Human population: Is it a problem? If so, what are the solutions?

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  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,678
    oftenreading said:
     But on the topic, two of the most important things we can do to limit population growth are making reliable birth control methods easily available, and focusing on female education. Both of these need to occur world wide. Wherever girls and woman are better educated and have access to contraception, as a group they tend to make choices to limit their families and have fewer ( =) )but healthier children.
    Really what's needed, then, is female equality in places where men are still in control.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • oftenreading
    oftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,856
    PJ_Soul said:
    oftenreading said:
     But on the topic, two of the most important things we can do to limit population growth are making reliable birth control methods easily available, and focusing on female education. Both of these need to occur world wide. Wherever girls and woman are better educated and have access to contraception, as a group they tend to make choices to limit their families and have fewer ( =) )but healthier children.
    Really what's needed, then, is female equality in places where men are still in control.
    Ideally, yes, though the experiences of many aid groups throughout the world is that these interventions can occur and be helpful even in very patriarchal societies. Best never to lose hope. 
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,678
    oftenreading said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    oftenreading said:
     But on the topic, two of the most important things we can do to limit population growth are making reliable birth control methods easily available, and focusing on female education. Both of these need to occur world wide. Wherever girls and woman are better educated and have access to contraception, as a group they tend to make choices to limit their families and have fewer ( =) )but healthier children.
    Really what's needed, then, is female equality in places where men are still in control.
    Ideally, yes, though the experiences of many aid groups throughout the world is that these interventions can occur and be helpful even in very patriarchal societies. Best never to lose hope. 
    Yes, educating women is the first step in moving towards equality for them. I believe that is the whole point behind all the efforts being made to educate women... The issue is, obviously, that men won't let them get it in many part of the world, so that just stops the process in its tracks.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,663
    PJ_Soul said:
    oftenreading said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    oftenreading said:
     But on the topic, two of the most important things we can do to limit population growth are making reliable birth control methods easily available, and focusing on female education. Both of these need to occur world wide. Wherever girls and woman are better educated and have access to contraception, as a group they tend to make choices to limit their families and have fewer ( =) )but healthier children.
    Really what's needed, then, is female equality in places where men are still in control.
    Ideally, yes, though the experiences of many aid groups throughout the world is that these interventions can occur and be helpful even in very patriarchal societies. Best never to lose hope. 
    Yes, educating women is the first step in moving towards equality for them. I believe that is the whole point behind all the efforts being made to educate women... The issue is, obviously, that men won't let them get it in many part of the world, so that just stops the process in its tracks.
    That is so lame.  I'll never understand guys like that.  I suppose some will use "tradition" or "culture" as an excuse but in this day and age, in this world, that's just lame. 
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,678
    edited May 2018
    brianlux said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    oftenreading said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    oftenreading said:
     But on the topic, two of the most important things we can do to limit population growth are making reliable birth control methods easily available, and focusing on female education. Both of these need to occur world wide. Wherever girls and woman are better educated and have access to contraception, as a group they tend to make choices to limit their families and have fewer ( =) )but healthier children.
    Really what's needed, then, is female equality in places where men are still in control.
    Ideally, yes, though the experiences of many aid groups throughout the world is that these interventions can occur and be helpful even in very patriarchal societies. Best never to lose hope. 
    Yes, educating women is the first step in moving towards equality for them. I believe that is the whole point behind all the efforts being made to educate women... The issue is, obviously, that men won't let them get it in many part of the world, so that just stops the process in its tracks.
    That is so lame.  I'll never understand guys like that.  I suppose some will use "tradition" or "culture" as an excuse but in this day and age, in this world, that's just lame. 
    Well the men right here in North America are only very grudgingly giving it up over time too (and violence against women remains a crisis). Same with white people. Doesn't matter what culture it is. Those in power never want to relinquish it.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • oftenreading
    oftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,856
    PJ_Soul said:
    oftenreading said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    oftenreading said:
     But on the topic, two of the most important things we can do to limit population growth are making reliable birth control methods easily available, and focusing on female education. Both of these need to occur world wide. Wherever girls and woman are better educated and have access to contraception, as a group they tend to make choices to limit their families and have fewer ( =) )but healthier children.
    Really what's needed, then, is female equality in places where men are still in control.
    Ideally, yes, though the experiences of many aid groups throughout the world is that these interventions can occur and be helpful even in very patriarchal societies. Best never to lose hope. 
    Yes, educating women is the first step in moving towards equality for them. I believe that is the whole point behind all the efforts being made to educate women... The issue is, obviously, that men won't let them get it in many part of the world, so that just stops the process in its tracks.
    I’m using the word broadly. Education can be as simple as health education provided by a community nurse. Small nuggets of information that can help improve the health of existing children and delay or space out pregnancies. It doesn’t need to be attendance at school for it to be helpful, and the men are less likely (though not always) to prevent this. 
     
