Population Decline Will Change the World for the BetterA future with fewer people offers increased opportunity and a healthier environment
China’s population has fallen after decades of sky-high growth. This major shift in the world’s most populous country would be a big deal by itself, but China’s hardly alone in its declining numbers: despite the momentous occasion of the global population surpassing eight billion late last year, the United Nations predicts dozens of countries will have shrinking populations by 2050. This is good news. Considering no other large animal’s population has grown as much, as quickly or as devastatingly for other species as ours, we should all be celebrating population decline.
Declining populations will ease the pressure eight billion people put on the planet. As the population and sustainability director at the Center for Biological Diversity, I’ve seen the devastating effects of our ever-expanding footprint on global ecosystems. But if you listen to economists (and Elon Musk), you might believe falling birthrates mean the sky is falling as fewer babies means fewer workers and consumers driving economic growth.
But there’s more to the story than dollars. Where our current model of endless growth and short-term profits sacrifices vulnerable people and the planet’s future, population decline could help create a future with more opportunity and a healthy, biologically rich world. We’re at a crossroads—and we decide what happens next. We can maintain the economic status quo and continue to pursue infinite growth on a finite planet. Or we can heed the warning signs of a planet pushed to its limits, put the brakes on environmental catastrophe, and choose a different way to define prosperity that’s grounded in equity and a thriving natural world. Read more www.scientificamerican.com/...
Lower fertility rates also typically signal an increase in gender equality. Better-educated women tend to have fewer children, later in life. This slows population growth and helps reduce carbon emissions. And when women are in leadership roles, they’re more likely than men to advance initiatives to fight climate change and protect nature. These outcomes are side effects of policies that are necessary regardless of their impact on population.
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global fertility rates have been dropping over the last 70 years. The World Bank reported that by 2020, fertility rates fell 2.3 births per woman, compared to 1963 height of 5.3 births per woman. The UN predicts that the average global fertility rate will continue to decline and will reach to 2.1 by 2050.Feb 8, 2023
Air Pollution
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WORLD Japan's Shrinking Population Faces Point of No Return
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Changing continent: The EU's population is declining, new figures reveal
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Italy
Last year, the population dropped by 179,000 people – and Italy is projected to lose another five million by 2050.
What’s happening in Italy is, to a greater or lesser extent, being repeated across the western world. In the UK in 2020, there were four workers per retiree.
www.spectator.co.uk/...
(Thanks EC):
From People Vs. Fossil Fuels:
Join us for a national week of action June 8th - 11th 2023 to demand Biden use his executive powers to end the era of fossil fuels and declare a climate emergency!
https://actionnetwork.org/...
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CLIMATE CHANGE
The inside scoop on solar geoengineering
Here’s what’s going on with efforts to tweak the climate and why you should care.
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Over 5,000 tons of dangerous fumes escaped from consumer products, study finds
Old-growth forests continue to disappear despite EU protection commitments
Secret behind Amazonian 'dark earth' could help speed up forest restoration across the globe
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Largest freshwater turtle species doomed to extinction after last female washes up dead
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Cornish farm launches project to triple UK’s temperate rainforest
Former soldier is transforming his land on Bodmin Moor with tree planting and natural regeneration
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from Nature.org:
"The average carbon footprint for a person in the United States is 16 tons, one of the highest rates in the world. Globally, the average carbon footprint is closer to 4 tons."
About 20% of greenhouse gases in the US come from homes amp.cnn.com/…
HELP SAVE THE PLANET AND OURSELVES:
*Turn out the lights when- not in use/use less*
- Turn down the heat or AC
- vent out at night if cooler
- Avoid creating nighttime light pollution
- Don’t waste water
- Avoid burning wood (or other things), as wood fires are both pollutant and carcinogenic
- Don't use pesticides
- Limit your use of cars and planes (if possible)
- Don't use gas powered vehicles
- Take out grass and put in a garden or pond (or xeriscape )
- Mow, blow, and whack with electric or by hand
- Plant for the animals (bees, birds etc)
- Plant trees
- Don't micro manage yards, go wilder
- Try to use solar
- Take a bus, trolley or train
- Encourage your city/town to use electric buses
- Use energy efficient products or products that work on clean fuels
- Reduce dependence on non-biodegradable items
- Walk, bike or carpool
- Reuse items- give to Goodwill or Craig's list rather than dumping
- Cut down or cease eating meat
- Use reusable carry bags for grocerie; second choice, paper bags; not plastic
- Compost
- Save the bees
- Be informed
- Write your representative, sign petitions
- Elect pro-environment candidates and demand action
- Support the Green New Deal
- Get involved
- March
- Blog about the environment
- Control population
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Earth Matters
with Meteor Blades
Earth Matters with Meteor Blades
Links- Biosphere, Animals: rights/rescue
Lollipop Farms Adoption
www.lollypopanimals.org/
rescue story Granny, the senior cat, had spent a lifetime of solitude, locked away in a basement with no access to sunlight or fresh air. www.cramcvet.com/...
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Three Female Ginger Kittens Found Dumped in a Plastic Bag Find Foster Mom
coleandmarmalade.com/…
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Death of last female Yangtze softshell turtle signals end for ‘god’ turtle
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Kitten with head stuck in soup can rescued by humane society
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The effort to save Mexican gray wolves is 25 years in — but concerns remain
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The effort to save Mexican gray wolves is 25 years in — but concerns remain
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He Was Gassed to Death—Will His Tormentors Get Away With It? support.
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It turns out we have been saving the wrong bees
Back garden hives are really taking off in the UK, but they won’t save our wild bees – this is what you can do to help instead https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/chelsea-flower-show/we-have-been-saving-the-wrong-bees/www.telegraph.co.uk/...
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Nature is changing as land abandonment increases, say researchers
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State facilities turn out lights for migrating birds
www.adirondackexplorer.org/...
Canada
Canada: images of felled ancient tree a ‘gut-punch’, old-growth experts say
Shocking photos of chopped-down tree in western Canada highlights flaws in plan to protect forest from loggers, activists say
Stark images of an ancient tree cut down in western Canada expose flaws in the government’s plan to protect old-growth forests, activists have said, arguing that vulnerable ecosystems have been put at risk as logging companies race to harvest timber