By several measures, the earth is overpopulated. In just 200 years, we have run through most of the easily extractable fossil fuels and metal ores, we have decimated numerous animal species, and we have polluted the atmosphere and waters beyond the tipping point where global warming became self accelerating, resulting in run-away global warming, widespread aridification and flooding storms. The Amazon is drying up and southeast USA suffered epic floods last week.
Lately several factors have conspired to inhibit population growth of advanced nations. Significant are women’s education, women’s employment and social media. Numerous experts find the fertility deficit regrettable. Economists warn that declining fertility results in too few working citizens to support the retired citizens, financially and practically. Social security will go broke and caretakers will not suffice. Also important is the social pathology associated with mating failure. Finally, neighborhoods, even cities with abandoned homes quickly become socially dangerous bankruptcy hot spots.
In my opinion, the ecological benefits of reduced population justify the unavoidable suffering associated with it. I challenge fellow julepers to imagine ways to minimize that suffering. Here are some random thoughts:
1) Social Centers scattered liberally among neighborhoods. These would be spaces to facilitate innocent interactions among neighbors – board games, music making, dancing, theater.
2) Community gardens and garden-support clubs.
3) ? ? ?
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