like the presence of thimerosal in all of the childhood vaccines). Lastly, my family’s choices have changed over time, from being staunchly opposed to any vaccinations to picking and choosing protection for our children based upon our son’s congenital heart defect. Finally, I feel like there is a straightforward, quality resource for parents in Dr. Sears’ The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child. I wish I would have had this book six years ago, when my first child was born.

The Vaccine Book is divided into 19 chapters. The first 12 chapters are devoted to a different vaccine. Within each vaccine chapter, Dr. Sears discusses:

What the disease is
When the vaccine is given
How the vaccine is made
What ingredients are in the vaccine
What are the side effects of the vaccine
Should you give your baby the vaccine (including both reasons for and against, as well as travel considerations)
The way Dr. Sears sees it