X-Message-Number: 22708
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 19:37:40 +1000
From: Philip Rhoades <>
Subject: Re: population . . still . .
References: <>

> Message #22707
> Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2003 18:10:11 -0400 (EDT)
> From: Charles Platt <>
> Subject: population
> 
> I hate to have to repeat myself, but those who are concerned
> about overpopulation in the USA seem to be ignoring the list
> of population densisites which I posted previously, showing
> that many other countries (where people live seemingly happy,
> reasonably prosperous lives) have more than ten times as many
> inhabitants per square mile.
> 
> In this country I simply cannot see that overpopulation is a
> rational issue. Of course, it remains an emotional issue, but
> that's a different matter.


It is not just an emotional issue.

When an increasing population has the effect of:

- substantial loss of biodiversity (on which we all depend for  
maintaining biological systems and therefore human existence)

- decreasing the quality of life for the existing population

it is a significant issue.

These two issues of course don't (directly) address the issue of the  
innate natural beauty of wild areas - do we _really_ want to add every  
last bit of wild land into a sprawlling suburbia?

People banking on future technology to produce more food and other  
technologies to move people to space/Mars to solve population problems  
are dreaming if they think these are short-term solutions.

It is true that some populations are declining but that fact does not  
seem to be preventing the global problems.

R&LL,

Phil.
-- 
Philip Rhoades

Pricom Pty Limited  (ACN 003 252 275  ABN 91 003 252 275)
GPO Box 3411
Sydney NSW	2001
Australia
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