Page 17 - PR COMMUNICATION AGE FEBRUARY 2016
P. 17
nudging would have to begin when the object is still far go? Can Earth "export" the numbers, the many millions per
away from impact. 15 billion humans on a planet whose ca- year, necessary to ease world population problems and en-
pacity has nearly exceeded at 5 or 6 billion is like that as- vironmental problems?
teroid. The "nudging" we have to do is start lowering the
world's highest birth rates beginning today. Many predict slowing of growth in the future, even near
future. Certainly that is so. Either societies will, using one
"EVERY DAY THAT WE DELAY RESULTS IN A method or several methods, decrease the worldwide birth
HIGHER BIRTH RATE." rate, or nature will eventually increase the death rate (us-
ing nature's own draconian methods). Environmental prob-
In addition, scientists are increasing human life-span as we lems, starvation and new and treatment-resistant diseases
speak. For every day added to our lives,the population will rank high among nature's methods for dealing with world
increase even more. population problems.
"IN REALITY, THE EARTH PROBABLY CANNOT SUS- With the humans soon to reach 7 billion, and expected to
TAIN 15.8 BILLION PEOPLE. BILLIONS WILL DIE OF rise to 9.2 billion by 2050, and rising food prices, we are
STARVATION FIRST." reminded of Malthus who had warned of widespread fam-
ine over two centuries ago. Pessimists believed that human-
Many claim that Earth can support many more people. But ity is doomed due to overpopulation and overconsumption
one must ask "How many more?" At what cost in human while optimists have argued that technological innovation
lifestyles and aggravated environmental problems? Many will improve standards of living and that population growth
claim population growth problems and environmental prob- is a minor issue.
lems are regional. But modern society is increasingly "glo-
bal." Problems in particular region(s) must affect all oth- Higher food prices will have a particularly devastating im-
ers. pact on the poor people, who have already spent a people
large part of their income on sustenance and will be forced
Are the world population problems serious today? One might to spend more. Our ability to grow more food has been im-
look at various "symptoms." Just a few examples: Thousands, peded by environmental constraints.Most productive land
mostly children, starve to death every day in different places is already being used for agricultural or covered by artifi-
around the world. Immigration is a big problem . And just a cial structures; the best river sites have been dammed; and
few of the consequent environmental problems: Forests de- the benefits of the technological advances in agricultural
creasing everywhere are disappearing, the global unpolluted production, known as the Green Revolution, have been
fresh water supply is decreasing. Air in most big cities is be- heavily exploited. Water shortages are acute.
coming increasingly unhealthy, Science and technology, and,
yes, politics, may "handle" world population problems and
environmental problems in the short term even if human
population continues to grow. But what kind of world will our
great-great-grandchildren inherit?
Eventually global population must be controlled, but the
longer society waits the more draconian must be the
method and the greater must be the price paid in terms of
environmental problems and human lifestyles.
Is space colonization an alternative? If so, where does one
If your intentions are pure, you are bound to succeed in life!
PR COMMUNICATION AGE February 2016 17
Copyright@ The Insurance Times. 09883398055 / 09883380339
