Population

        Back in 1970, I remember reading a book called “The Population Bomb”, which discussed the fact that the human population was growing faster than the food supply, and that meant big trouble ahead.  The book got quite a bit of buzz, and so did the phrase, “Stop at Two” that encouraged people to not have any more than two offspring.  Both the book and the phrase are long forgotten, and in the 50 years since then the population has doubled in size.

        Population is at the root of so many of the world’s problems today...hunger, poverty, wars, and environmental degradation, but it is rarely discussed, because it might upset people’s religious, and cultural beliefs.  Religions and cultures that give all the power to men are one of the basic causes, since birth control can be available throughout the world.

        Everyone alive deserves the same high standard of living that is available in the developed world, but statistics tell us that presently the US alone uses up 25% of the worlds resources.  There are just not enough resources in the world for everyone to live the way North Americans do.  It spells mega problems ahead for everyone, except the ultra-wealthy.

       I have  read that the number of people living today, is greater than the total number of people who have ever lived, and died, on this planet.  That scares me, because there seems to be no apparent concern or solutions.

        Tragically, there are prominent and powerful people today who are actually pushing for increases in population (preferably for them: the White population).  Men, like Elon Musk and JD Vance are two proponents of more people.  Today’s world, with all of its increasing limitations, brought on by climate change, leaves our earth struggling and unable, to provide for all of its current population.  The last thing the only planet we can survive on needs, is more people.

View my paintings at:  davidmarchant2.ca