Recent birth a reminder
Re: “World’s population reaches 8 billion,” Nation & World, Nov. 16: Welcome, little baby 8 billion! Well, I hope you and others realize that world overpopulation equals too many people for our natural resources to handle sustainably and is not some joke or hoax. Air quality, nutrition, health standards, stress, crime, our natural habitat and quality of life are all negatively impacted by excessive or poorly planned growth.
It is all linked to population density and “civilization,” aggravated by limited natural resources, droughts, floods, hurricanes, severe weather and a changing climate. And as water is depleted and taken from agriculture to cities and towns, our food supply goes down and becomes more expensive. Good cropland is covered by buildings, roads, etc., and we are forced to buy from countries with lower food and health inspection levels.
I was first formally introduced to the world overpopulation issue by National Audubon programs after moving to San Antonio from Wyoming in the ’90s. Wyoming, being our least populated state, made overpopulation a tough fact to swallow, at least until I had spent a month or so driving (sitting) behind the steering wheel of my car on the crowded city freeways and loops. Then, after just two years of working in hazy downtown, I had developed asthma.
Even in our huge, modern, “progressive” ecological habitat, it is all connected. But few politicians, managers or advisers really see it and are making sensible changes. Unfortunately, in our society the dollar and power often rule over nature, human rights/needs and sensible decisions. Mike Mecke, Kerrville