Essay: Who Should Reproduce?

Who Should Reproduce?

Some folks are asking, should we reproduce at all? Given the negative impact humankind has had on the environment, the conclusion drawn by a wary few, is that we should remove ourselves from earth all together.


http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange2/current/lectures/human_pop/human_pop.html
With all the talk about population growth, we tend to think that less developed nations (LDCs) are the greatest offenders. Their population growth is still 16 times the average growth of more developed nations (MDCs). MDC’s have a global population growth of 0.1% (the USA has 0.6%) and LDCs growth rate is 1.6%.

Population Rates of LDCs and MDCs . . .

http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange2/current/lectures/human_pop/human_pop.html
Collectively, we are adding 78 million people annually to the world’s population. However, when we consider sustainability or carrying capacity, then we must also look at the resources each population consumes.
The organization represented below allows you to enter your lifestyle and consumptive habits. I consider myself to be an average consumer. If everyone on earth lived as I do, we would need the resources of 5.3 planets. As we take the quiz, there are suggestions as to how we can modify our choices to better respect the environment and its limitations.

Results of environmental footprint quiz . . .

http://www.myfootprint.org/en/quiz_results/

Obviously, everyone doesn’t have this lifestyle. So we can conclude that the less-developed, overly-populated countries are using far less than we are. In fact, Mr. Frolich states from the Human Biology site that a typical US child will use enough resources to support 300 children in Ethiopia. I have to ask, support them adequately? Because they use less, doesn’t mean that it is optimal. Diseases and health issues arise from squalor.

Ethiopia

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41239000/jpg/_41239342_08ethiopiacarcas_rters.jpg
‘Who is impacting the environment’ seems to be the pivotal question. MDCs are greater consumers, but LDCs are already living in sub-standard, unhealthy conditions and their populations are growing at a far greater rate. They, too, have negatively impacted their environment.
Who should reproduce? Couples who want children and can provide a stable and loving environment for their children. These issues will not leave us; rather they will challenge us to consume smartly, recycle and reuse, to educate fellow humans and pull together lest we all fall apart. I cannot embrace a mentality similar to Hitler’s or China’s in cleansing or reducing the burden of the human population. I believe that education is our best tool. If women were aware of their options for birth control and the tools needed for such were available, we would see a drastic reduction in birth rate (I should mention that men need education as well). If the common man were aware of the impact of his choices, maybe he would make different ones.
Education and understanding may stir up in us the desire to make a few sacrifices, chose a little differently, and live in better harmony in the diverse biosphere created for us.
Mankind . . .

http://socialsciences.people.hawaii.edu/images/people.jpg