Comments on: Ignore the Bluster of Demographic Winter Alarmists http://www.populationmedia.org/2010/01/19/ignore-the-bluster-of-demographic-winter-alarmists/ Acting for Change Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:09:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Jodie http://www.populationmedia.org/2010/01/19/ignore-the-bluster-of-demographic-winter-alarmists/comment-page-1/#comment-9840 Jodie Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:13:46 +0000 http://www.populationmedia.org/?p=3279#comment-9840 I agree with this post. While specializing in demographic trends, I don't think the Population Research Institute (PRI) has a good understanding of ecology and ecosystems. A few weeks ago I watched an interview of Steven Mosher (Prez of PRI) on the Catholic station EWTN, where he sang a familiar tune: "You can fit the entire world population into the state of Texas, with enough space for each of the 6+ billion people to have their own single-family home with ample front and back yard space. The world is not overcrowded but nearly barren with open space..." Now, not even considering the quality of life of 6+ billion people crammed into the state of Texas, I think there is a serious flaw with this line of thinking. Any undergrad ecology student would understand that the true "footprint" of one family living in a detached suburban-style home is much greater than the space and resources existing on that one small parcel of land. Even little children can understand this concept if taught properly. If Mosher, as president of the PRI, can fail to grasp this simple concept, we should be skeptical of groups like PRI and by extension, claims of "demographic winter". I agree with this post. While specializing in demographic trends, I don’t think the Population Research Institute (PRI) has a good understanding of ecology and ecosystems. A few weeks ago I watched an interview of Steven Mosher (Prez of PRI) on the Catholic station EWTN, where he sang a familiar tune: “You can fit the entire world population into the state of Texas, with enough space for each of the 6+ billion people to have their own single-family home with ample front and back yard space. The world is not overcrowded but nearly barren with open space…”

Now, not even considering the quality of life of 6+ billion people crammed into the state of Texas, I think there is a serious flaw with this line of thinking. Any undergrad ecology student would understand that the true “footprint” of one family living in a detached suburban-style home is much greater than the space and resources existing on that one small parcel of land. Even little children can understand this concept if taught properly.

If Mosher, as president of the PRI, can fail to grasp this simple concept, we should be skeptical of groups like PRI and by extension, claims of “demographic winter”.

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