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,678
    edited May 2018
    oftenreading said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    oftenreading said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    oftenreading said:
     But on the topic, two of the most important things we can do to limit population growth are making reliable birth control methods easily available, and focusing on female education. Both of these need to occur world wide. Wherever girls and woman are better educated and have access to contraception, as a group they tend to make choices to limit their families and have fewer ( =) )but healthier children.
    Really what's needed, then, is female equality in places where men are still in control.
    Ideally, yes, though the experiences of many aid groups throughout the world is that these interventions can occur and be helpful even in very patriarchal societies. Best never to lose hope. 
    Yes, educating women is the first step in moving towards equality for them. I believe that is the whole point behind all the efforts being made to educate women... The issue is, obviously, that men won't let them get it in many part of the world, so that just stops the process in its tracks.
    I’m using the word broadly. Education can be as simple as health education provided by a community nurse. Small nuggets of information that can help improve the health of existing children and delay or space out pregnancies. It doesn’t need to be attendance at school for it to be helpful, and the men are less likely (though not always) to prevent this. 
     
    Yes, I'm on your page often. That is the kind of education I was talking about too. I didn't mean just traditional school. But men certainly fight that kind of education too in some places, or simply make it impossible because they won't allow "their women" to leave the house unescorted by a male family member. Men in societies like these are quite cognizant of what any programs like that can lead to - they deliberately want to prevent it all and keep the patriarchy by any means possible. Hell, having loads of children is a great way to keep women out of larger society. If they have 8 kids they don't have time to join in society.
    Post edited by PJ_Soul on
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • tempo_n_groove
    tempo_n_groove Posts: 41,395
    brianlux said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    brianlux said:
    KC138045 said:
    I think in general people are having less children.  My parents for example had three children before they were 30.  Now it seems most people are waiting until their early 30's or later to have children as they focused on college and starting a career before they got married and started a family and a lot of these people only have one child.
    I think that may be so and that's good but one thing that I read that was eye opening is that couple having only two children is, of course, better than more than two but even at just two, the population does not decrease because most often, the two children grow up and reproduce before the first set of parents die i.e. grand parents and great grand parents).  The population increases anyway, though more slowly.

    Also, just FYI, "fewer children" is correct, not "less children". 

    The usage rule states: "Fewer is only to be used when discussing countable things, while less is used for singular mass nouns. For example, you can have fewer ingredients, dollars, people, or puppies, but less salt, money, honesty, or love [or children]. If you can count it, go for fewer.

    I don't mean to be the grammar police saying this!  I did not learn this well myself until my wife started pointing it out to me years ago.  I still have to catch and correct on it myself now and then!

    Can't you count money?!?
    Fewer dollars, less money.  :smiley:
    So I can count 100 dollars and 25 cents but not the money in my pocket?


  • Go Beavers
    Go Beavers Posts: 9,560
    Funny timing. Just announced today that in 2017 there were the fewest number of births in the US in the last 30 years, and that the fertility rate in the US is below replacement level
  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,678
    Developed western nations are definitely not the problem, although how they impact the environment is... but those that are irresponsible in that context would harm the environment even if practically the entire population vanished, as long as it makes money.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • tempo_n_groove
    tempo_n_groove Posts: 41,395
    Go Beavers said:
    Funny timing. Just announced today that in 2017 there were the fewest number of births in the US in the last 30 years, and that the fertility rate in the US is below replacement level
    https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/05/17/611898421/u-s-births-falls-to-30-year-low-sending-fertility-rate-to-a-record-low

  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,678
    tempo_n_groove said:
    Go Beavers said:
    Funny timing. Just announced today that in 2017 there were the fewest number of births in the US in the last 30 years, and that the fertility rate in the US is below replacement level
    https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/05/17/611898421/u-s-births-falls-to-30-year-low-sending-fertility-rate-to-a-record-low

    It's like that across the developed world - that why immigration from less developed nations is needed. Trump didn't get the memo I guess.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • Smellyman
    Smellyman Asia Posts: 4,528
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wq_edHqpdA
  • Go Beavers
    Go Beavers Posts: 9,560
    PJ_Soul said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    Go Beavers said:
    Funny timing. Just announced today that in 2017 there were the fewest number of births in the US in the last 30 years, and that the fertility rate in the US is below replacement level
    https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/05/17/611898421/u-s-births-falls-to-30-year-low-sending-fertility-rate-to-a-record-low

