Overpopulation

Overpopulation Quote from the movie "The Matrix" "Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environments, but humans do not. (Humans) move to an area, and (humans) multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed, and the only way (humans) can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus. Human beings are a disease - a cancer of this planet. (Humans) are a plague." We are fruit flies in a dish Almost everyone has seen the grade school biology video of fruit flies in a petri dish of sugar. Initially, there are a few flies surrounded by more than enough food. The fruit flies quickly multiply until the dish is overpopulated, all of the food is consumed, and all of the flies die in their own waste. Sound familiar? It is a very simple concept, but we think in the short term, not long term, effects of our actions. Human attitudes toward environment and overpopulation News articles are expressed in human terms, not global or environmental.  Whether it is an oil tanker spill, the creation of a new river dam, or a sewer main break spilling raw sewage, the major TV or print news is expressed solely in human terms and effects. Oil tanker spill Beaches are closed, humans are to avoid contact and can not swim, fishermen will lose their jobs, lawsuits involve lost revenue & tourism New river dam Amount of electricity generated Sewer main break Beach closure, street is closed for two days for repairs      As opposed to Oil tanker spill Billions of gallons of water contaminated, population collapse of hundreds of species New river dam Upstream flooding, lack of water downstream and in river delta, lack of fish migration, effects of fish and bird populations, destruction of downstream wetlands Sewer main break Resulting algae bloom downstream may consume all the oxygen in the water, rendering it hypoxic, unable to sustain life European based culture vs. Native American culture Native Americans lived in balance with nature for 10,000 years before European genocide of their culture. China - doing something about it One child restriction since 1979, 400 million less births Los Angeles population 100,000 in 1900, 16 million in 2000, with a continuous sprawl covering 1,000 square miles. Major cities, when viewed from space or airplanes, look like cancer (out of balance growth) on the land. Almost all other native plant and animal species have been eradicated within the city's boundaries. Not addressing the root cause Several excellent environmental groups are successful in their means and goals, but do not even mention lowering the population as a method to achieve these goals, when overpopulation is the primary cause of their organization's nemesis. We do not learn from our mistakes An example is the mass slaughter of the American Buffalo of the USA Great Plains of the 1800's.  In 1850, an estimated 50 million buffalo lived on the Plains, some in herds 25 miles long. In 1900, 50 years later, only 1,000 buffalo remained.  No regard was given to environmental impact in the late 1800's, nor is it even mentioned when this topic is researched today. We, as a global human population, are in the middle of a much greater scenario than the buffalo - the Amazon rain forest.

Home Mission Statement Overpopulation Population Growth Secondary Effects