National Geographic Society losing its way: discrediting Malthus, Ehrlich, and Borlaug

By Frosty Wooldridge

Part 5:  discrediting Malthus, Ehrlich, and Borlaug

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 with 25 years, the need for energy and resources cannot be supplied. Why? They are non-renewable resources.  (www.TheSocialContract.com) 

Consult Chris Clugston:  “Scarcity—a comprehensive analysis of nonrenewable natural resource scarcity and its implications and consequences for humanity.” Unfolding today among humankind is the most colossal self-inflicted tragedy in the history of the world.  www.wakeupamerica.com

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.

National Geographic discrediting Malthus, Ehrlich, and Borlaug
 
“In similar biased fashion,” said Erickson. “National Geographic makes problematic statements regarding Malthus: “in the two centuries after Malthus declared that population couldn’t continue to soar, that’s exactly what it did.” Malthus was not the alarmist the National Geographic paints him; he said that populations grow to the level where resource shortages occur and economic, social, and environmental consequences begin to arrest growth.
 
“Given the circumstances, Malthus’s position was entirely reasonable. Malthus correctly implied that the world he lived in was overpopulated but not that it was in collapse, as the National Geographic suggests. In the period he studied, resources were plentiful but either undeveloped or only beginning to be developed. As identified previously, this is another attempt to discredit the population factor.
 
“Malthus had history upon which to base his essay; anthropologists, life scientists, and historians have exposed numerous failed civilizations. Most frequently they failed because of populations exceeding their resource base and weather changes — often drought.
 
“The article jumps about 100 years and says better technologies and developments such as sewers allowed populations to grow. Jumping forward another 50 years, they again downplay population, this time berating Paul Ehrlich because the population catastrophe outlined in his book, The Population Explosion, did not occur on schedule. However, are not the circumstances Dr. Ehr-lich described, the same reasons underlying the current National Geographic population series?
 
“Without providing the name, the article acknowledges Dr. Norman Borlaug’s Green Revolution successes were dependent on hybrid seeds and generally intensive agriculture. Yet, there is no mention that his hybrids work was only temporary, as he stated. He said that it bought time to remedy the population issue. But, because Borlaug’s position was equally about population, that critical caveat was omitted in the series. In not stating his name, did the writers feel they had a moral right to provide half of the story about the Green Revolution?
 
“In retrospect, it is clear that Dr. Borlaug’s “Green Revolution,” with its hybrid seeds and enhanced use of limited natural resources, temporarily saved the day from Malthus and Ehrlich. However, the Green Revolution fundamentally changed agriculture from largely natural processes into an intensive high fossil energy use system. The new system required substantial quantities of oil, natural gas, pesticides, and fossil water for irrigation.
 
“It allowed the population growth paradigm to continue but did not change its fundamental unsustainable nature. In short order, agriculture transitioned from a comparatively sustainable closed system to an unsustainable system dependent on unlimited energy inputs. Modern agriculture was converting ancient sunshine at great cost into feedstocks today. Yields increased accordingly. However, less known was that the energy from food, relative to the energy required to grow the food, soon began to fall. This high energy food system is now following peaks in energy resources and is beginning its irreversible trend back to an era of sustainable agriculture systems based primarily on natural processes — and with it, lower but sustainable yields based on sustainable energy.
 
“As Malthus suggested, Borlaug indicated, and Ehrlich feared, the Green Revolution only postponed the inevitable. As recognized earlier, the panic button needed to be pressed 50 years ago. However, not wanting to send a distress signal, the National Geographic remains silent on the matter. Despite three bumper crops in the previous eight years, the world’s granaries are at frighteningly low levels, and carryover food stocks are at historic lows. The prospects for this crop year are for below average crops. However, anything other than a bumper crop year and the world’s peoples will begin to eat their seed crops. Any lower production and the Four Horsemen and the Grim Reaper join Malthus in overwhelming human denial. In another year or two and 160 million more hungry Earth passengers, the level of crop production won’t change the grim outcome of inadequate or declining food stocks.”

##

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

##

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