    It's like that across the developed world - that why immigration from less developed nations is needed. Trump didn't get the memo I guess.
    Yup. Another reason to not present an image that we’re unfriendly to immigrants. It can lead to brain drain as they go elsewhere, putting us further behind globally. 
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,663
    PJ_Soul said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    Go Beavers said:
    Funny timing. Just announced today that in 2017 there were the fewest number of births in the US in the last 30 years, and that the fertility rate in the US is below replacement level
    https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/05/17/611898421/u-s-births-falls-to-30-year-low-sending-fertility-rate-to-a-record-low

    It's like that across the developed world - that why immigration from less developed nations is needed. Trump didn't get the memo I guess.
    I would like to respond to this but I would risk making some false assumptions.   What do you mean by "immigration from less developed nations is needed"?
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • goldrush
    goldrush everybody knows this is nowhere Posts: 7,797
    brianlux said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    brianlux said:
    KC138045 said:
    I think in general people are having less children.  My parents for example had three children before they were 30.  Now it seems most people are waiting until their early 30's or later to have children as they focused on college and starting a career before they got married and started a family and a lot of these people only have one child.
    I think that may be so and that's good but one thing that I read that was eye opening is that couple having only two children is, of course, better than more than two but even at just two, the population does not decrease because most often, the two children grow up and reproduce before the first set of parents die i.e. grand parents and great grand parents).  The population increases anyway, though more slowly.

    Also, just FYI, "fewer children" is correct, not "less children". 

    The usage rule states: "Fewer is only to be used when discussing countable things, while less is used for singular mass nouns. For example, you can have fewer ingredients, dollars, people, or puppies, but less salt, money, honesty, or love [or children]. If you can count it, go for fewer.

    I don't mean to be the grammar police saying this!  I did not learn this well myself until my wife started pointing it out to me years ago.  I still have to catch and correct on it myself now and then!

    Can't you count money?!?
    Fewer dollars, less money.  :smiley:
    Story of my life!
    “Do not postpone happiness”
    (Jeff Tweedy, Sydney 2007)

    “Put yer good money on the sunrise”
    (Tim Rogers)
  • Thoughts_Arrive
    Thoughts_Arrive Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
    Yes, we are very overpopulated. My city is not coping with the influx in new citizens.
    People seem to have children because it is what society tells them to do.
    It's sad that women think that is all they are meant to be, mothers.
    I see mothers struggling with 5 kids then going on welfare.
    I applaud people who consciously choose not to have kids so they play a part in saving mankind. 

    Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/2014
  • tempo_n_groove
    tempo_n_groove Posts: 41,395
    PJ_Soul said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    Go Beavers said:
    Funny timing. Just announced today that in 2017 there were the fewest number of births in the US in the last 30 years, and that the fertility rate in the US is below replacement level
    https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/05/17/611898421/u-s-births-falls-to-30-year-low-sending-fertility-rate-to-a-record-low

    It's like that across the developed world - that why immigration from less developed nations is needed. Trump didn't get the memo I guess.
    We need immigration so we can up our population?

    From what I've read the more knowledge you have the less kids you want to have.  I must be a friggin genius then!!!
  • oftenreading
    oftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,856
    tempo_n_groove said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    Go Beavers said:
    Funny timing. Just announced today that in 2017 there were the fewest number of births in the US in the last 30 years, and that the fertility rate in the US is below replacement level
    https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/05/17/611898421/u-s-births-falls-to-30-year-low-sending-fertility-rate-to-a-record-low

    It's like that across the developed world - that why immigration from less developed nations is needed. Trump didn't get the memo I guess.
    We need immigration so we can up our population?

    From what I've read the more knowledge you have the less kids you want to have.  I must be a friggin genius then!!!
    *fewer kids
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • tempo_n_groove
    tempo_n_groove Posts: 41,395
    oftenreading said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    Go Beavers said:
    Funny timing. Just announced today that in 2017 there were the fewest number of births in the US in the last 30 years, and that the fertility rate in the US is below replacement level
    https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/05/17/611898421/u-s-births-falls-to-30-year-low-sending-fertility-rate-to-a-record-low

    It's like that across the developed world - that why immigration from less developed nations is needed. Trump didn't get the memo I guess.
    We need immigration so we can up our population?

    From what I've read the more knowledge you have the less kids you want to have.  I must be a friggin genius then!!!
    *fewer kids
    Oh dammit... I'll get that right sooner or later, lol.

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