Population Matters Newsletter: April 2012

By Frosty Wooldridge

Americans may be asleep at the wheel as to human overpopulation, but the United Kingdom, a country of 62 million people living on a small Island about the size of Oregon understand their predicament.  Population projections show them adding 11 million within two decades.

My British friend Eric Rimmer, spokesman for www.populationmatters.org , gives a report on what the UK is doing and how other countries are dealing with overpopulation.

FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

The news letter reported, “Attending the Planet under Pressure event in London last month, I was again struck by the gulf between the grim forecasts of some of the scientists present and the more positive tone of some environmental campaigners. The reason for the latter is an increasingly held view that simply preaching “doom and gloom” will not motivate people to take any action.  It may be that we need to keep both elements in mind: remaining aware of the extremely grave and urgent nature of the issue of human impact on the environment and resources while still seeking to convince people that making personal decisions to limit their own impact and that of their family is worth doing.

“On a related subject, the charged debate in the UK over pro-development changes to the planning framework is an illustration that an ever growing population will continue to compromise our natural surroundings and quality of life.  We should use this debate to highlight the consequences of governments’ longstanding refusal to have a population policy.”

NEWS

Sir Bob Geldof calls for smaller families

“It’s estimated that if 200 million women were given free contraceptives, it could stop 80 million unintended pregnancies,” Geldof, the musician and activist, said at the second Gulf Intelligence Food Security Forum in Abu Dhabi.  “That would bring world population growth to a halt – which is a start.”  He said Arab countries’ populations were rising faster than ones elsewhere – by an average of 1.7 per cent a year, compared with the global average of 1.2 per cent.  “The water available here has dropped 75 per cent since 1950,” said Geldof, who heads the Band Aid Charitable Trust, which helps to relieve poverty in Ethiopia.  “By 2050, that will be cut in half if the population increases. Less water means no crops – so it’s a perfect storm.”

“I think the tipping point has been reached,” Geldof said. “There can’t be more people on the Earth than we can feed.”  The key, he believes, is in educating women, because when women are educated they have fewer children.  Water’s going to run out first because you need it to produce food,” he said.  Geldof said it was no longer viable to continue with so many people in the world.  “We must see the possibility of life, not just to individual children, but to the human species,” he said.  “And I’m not that optimistic.”

The full story is here.

UK Government addressing domestic violence in Asia

“Britain will spearhead a new drive to save girls and women from the threat of domestic violence and trafficking in the poorest countries,” said the Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell announced recently.  “The UK Government will provide advice and support to help thousands of survivors of domestic violence and help many more of the poorest girls and women to escape the threat of trafficking in Asia.”

Family Planning summit in London in July 2012

The UK Government is working with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and partners to host a Family Planning summit in London in July 2012.  The event will aim to generate unprecedented political commitment and resources from developing countries, donors, the private sector, civil society and other partners to meet the family planning needs of women in the world’s poorest countries by 2020.

There are hundreds of millions of women in developing countries who want to delay or avoid a pregnancy but are not using an effective method of family planning. The UK Department for International Development’s priority for this year is to support national governments’ efforts to increase access to family planning in the poorest countries. This is part of the UK’s contribution to the UN Secretary General’s Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health “Every Woman, Every Child.”

Planet under Pressure

Over 3000 scientists and others attended this international gathering in London.  The conference concluded that “Global sustainability must become a foundation of society”.  Many attendees showed interest in our population stall, mounted jointly by Population Matters, Population Institute, Population Institute Canada, the Population Media Centre, Rotarian Action Group for Population Growth and Sustainable Development and Sustainable Population Australia.  The conference’s final declaration is here.

National Planning Policy Framework

The NPPF is a government response to the ever growing pressure for development and has generated a lot of response from those concerned to conserve our environment.  Of course, the main underlying factor is population growth.  We have made this point nationally; do make it locally where you can.  Local authorities have a role to play in limiting population growth.  They should seek to ensure that the limited employment opportunities are taken by those living locally.  Local authorities are also taking on responsibility for public health, including sexual health and should act to reduce the incidence of unplanned conceptions.

Forced marriage

Forced marriage is a driver of larger families and contributes to the related issue of women’s oppression.  We have responded to the Home Office consultation on whether forced marriage should be a specific criminal offence.

USA’s Population Media Centre’s Student Advisory Board seeks members

In the year of 7 Billion, PMC has appointed a select group of students to the inaugural Student Advisory Board.  PMC is now looking to further build the Student Advisory Board and is welcoming applications from student leaders around the world.  This select group of students will join PMC in our effort to bring population and related issues into focus and inspire students, media, and other organizations to speak up and take action. Students will become ambassadors for Population Media Centre and will receive a basic online training in population related issues, participate in national conference calls with student leaders from around the country, work closely with staff from PMC to develop events and campaigns that will help raise awareness, and build the population movement.  See here for more information.

EVENTS

Mother, from Population Matters and the Royal Society of Medicine

Population Matters Patron Lionel Shriver and Trustee Dr Pip Hayes will be taking part in a panel discussion following the showing of the film Mother: Caring for 7 Billion.  The event, organised jointly by Population Matters and the Royal Society of Medicine, takes place on Tuesday 24 April at RSM, 1 Wimpole Street, London, W1G 0AE. The doors are at 6.00pm with the screening at 6.30pm.  The screening will be followed by a ‘question time’ discussion.

About Mother, the film. “Today, nearly 1 billion people still suffer from chronic hunger even though the Green Revolution that has fed billions will soon come to an end due to the diminishing availability of its main ingredients – oil and water. Compounded with our ravenous appetite for natural resources, population growth is putting an unprecedented burden on the life system we all depend on, as we refuse to face the fact that more people equals more problems.

The film illustrates both the overconsumption and the inequity side of the population issue by following Beth, a mother and a child-rights activist as she comes to discover, along with the audience, the thorny complexities of the population issue. Beth – who comes from a large American family of 12 and has adopted an African-born daughter – travels to Ethiopia where she meets Zinet, the oldest daughter of a desperately poor family of 12. Zinet has found the courage to break free from thousand-year-old-cultural barriers, and their encounter will change Beth forever.”

Hot off the press…Hot off the press…Hot off the Press

POPULATION MATTERS NEWS

BOOK REVIEW from Population Matters Chair, Roger Martin

“World on the Edge” by Lester Brown (President, Earth Policy Institute)  

After a clear and dire analysis of current unsustainability, the author offers ‘Plan B’ to save the world, comprising “four components: stabilizing climate; restoring the Earth’s natural support systems; stabilizing population; and eradicating poverty.” He gives fairly detailed costings for each of these, totalling $185 billion additional funding per year; and arguing for a saner view of ‘Defense’, points out that this sum is equivalent to only 28% of the US military budget, or 12% of the world military budget.  Although some may find several of his prescriptions and costings unrealistic, it’s a good up-beat read – and a powerful positive message for us to quote.

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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.  In 2010, he bicycled coast to coast across America. He presents “How to Live a Life of Adventure: The Art of Exploring the World” to high schools, civic clubs, colleges, churches, retirement communities around the USA.  You may enjoy his new book and website by clicking: http://www.HowToLiveALifeOfAdventure.com  Copies of his book: 1 888 280 7715 or Kindle.