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The goal of this website is to preserve the environment and its natural resources for the benefit of people, families, and future generations. Unfortunately, with exploding population growth, excessive consumption on the part of the more well-off people in the world, errant technology, and corrupt governments, the environment is in trouble and the sustainability of the people of our planet is threatened. The solutions seem simple: empower and enable women to have fewer children, develop simpler lifestyles, tax pollution of any kind, and set up government programs to enable the other three solutions.
Overpopulation is a serious problem getting worse every year: if we continue at the current rate, population will double to over 11 billion by 2035. Overpopulation is the root of most, if not all, environmental and many economic issues, timber overharvesting, loss of arable land, ocean depletion, food shortages, water shortages, air pollution, water pollution, flooding, plant and animal habitat loss, global warming and immigration.
Let us find ways to make everyone aware of the seriousness of this problem (see "Why Population Matters") and what are the choices. The people of the world are the ones that have to do something about it.
There are many international groups and national groups, some perhaps with local chapters. Starting with a solidly built grassroots foundation is the best way. People should be talking face to face about overpopulation.
Abortion has made overpopulation awareness a dirty word. Abortion is not necessary for controlling world population.. There are plenty of other choices. If people become aware of how bad things are going to be by having too many children, they will find a way to do something about it. Even abstinence and the rhythm method, and delayed marriage will result in fewer children.
Let us examine all the statistics and demographics and philosophies on this issue.
With enough interested people involved, we can make a difference!
Become Aware .... Get Concerned ... Take Action!
Integrating Population, Health, Environment. We talk of water scarcity, widespread poverty, hunger, species extinction, and global warming. It is easy to get bogged down with the dire statistics. Here is a vision of a better tomorrow in a world where people and nature live in balance. When couples are given the resources to plan their family, they often have fewer children. Smaller families slow population growth and the pressures on our resources. In the Philippines, the community of Cebu was tasked with a marine preserve, but it failed over the years. As their population increased, the fish population decreased. So, a program was started to provide access to modern contraceptives, start sea weed farming, and subsidize fresh water provision. The marine preserve started working. In Guatemala, a large biosphere reserve was created to protect the biodiversity. But they could not keep the people from cutting down the forest. High fertility rates and slash and burn agriculture was prevalent. Only when the reserve incorporated programs that provided family planning services, conservation measures with education, and economic opportunities, did the damage slow. On the Madagascar, only 10% of rain forest remains. A rapidly growing population, combined with scarce resources has exacerbated the widespread poverty and threatens the species found only in Madagascar. When villagers were asked what it would take for people to stop cutting down the forest, the answer was family planning. These are just some examples of where the lives of the people mattered to the health of their environment. In 2000, 189 countries came together and agreed upon a set of goals to lift people out of poverty. The MDGs brought together health, environment and poverty alleviation, and you can not accomplish one without the other. In 2005, targets were upgraded concerning family planning and reproductive health as well as targets to mitigate biodiversity loss. By investing in integrated approaches to the world's challenges we can ensure a healthy environment for future generations. May 19, 2007 Integrating Population, Health, Environment
The WOA!! web page on WWW.OVERPOPULATION.ORG originated
in Sacramento, California, USA on July 14, 1997
Karen Gaia - publisher, editor, and webspinner
Questions, Comments, Submissions to
Our mailing address:
World Population Awareness
6610 Folsom Auburn Rd. Ste 5-4
Folsom CA 95630-2146Please note that World Population Awareness is a web publication and not an organization. We do not have printed materials to send.
We also cannot respond to written requests for information for school projects. WOA!! is a web publication with all the information available on the web. If you have a question, please send an email.
Thanks to Ben Parks for the inspiration!
Many thanks to the following volunteers ...
Ralph Woodgate rw ..Ralph's website
Jacob Lund Fisker jf
Sue Terris st
Courtney Schutz cs
Renee Van Staveren rvs
Madeliene Tocci