National Geographic Society losing its way: demography is destiny

By Frosty Wooldridge

In this ongoing series, energy expert Dell Erickson gives a sobering understanding of America’s environmental, energy and viability status for the 21^st century. As we race toward adding another 100 million people, the need for energy and resources cannot be supplied. Why? They are non-renewable resources. 

As Erickson states, we face demographic nightmares in the years ahead as Peak Oil drops down around our ears.  Ironically, no one will speak up or address the fact that we will be faced with feeding, watering and housing another 100 million people by 2035.

While National Geographic reported on the population dilemma, it ignored the long term ramifications.  As Dr. Kenneth Smail said, “Unfortunately, with relatively few exceptions, denial and apathy seem to be the order of the day.  And politicians of all stripes seem either clueless or spineless in their unwillingness to confront the increasingly well-documented and convergent realities we face in the “near-term” future (i.e., within the next decade or so).  And are apparently even less aware (or concerned about) the downstream global consequences for the longer-term (i.e., the rest of the current century and beyond).” 

Part 2: Demography is destiny
 
“Although the article provides a brief discussion of demographics, it avoids discussing growth and the role of population momentum in sustainability,” said Erickson. “In other words, when overpopulation has reached a panic situation, it’s already 50 years too late. Dr. Albert Bartlett succinctly states this predicament as follows: “the greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function.”^3,4 It is easier to understand the idea if graphs of population growth are presented. However, the National Geographic excludes any U.S. population illustration.
 
“It would have been more informative to include a clear, or some descriptive U.S. population graph and graphs of important resources, historical and long-term projections. The National Geographic should have discussed immigration as a driver of U.S. population growth and called for an immigration policy reversal designed to stabilize, then achieve, a sustainable U.S. population level.
 
“The equivalent Doubting Thomas approach is noticed with their world population projections. Truth is, projections do not have to happen, but a reader wouldn’t know it from the National Geographic series. It neglects to suggest that growth trends may not happen; it is government policy.

“In illustrating the exponential nature and momentum of growth, graphs effectively depict oil as a population resource factor. Other graphs illustrate U.S. population growth, and importantly, reveal the immigration factor. However, National Geographic provides a two-page graph that attempts to downplay the enormity of the world population. Downplaying growth, the graph is overlaid by a full page of text to the left and on the right a distracting photograph alongside the graph itself with a large paragraph of — seemingly out of place — text exclaiming that resources can be replenished.
 
“To have accurately portrayed the current reality of billions of desperate people would take away from the magazine’s what-me-worry agenda. Certainly, it’s the reason no troublesome population or resource graphs were displayed and for the dumbed-down reporting. There are pictures of crowds, as if that were the problem, and mentions that one billion are malnourished, but only pretty pictures are published. Where is the urgency, where are the images of children with distended Kwashiorkor bellies?
 
“A similar portrayal is seen for the U.S. One National Geographic photo caption states, “by 2050 America’s population is expected to top 400 million.” One reason National Geographic does not include a U.S. graph is that it allows them to make that kind of false statement. The projection is actually for 430-450 million at a minimum, and under the current rate of growth, possibly more than 175 million above their “topping” projection.
 
“Nor do they shed light on the reasons behind the burgeoning population, nor question that growth, nor state that the U.S. exceeds or could exceed resource limits. The National Geographic should have added context to its U.S. population presentation. For example, the 2010 Census determined that the U.S. population increase in the last two decades exceeded all previous increases in our history. Or that the more than sixty million increase in the previous two decades greatly exceeded the post-war Baby Boom’s fifty-four million (1945–1965).⁵
 
“Moreover, the National Geographic has an obligation to discuss U.S. population policy. They could have used the proposed United States Sustainable Population Policy Project as an excellent template.⁸ In the process, also include acknowledgement and arguments from earlier studies advocating U.S. population stabilization and reduction.
 
“One impediment to stabilizing and reducing U.S. population levels is immigration, which accelerates population growth. U.S. population growth above approximately 250 million is from immigration. Today, over 90 percent of U.S. population growth is from immigration. Literally, this means all increases in energy consumption, emissions, most oil imports, and deepening import debt are due solely to immigration. Immigration is the only reason the U.S. cannot meet the Kyoto Protocols. Other studies have noted the negative effects on disadvantaged Americans and on wages and jobs, and have recommended U.S. population stabilization.^9,10
 
“Finally, it would weaken their U.S. stance, but if the series made straightforward comparisons, then National Geographic would compare the U.S. (or Canada or Australia) to the original European Union, the EU states. Combined, they have similar economies, population, and geographic areas. This realistic comparison demonstrates that there are only minor differences. The series unfairly berates Americans primarily because the U.S. is geographically broad. Sixty percent of oil energy is used in transportation, oranges travel from Florida to Washington State, wine and rice move from California to Maine. It’s not much different than for the original EU states.”

You may contact Dell Erickson at www.TheSocialContract.com

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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 word “Mind boggling!”  www.NumbersUSA.org

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muw22wTePqQ

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 and[email protected]; 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-

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTWduFB_RX0

Must see and funny: www.growthbusters.org ; www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXSTrW_dARc
Dave Gardner’s Polar Bear in Bedroom:

growthbusters.org/2010/03/save-the-polar-bear-in-your-bedroom ; 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

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

www.upnorthmedia.org/watchupnorthtv.asp?SDBFid=1631

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

Producer: GEORGE A. COLBURNwww.tomorrowsamerica.com

DC: 202-258-4887

Email: [email protected]

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

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

www.starbrightmediacorp.com

www.tomorrowsamerica.com

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Frosty Wooldridge has bicycled across six continents – from the Arctic to the South Pole – as well as six times across the USA, coast to coast and border to border. In 2005, he bicycled from the Arctic Circle, Norway to Athens, Greece. He presents “The Coming Population Crisis in America: and what you can do about it” to civic clubs, church groups, high schools and colleges. He works to bring about sensible world population balance at www.frostywooldridge.com He is the author of: America on the Brink: The Next Added 100 Million Americans. Copies available: 1 888 280 7715