Mike Hanauer is the former chairman of ZPG/Boston. (The current chairman is Jeff Herman.)
Dear Environmental Activist:
Zero Population Growth is a non-profit environmental organization. We are dedicated to the idea that tackling any environmental problem without a population program is like mopping the floor with the water still running. Local ZPG/Boston activists work at raising awareness that population growth is a vital common piece of many of our problems.
US population grows by 3 million each year. Consider the impact of continued population growth on achieving your organization's goals?
We believe that an effective organization should consider population stabilization within its programs. In addition, each of our groups must recognize and collaborate on common issues in order to reach critical mass -- now so difficult to individually achieve because of limited funding, resources and visibility.
You are invited to participate or correspond with us. Please consider sending a representative to our meetings or allowing us to attend a meeting of yours. We must all work and succeed together.
The next ZPG/Boston meeting is on Monday, May 18, and we sure hope you can attend. The preliminary agenda has been set; please let me know of any items you feel should be added.
Mike Hanauer Chair, Zero Population Growth of Greater Boston MGHanauer@alumni.uml.edu 781/862-5927I've been doing a lot of thinking and discussing lately: How can ZPG/Boston be a more effective organization? How can we play a more significant part in arousing people to the effects of population growth on their own lives, and the lives of their children?
These are goals I believe are important to us. The hard part is making a difference, via our individual activist efforts, when each of us is only able to volunteer a fraction of our time. Important to our achievement level is that what we do is the sum of what each of us does. Added to that sum is the support we give to each other and the fun and reward we each feel as a result.
You and I each have strengths, they are the activities we are good at and the things we enjoy. Some of these strengths we know, some are yearning to be discovered or rediscovered. All of them are fun and make us feel good. Many of these strengths can play a part in making the people in our community aware that population growth is a big part of the reason that quality-of-life seems to be eroding. ZPG is a great place for each of us to discover those strengths and to make a difference.
We are also a support group. Individuals together.
~Mike Hanauer
As many of you know, I spent time in September camping and hiking in Yosemite National Park in Northern California. Without a doubt, it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, containing some of the world's most beautiful mountain and meadow vistas, waterfalls, and vegetation including its giant Sequoias. Within its approximately 1000 square miles, it contains peaks of up to 13,000 feet, 800 miles of trails and 200 miles of roads. Diversity-wise, Yosemite contains some 1500 species of plants, 75 different mammals and 240 different birds.
Yosemite is also visited by 4 million people each year. We all know of the huge burden this places on all of our parks and the associated ecosystems. Trails that are eroding, air and water that is too often polluted, native critters that are treated more like prisoners, and a human experience that too often resembles an urban rock concert. The scenery and diversity is under tremendous stress. The throngs of individually well meaning visitors is placing strains on the parks that no amount of money can alleviate (not that there is money these days).
Yet, there is the good news too. I had a wonderful personal experience in Yosemite. It renewed my appreciation of the natural world and my place within it. I left convinced that such places must be preserved and renewed. I believe that there is much more in Yosemite which can still be saved than has been lost.
There is still time to save Yosemite. There is still time to bring our human population into balance with our environment. Our work is important and it is not too late. I would like to share this feeling with you at our next ZPG/Boston meeting by showing a brief slide show of my trip. The scenery is breathtaking. The resulting invigoration might even make your day as it made mine. It renewed my vision of what Zero Population Growth is all about.
~Mike Hanauer
When I am out having fun (talking about the effects of overpopulation!), people often ask me to help alleviate their confusion as to why there are so many different national population organizations. I personally belong to many such groups in addition to ZPG because I believe that they are each important within their own specialty. While they do overlap somewhat in function, each has a specific appeal or niche as well. I will also add my belief that all of these groups must do a better job of acting in unity concerning legislation, outreach and policy objective. While there are differences, these groups have much more in common than they have in difference, and this unity must be further nurtured to help our cause.
Below, I briefly outline a number of such organizations; each do periodic mailings, usually a newsletter. The descriptions and opinions are my own based upon materials I have read including information via The Institute of Global Communications Web page at http://www.zpg.org/igc/igcinfo.html, which is full of good information on environmental organizations (yes, ZPG is there now). All of these organizations are non-profits and all, in my opinion, are worthy of membership and encouragement. I would be glad to supply additional information or even a look at some literature -- just give me a call at 781/862-5927.
Carrying Capacity Network is a coalition of groups and individuals fostering networking and communications of issues, ideas and resources toward creating a sustainable future.
Negative Population Growth is concerned with improving the quality of life in the US through population reduction over time. It has done a creditable job of stating what a sustainable US population is (approx. 125 million), and making concrete suggestions on how to achieve this point. They are known for their well researched papers discussing sensitive issues in a forthright manner.
Population Environment Balance is concerned with improving the quality of life in the US through population stabilization. They have recently initiated the Coalition for United States Population Stabilization (CUSPS), a (hopefully significant) attempt to unite many organizations and individuals behind the need to stabilize US population.
