The Growing Dilemma

From a number of perspectives, we live on a surprisingly small world. Particularly, in terms of our ever expanding population, as a species; that, coupled with the way in which we feel entitled to use the earths resources as frivolously as we want. There are more people living in Beijing now than lived on the entire planet 150 years ago. The same can be said for Mumbai. Between those two cities alone, there are more people than were alive 50 years ago. If we could stop the growth where it is now, the earth could not sustain us without drastic changes in our lifestyles and usages, along with some remarkable technological advances in power and food production. And it's bound to continue to increase for the foreseeable future. It's of little help that the majority of the population growth is in the poorest and most uneducated countries of the world, and in the poorest and least educated segments of societies.

The population of our oceans has undergone a relatively equivalent reversal in population during the last century. And the depletion of forests and plains and healthy freshwater habitats are moving in lock step. What we have done and are doing is so unconscionable that most folks simply put on blinders, just to be able to go on. It's truly mind boggling to consider the magnitude of devastation that we have brought about and are causing at present; let alone, projecting our bad habits and poor planning and prioritizing into the future.

This is an area that is very difficult, nearly impossible, to manage. The Chinese were able to institute policies to address this problem, but the outcry in democratic societies would make such actions unimaginable. It may, in fact, be a runaway train that we simply can't stop. Especially, in the afore mentioned, uneducated segments of our world.

Eventually, wars, famine and disease may play a role in reducing our numbers. But by the time we can no longer squeeze sufficient resources from the planet to sustain ourselves, there certainly won't be enough left to sustain the rest of the life forms on it.

There is nothing to regulate us but ourselves, and I'm afraid that we haven't the desire, will or capability to do so. Looking at the facts before me inspires feelings of gloom and dread, but I try to be optimistic and hopeful.

I'm also hopeful that I'll win the lottery.

Please, pardon my blatant honesty.

Anything's possible. Perhaps technology's bright side will shine, illuminating a path to planetary salvation. Could be that we will unite as a species and accept the fact that we are a part of this planet, rather than the its masters. That we can't survive without a healthy ecosystem, full of a multitude of varied and thriving life forms.

It's really very simple and exceedingly apparent. It's actually harder to ignore and deny the facts than it is to accept them. Education is the key. If every human on the planet would understand these basic facts, and could muster a sense of responsibility for the whole, we'd be fine.

Anyone got a really big alarm clock?