Is the country full up

[unbeliever 10]

Japan faces the same over population problems that we face and as 21 million people below the poverty line.

 

We buy flowers and food grown in Ethiopia whilst millions of its people starve, a few people get rich at the expense of the majority.

 

I rather fear that this may be the relative definition of "poverty" where people are defined as poor because they earn less than a certain percentage of the average. I'm unimpressed by this definition. In general I'm interested in the poor becoming better off in absolute terms and I really don't care what happens with the rich.

 

I do not underestimate the problem of corruption among African governments but at least with money flowing in they have a chance.

I'd appreciate a reference on the specific Ethiopia/Flowers issue.

[tinfoilhat 11]

Which foodstuffs are we importing from Ethiopia?

 

Coffee I'd guess for starters. According to wiki it's the 10th largest producer of livestock, so somebody is eating or drinking something Ethiopian. GDP is still very low so they aren't selling it for much.

[taxman 12]

A world wide moratorium on breeding for the next 3-5 years, the one single act that could potentially stop the planet from destroying itself (or rather the human race from destroying the planet).

[tinfoilhat 11]

A world wide moratorium on breeding for the next 3-5 years, the one single act that could potentially stop the planet from destroying itself (or rather the human race from destroying the planet).

 

I'm doing my bit.

 

 

<<sigh>>

[unbeliever 10]

A world wide moratorium on breeding for the next 3-5 years, the one single act that could potentially stop the planet from destroying itself (or rather the human race from destroying the planet).

 

Just once I would like hear an environmentalist propose something other than oppressing the people of the world to address a hypothetical crisis. I've already made the point about the demographic crisis which inevitably arises from population control so I won't repeat it.

 

The greatest threats by far to the future of humanity come from attempts to manipulate it. Useful contributions to a better future arise from understanding human nature and developing means to work with it.

[taxman 12]

Just once I would like hear an environmentalist propose something other than oppressing the people of the world to address a hypothetical crisis. I've already made the point about the demographic crisis which inevitably arises from population control so I won't repeat it.

 

The greatest threats by far to the future of humanity come from attempts to manipulate it. Useful contributions to a better future arise from understanding human nature and developing means to work with it.

 

It's not a "hypothetical crisis". The seas are being emptied. Forests are being burnt, species are being made extinct purely due to increases in human populace. China on it's own seems hellbent on killing every tiger, rhino, seahorse, pangolin in the world just so they they can sniff it, snort it, grind it or eat it.

 

Humans are destroying the world.

 

They should stop breeding and infecting the planet.

[Boothybabe 10]

It still has room for pudding.

That uses a different stomach.

 

:hihi:

[unbeliever 10]

It's not a "hypothetical crisis". The seas are being emptied. Forests are being burnt, species are being made extinct purely due to increases in human populace. China on it's own seems hellbent on killing every tiger, rhino, seahorse, pangolin in the world just so they they can sniff it, snort it, grind it or eat it.

 

Humans are destroying the world.

 

They should stop breeding and infecting the planet.

 

My own judgement is that the most important thing by far on the planet is the people. If this is not your top priority we're never going to agree on anything.

 

The loss of species from the planet is sad and should be discouraged, but does not threaten the future of humanity.

 

I do not find anything here or elsewhere to justify denying the people of the world the right to have children, or to condemn the future elderly to die in abject poverty because there are insufficient people of working age to look after them.

[*_ash_* 88]

There are some great graphs on this wiki page

 

This is my favourite.

[unbeliever 10]

There are some great graphs on this wiki page

 

This is my favourite.

 

I'm not sure what your personal opinion is on these matters, but:

When a species is doing well, exponential population growth is to be expected. If the various doom sayers of the past century had been in any way accurate, population would have flattened out (limited by disease and/or food supply) and then you'd have a genuine crisis on your hands.

[*_ash_* 88]

I'm not sure what your personal opinion is on these matters, but:

When a species is doing well, exponential population growth is to be expected. If the various doom sayers of the past century had been in any way accurate, population would have flattened out (limited by disease and/or food supply) and then you'd have a genuine crisis on your hands.

 

I've posted many threads about the subject, but only can find one now from 4 years ago, which was a bit tongue in cheek, as I was resting whilst studying.

 

I think as humans, and without the intervention of people who give a toss (for personal or political reasons), we would probably have wiped out every animal [larger than a fox for example] on the planet by now. The only things that have a chance are small creatures. Given the second graph I posted, it seems to me that the links to our intelligence [creating our numbers with medical advancements etc.] our numbers/and the question of over-population are quite obvious.

[skinz 10]

A country is full up when it reaches the limit of the number of people it can feed from within it's own shores. We passed that point long ago.

 

What? Turnip soup and lard butties? Speak for yourself..keep importing the stuff.