Zero Population Growth works to achieve a sustainable balance of population, resources and the environment. As the oldest and largest such membership based non-profit, it is well-known for having local chapters and speakers, outstanding educational materials and a strong concern for related factors including women's issues and sexuality education. While primarily concerned with US problems, ZPG plays a significant international role as well. ZPG/Boston is a local chapter of ZPG Inc.
Other domestic organizations, such as the Sierra Club and National (and Mass.) Audubon have small population programs. All need to be encouraged to include or increase their (US) population programs within and to work with other organization to make the population connection more visible.
Alan Guttmacher Institute does research into human reproductive demographics. They do research, policy analysis and education and are often quoted with respect to teen pregnancy trends. Association for Voluntary Surgical Contraception works to expand international access to all types of contraception. Pathfinder International helps initiate and fund international family-planning projects.
Population Communications International tries to spread the word through television and radio that small families and birth control are a real plus on an individual and family basis. They are noted for TV soap operas in (for instance) Mexico which include family planning encouragement and information within the program content.
Population Institute educates citizens, the media, and policy makers on the dangers of growing population on a worldwide basis.
Population Reference Bureau is dedicated to providing timely, objective information on U.S. and international population trends. They inform policymakers, educators, the media, and concerned citizens working in the public interest about the demographic trends that shape our world.
Worldwatch Institute is dedicated to fostering a sustainable society--one in which human needs are met in ways that do not threaten the health of the natural environment or future generations. The Institute conducts interdisciplinary research on emerging global issues, the results of which are published and disseminated to decisionmakers, the media, and the public.
Alan Guttmacher Institute 120 Wall St., NY, NY 10005; 212/248-1111
Association for Voluntary Surgical Contraception 79 Madison Av., NY, NY 10016
Carrying Capacity Network 2000 P St. NW Suite 240, Washington, DC 20036; 202/296-4548, CCN@igc.apc.org.
Negative Population Growth 210 The Plaza, PO Box 1206, Teaneck, NJ, 07666-1206; 201/837-3555.
Pathfinder International 9 Galen St., Watertown, MA 02172; 617/924- 7200.
Population Communications International 777 United Nations Plaza, NY, NY, 10017; 212/687-3366.
Population Environment Balance 2000 P St. NW Suite 210, Washington, DC 20036; 202/955-5700, uspop@balance.org.
Population Institute 107 Second St. NE, Washington, DC 20002.
Population Reference Bureau 1875 Connecticut Ave., NW Suite 520 Washington, DC 20009-5728 USA 202-483-1100 Fax 202-328-3937 E- mail: popref@prb.org
WorldWatch Institute 1776 Massachusetts Av. NW, Washington DC 20036-1904; 202/452-1999.
Zero Population Growth 1400 Sixteenth St. NW, Washington, DC 20036, 202/332-2200, 800-767-1956, zpg@igc.apc.org.
~Mike Hanauer
On March 29, Walter Branson and I hosted a booth and two population workshops at the Youth Action Conference in Providence. It was organized and run entirely by high school student activists, and it was inspiring. In total, there were about 50 workshops on issues such as ozone, Green (political) Party, vegetarianism, homophobia, lobbying, networking, human rights and wetlands. Approximately 200 Rhode Island high school students attended. Some 30 students attended one of our population workshops, most left with a new awareness of the population-environment connection as it exists in the United States.
Heather Damon, our contact and one of the 4 student coordinators, has a can't fail attitude that just may save the world. She was moved by us at a previous presentation and is now motivating students throughout Rhode Island. Heather is about to lead her first population workshop; it will be for three high school classes. She has even indicated an interest in starting a Rhode Island Chapter of ZPG. Last month, in this column, I talked of our role in training the trainers. Heather is a perfect example -- to alert others to the population connection, and to motivate at least a few of them to continue in our tracks.
What each of us does on behalf of ZPG between our meetings is what makes the difference. For me, RIHOPE and Heather Damon makes it all worthwhile.
Over the past few months (or is it years?) there has been a nagging question gnawing at my side: Why is it that the real things in our society that need doing don't, or can't, get done? I don't mean just environment and population issues here. I'm talking about quality-of-life issues that impact the majority of our citizens -- including voter apathy, individual well-being (in every sense), affordability of the necessities and even optimism and happiness. And guess what: I think I have an important piece of the answer. Not that this will easily make everything all better, but maybe it's a start -- especially if all of us who care work together.
Let me ask the question: why are big, successful organizations big and successful? Part of the answer seems to be that their membership has rallied around a common issue (stopping abortion, making money, preserving Medicare, or the right to own a gun, for instance). Common or overarching issues are usually an important strategy to mobilize people and to gain public, media and political awareness. An interesting example for me occurred in the bicycling community. The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has done an outstanding job in leading disparate groups to work together to turn abandoned railroad corridors into linear parks. These parks are often enjoyed by cyclists, runners, in-line skaters and equestrians. Had those groups ever worked together? No. Cyclists don't like the stuff horses leave on trails, and horses can be stunned by bicyclists. But RTC played a leadership role to make all these groups see that, in the longer term, they could only lose by not working together on their overarching issues.
