Green Options » population control

China’s Next Step in Controlling Population: Sell Hummers

Joe Mohr — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:34:57 +0000

I meant that the added emissions of this notorious gas guzzler may have a negative effect on the health of their citizens. Geez! Get your mind out of the gutter!

China Tries to Control ‘Plague’ of Pikas with Contraceptives

The Guardian Environment Network — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 02:28:38 +0000

The pika, a relation of the rabbit, is blamed for desertification. China’s authorities have scattered 200kg of rodent contraceptive pellets across the Tibetan plateau to control what they describe as a “plague of desert rats”.

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Population Control - Is Anyone Willing to Talk About It?

Stephen Boles — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:00:35 +0000

Scott Cooney of Red, Green, and Blue recently wrote a thought provoking post about the need for population control as a fundamental and necessary tool to deal with a wide range of environmental crises. He refers to population control as the elephant in the room when it comes to policymakers. This is certainly an apt description of the issue, and it may even be considered an understatement. I would go so far as to say that population control is regarded as political suicide and a topic that is seemingly avoided at all costs.

Even though the rapid growth of the human population is such an obvious concern, very few people outside of the academic world and some dedicated NGOs are willing to discuss the issue. The earth’s population is projected to rise an astonishing 40% to 9.2 billion people by 2050! This level of increase will put tremendous strain on a wide range of already-stressed resources, including food stocks, fresh water, precious metals, and of course fossil fuels.

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Why Environmentalism Should Not be a Factor in Family Planning

Jamie Ervin — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 01:59:26 +0000

The great debate among environmentalists is that having children is bad for the environment (or rather, that NOT having children is good for the environment). If we listen to and subscribe to this mentality then we are on the road to self extinction.

There are valid considerations when one is deciding to have children (and how many children to have) like religion and your capacity to care for children. Among these issues should not be the “save the earth, don’t breed” mentality. IMO, this mentality places a greater emphasis on animal rights and earth over HUMAN LIFE and Family. Something is just wrong with that priority assignment.

We all must work toward environmental protection. We must reduce our footprint on this earth and we must raise children who are aware and carry on in earth saving efforts.

This is why I believe that we should be the people raising MORE CHILDREN. By the very nature of parenting, I am raising children who are conscious of the impact of everything they do on the earth. They CARE about conservation and reducing consumption. They are experts on recycling and reducing energy consumption. They live and value natural, organic and local food consumption. These children will grow up to be tomorrows adults who will be making policy that will promote ENVIRONMENTALISM.

If those of us who care strongly about our environment do not raise children then who will raise warriors of this earth?

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Birth Control Part of the Solution? And Who Decides Whether it is or Not?

Pem Charnley — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 11:04:41 +0000

It’s a topic that, by its very nature, provokes a passionate response.

Should population growth be curbed?

Immediately, we are faced with important moral, ethical and religious quandaries.

I write this in the light of a piece that appeared in the UK’s Observer. In it, John Gray, a political philosopher, states:

The uncomfortable fact, which is ignored or denied by both ends of the environmental debate, is that an energy-intensive lifestyle of the kind enjoyed in the rich parts of the world cannot be extended to a human population of nine or 10 billion, the level forecast in UN studies for the middle of this century.

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Losing Balance: Deer Populations Continue To Rise As Cities Struggle To Find Solutions

Michael dEstries — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 17:27:45 +0000

As more and more suburban developments spring up around the country, wildlife is being displaced at an ever-increasing rate. As a result of this growth, the natural predators of deer are being killed or removed, leaving them free to eat everything in sight. Where there's very little forest left, there are also very few hunters. Registration of hunting licenses in some places has dropped almost 40% compared to numbers in 2005. Even animal rights activists have raised the alarm that something has to be done.

The largest problem is that deer consume massive amounts of vegetation. The New York City EPA opened 330 acres of land a couple years back because deer were eating the saplings and ground cover that help filter the water that flows through watershed properties and ultimately comes out of the tap. There are whole tracks of woodlands and forests where few branches are left within a deer's reach. Wildflowers, forest regrowth, all elements that birds and other woodland creatures depend on are being put at risk.

And of course, we have no one to blame but ourselves for this problem. Once again, society has blindly marched forward without much thought of the consequences. Wolves a threat to livestock? Well, let's get rid of them then. Don't like the howl of coyotes? Let's allow hunting. See that forest over there? Let's put in a strip mall and two or three developments! Wait a minute? Why are all these deer thriving? Why are they everywhere?

The solutions to this issue are complex. Beyond hunting, nobody is sure how to control the populations. Sure, we can offer up protected lands, but you're not going to find much vocal support in allowing wolves to thrive near a community. The sad fact is, we're going to keep encroaching — and eventually, we'll win without a care to the balance we're upsetting.

Cities throughout the U.S. are starting to open up lands previously set aside. According to the article, "The towns are even going so far as to ask large property owners who might consider opening their backyards to hunters to register with police." Allowing hunting near suburban areas and cities offers it's own complications, but the problem is so dire that there's not much else that be recommended.

In the meantime, another development will go up, another coyote will be shot, and deer will continue to thrive. Add to the mix warmer winters, and we're setting ourselves up for an issue that could undermine the future of the very areas we're trying to protect. The scales are tipped.

Source: Deer Population Surge Results In Organized City Hunts