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Tuesday Briefing
The environment vs. population growth
In smaller U.S. cities and rural areas, demographic decline is a painful reality. Hungary is worried about a declining population. So is Japan. Even China.
It’s an economic truism: Growing populations drive economies.
But in this era of climate change, is it wiser to have fewer people to house, feed and provide power for?
A street in Tokyo. Toru Hanai/Reuters
Globally, a smaller population would “make a difference, certainly,” said Joseph Chamie, a former U.N. population official. “Fewer people means fewer items consumed, and fewer resources used, so your carbon footprint would be less.”
But limiting population growth, he said, can’t solve the environmental problems caused by mass production and consumption.
And companies whose business models rely on constant growth have little incentive to change. More customers and more consumption mean more profits.
“We can try to maintain the quality of the environment,” Mr. Chamie said. “But we have to change our mind-set regarding how the economy moves.”
IN POINT OF FACT, April 16
Capitalism.
It says it depends
It says it depends
on population expansion that never ends.
That people can breed without restriction
is Capitalism's most favored fiction.
I am not saying that's a pipe dream.
To me it seems more Ponzi scheme.
I am not saying that's a pipe dream.
To me it seems more Ponzi scheme.
“There's always more land, there's always more oil,
there's always more fish, who cares if we spoil
a river or three or all seven seas
plus every ocean . .who needs all these trees?
Or any animals that we can't eat?
Except pets we think are sweet.
Or prestigious.
Or, on occasion sexily dangerous.
“We'll manage somehow as we have until now.
Unless we don't. In which case we won't.
This is our planet we can take it for granite.
We don't need advice how to handle our gneiss.
If the gods be annoyed, they'll send asteroids
to settle their scores like with dinosaurs.
(They killed the herds. Excepting the birds.)
With so many alive, some will survive.
Unless they don't. In that case they won't.”