The environmental community is at a crossroads. We must all work together on overarching issues, or we each lose. Right now, thousands of us in hundreds of groups who care about the quality-of-life of our children are working to save a river, a park, a species of animal, stabilize population, or reduce the incidence of breast cancer or child abuse. Most of us believe in what we all do, but we work only on "our issue" rather than actively including "our overarching issues".
Imagine our power -- all of us together with unified voices driven by common overarching goals.
Political action committees, media balance, campaign finance reform, corporate ownership and control, long term strategic thinking, open access to information and debate, and a renewal of democracy are a few examples of pertinent overarching issues. Without such problems being solved, none of us can win. Actively working together, our numbers can bring about the critical mass necessary for each of us to succeed. That unity and critical mass will result in more publicity and visibility with less cost and effort, plus more available money, and more political and public clout.
In ZPG/Boston, efforts to join with groups involved in overarching issues are starting, but need lots of nursing (want to participate?). Nationally in most organizations, including at ZPG, I believe the need is often recognized but that the official mission too often conflicts with that need. This must be fixed through a more meaningful measurement of success, and via membership pressure. Playing a grassroots part is what we as activists are all about.
Imagine our power -- all of us together with unified voices driven by common overarching goals.
Mike Hanauer, August 19, 1996
(Editor's note: Another example of disparate groups working together on common goals is hunters and environmentalists. The September/October 1996 issue of Sierra magazine has an article called "Natural Allies" on page 46. It encouraging Sierra Club members to work with hunters on conservation issues.)
There are a number of books available with titles like "Fifty Easy Ways To Save The Earth". Almost all of these books approach issues from the point of view of reducing (over)consumption. We often hear how the US has 5 percent of the world's population, yet consumes 25 percent of its resources. It's also true that the developed world, with 23 percent of the population, uses about 66% of the Earth's resources. Yes, it does sound like a consumption problem. In many environmental and population circles, the traditional thinking dictates that in developing countries, the problem is overpopulation, while in the developed world, the bulk of the problem is overconsumption. This oversimplification that it's mostly a consumption problem, which purveys easy, feel-good answers to many environmentally conscious citizens and organizations, is potentially dangerous.
Let's explore why: In the developed world, consumption levels per person are all within the same order of magnitude. Yes, in Western Europe and Japan, levels are a bit lower than ours, but not vastly different. On the other hand, most third world consumption levels are between 5 and 0.5 percent of ours. This vast difference is not because these people recycle, use little plastic or don't drive a turbo charged car -- it is because they have no car, no central heat, no refrigerator, and maybe no house at all! It is these most basic items, items which most of us believe every human should be able to have, which make up most of the consumption difference between the haves and the have nots. In the developed world, even if every effort were made to cut "frill consumption," these basics still have us outconsuming a third world citizen by a factor of five to fifty.
Reasonable levels of consumption are not morally wrong, and the difference between reasonable and unreasonable is not going to make a real difference to developed or third world living standards. In a survey by Utne Reader of its own (very environmentally concerned) readers, only 21 percent said they would be willing to do without a car and only 13 percent would forgo their quarter-pounders with cheese. With a minor miracle, we might be able to lower US consumption by 25 percent over 25 years, but that 25 percent would be overwhelmed by population increases. For instance, due to increasing US population over the past quarter century, even as we have consumed a bit less electricity per capita, our total use has increased by 22 percent. US population is now at 264 million. The Census Bureau has forecast that our population is likely to hit one-half billion in the coming century. Scientific consensus is that US population is now at about double a sustainable level. Attainable reductions in consumption will have little impact without stopping population growth. Meat, fish, low yield vegetables, shrink wrap, paper, autos, and air conditioners are not morally wrong. The higher the population, the more personal choices we must lose and the lower the resulting quality of life. Reducing consumption here without bringing it to third world levels will do little to lower our impact. Meaningful reductions in consumption are not likely to be attained.
We all want a world which can support a reasonable standard of living and level of consumption for all. In the longer term, it is population levels that will matter. Many groups are dealing with consumption issues. For ZPG, our contribution must be to point out the unmatched impact of our population growth.
Mike Hanauer October 24, 1996
It is now 1997, another year has rolled by. The good news is that, worldwide, growth rates have slowed down a bit. The bad news is that we have another 95 million of us on the planet including another 3 million in the United States. At ZPG, we are about creating awareness and action, and it is our members who make that happen. Could you take an hour or two a month to help. Here are some suggestions:
Please do give me a call at 781/862-5927 to explore any of these or other ideas. You can contribute, learn about yourself and have fun all at the same time and all on your own terms. And to all of our present and future activists, thank you. May 1997 be fruitful without the multiplying!
Mike Hanauer