The major killers of humanity throughout our history — smallpox, flu, tuberculosis, malaria, plague, measles, and cholera — were acute infectious diseases that evolved from animals. To sustain themselves, however, they need a human population that is sufficiently numerous and densely packed. Only then will numerous crops of new victims be available for infection by the time the disease would otherwise be waning. Continue Reading »

Announcement from Earth Policy Institute
NOVEMBER 12-14, 2009 in Washington, DC
2009 State of the World Forum: Mobilizing to Save Civilization

Based largely around “Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization,” this Forum may turn out to be one of the most important events any of us will have the opportunity to attend. We are in momentous times. We are confronted by the escalating effects of global warming, and thousands of scientists worldwide are saying that if we do not act decisively, and soon, climate change could spiral out of control.

This Forum is bringing together both the understanding of what is taking place and the plans for moving forward. It will not be the usual conference with talking heads, but will be a working conference of leaders from around the world to plan how to save civilization.

For more information go to http://www.worldforum.org/forum.htm

To see where Lester Brown and other Institute speakers will be appearing, go to http://www.earthpolicy.org/Lectures/index.htm

Population Media Center founder William Ryerson appears on Full Power Living (www.emotionalpro.com) April 30, 2009 discussing the size population that is sustainable on our earth. Listen & Call 800-630-7858.

While we’re busy looking at the effects of global warming, we’ve taken our eye off the “population issue.” Yet every day 225,000 humans are added to the earth, 80 million new people every year! The UN projects that global human population will surpass 9.2 billion by the year 2050. Many sustainability advocates are wondering why educators, politicians, and the mainstream media are having a bad case of “population amnesia,” as they fail to consider how food, water, housing, jobs and education can be made available to an additional 3 billion people in a mere 40 years. William Ryerson has some considerations for us on this topic! Tune to Full Power Living (www.emotionalpro.com), April 30, 9 a.m. PST.

The National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) is pleased to request your participation at the 10th National Conference for Science, Policy and the Environment: The New Green Economy: Aligning Science, Education, Markets and Systems for Sustainability to be held January 20-22, 2010 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC. Please plan to join NCSE in a large interactive conference to develop and advance science-based solutions for the creation of a “green print” to achieve a sustainable, new green economy.

For full article, visit:
http://www.ncseonline.org/conference/greeneconomy/

Thanks to Tim Williams for this announcement.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is partnering with the Makerere University, School of Public Health, along with other international and national partners, to organize the International Conference on Family Planning: Research and Best Practices in Kampala, Uganda, November 15-18, 2009. The conference will begin on November 15 with an evening opening and continue November 16-17 with the full program. November 18 will be an optional day for third party sponsored meetings. It is anticipated that the conference program will include an opening plenary, multiple concurrent oral sessions, special panel presentations, poster sessions, lunchtime roundtables, a policymaker forum, and an exhibit area.
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Thanks to Vicky Markham for this letter published by the New York Times.
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There are many advantages to President Obama’s recent actions on family planning: They will help women of all incomes control their fertility. They will provide better education, economic, resource-use and family-raising opportunities. And they will help prevent abortions and unwanted pregnancies.

For full article, visit:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/28/opinion/lweb28family.html?_r=2&ref=opinion

Thanks to Paul Winter for alerting me to the fact that the new Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, plans to remove the Wolf from the endangered species list, which could result in a mass slaughter of wolves in Idaho and Montana beginning May 4. What follows is from a collection of websites, including NRDC and Defenders of Wildlife.

In just a few days, the mass killing of wolves could begin in Idaho and Montana — and not even newborn wolf pups and their nursing mothers will be spared.
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The Montpelier Bridge of Vermont has outdone most other newspapers in the world by publishing an eight-page supplement on population concerns. At a time when many journalists fail to mention population, even when it is an obvious factor in the issue being discussed, publisher Nat Frothingham deserves your congratulations for his March 19 exploration of the role population growth and size plays in world events. You can read the supplement at www.montpelierbridge.com/Population%20Insert.htm, and you can email Nat at mpbridge@sover.net.

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The broadcaster Sir David Attenborough has become a patron of a group seeking to cut the growth in human population.

On joining the Optimum Population Trust, Sir David said growth in human numbers was “frightening”.

Sir David has been increasingly vocal about the need to reduce the number of people on Earth to protect wildlife.

For full article, visit:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7996230.stm

This year on Earth Day, you’re guaranteed to hear plenty about saving energy, reducing emissions, protecting habitat, and “going green.” Unfortunately, what you probably won’t hear about is the fact that a net 225,000 humans will be added to the Earth!
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