Zero
Population Growthof Greater Boston
Zero
Population Growth
Volume 9, Number 2 |
March/April 1999 |
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Maybe you haven't heard much about invasive species, but in coming years you will. The ecologist Daniel Simberloff takes it so seriously that he recently committed himself to founding an institute on invasive biology at the University of Tennessee, and Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt sounded the alarm last April in a speech to a weed-management symposium in Denver. The spectacle of a cabinet secretary denouncing an alien plant called purple loosestrife struck some observers as droll, but it wasn't as silly as it seemed. Forty years ago, the British ecologist Charles Elton warned prophetically in a little book titled The Ecology of Invasions by Animals and Plants that "we are living in a period of the world's history when the mingling of thousands of kinds of organisms from different parts of the world is setting up terrific dislocations in nature." Elton's word "dislocations" was nicely chosen to ring with a double meaning: species are being moved from one location to another, and as a result ecosystems are being thrown into disorder.
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The problem is vastly amplified by modern shipping and air transport, which are quick and capacious enough to allow many more kinds of organisms to get themselves transplanted into zones of habitat they never could have reached on their own. The brown tree snake, having hitchhiked aboard military planes from the New Guinea region near the end of World War II, has eaten most of the native forest birds of Guam . . . Michael Soule, a biologist much respected for his work on landscape conversion and extinction, has said that invasive species may soon surpass habitat loss and fragmentation as the major cause of "ecological disintegration." Having exterminated Guam's avifauna, the brown tree snake has lately been spotted in Hawaii.
Is there a larger pattern to these invasions? What do fire ants, zebra mussels, Asian gypsy moths, tamarisk trees, maleleuca trees, kudzu, Mediterranean fruit flies, boll weevils and water hyacinths have in common with crab-eating macaques or Nile perch? Answer: They're weedy species, in the sense that animals as well as plants can be weedy. What that implies is a constellation of characteristics: They reproduce quickly, disperse widely when given a chance, tolerate a fairly broad range of habitat conditions, take hold in strange places, succeed especially in disturbed ecosystems, and resist eradication once they're established. They are scrappers, generalists, opportunists. They tend to thrive in human-dominated terrain because in crucial ways they resemble Homo sapiens: aggressive, versatile, prolific, and ready to travel. The city pigeon, a cosmopolitan creature derived from wild ancestry as a Eurasian rock dove (Columba livia) by way of centuries of pigeon fanciers whose coop-bred birds occasionally went AWOL, is a weed. So are those species that, benefiting from human impacts upon landscape, have increased grossly in abundance or expanded in their geographical scope without having to cross an ocean by plane or by boat--for instance, the coyote in New York, the raccoon in Montana, the white-tailed deer in northern Wisconsin or western Connecticut. The brown-headed cow-bird, also weedy, has enlarged its range from the eastern United States into the agricultural Midwest at the expense of migratory songbirds. In gardening usage the word "weed" may be utterly subjective, indicating any plant you don't happen to like, but in ecological usage it has these firmer meanings. Biologists frequently talk of weedy species, meaning animals as well as plants.
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. . . The two converse trends I've described--partitioning the world's landscape by habitat fragmentation, and unifying the world's landscape by global transport of weedy species--produce not converse results but one redoubled result, the further loss of biological diversity. . . . Earth will be a different sort of place--soon, in just five or six human generations. My label for that place, that time, that apparently unavoidable prospect, is the Planet of Weeds. . . .
Now we come to the question of human survival, a matter of some interest to many. We come to a certain fretful leap of logic that otherwise thoughtful observers seem willing, even eager to make: that the ultimate consequence will be the extinction of us. By seizing such a huge share of Earth's landscape, by imposing so wantonly on its providence and presuming so recklessly on its forgivingness, by killing off so many species, they say, we will doom our own species to extinction. This is a commonplace among the environmentally exercised. My quibbles with the idea are that it seems ecologically improbable and too optimistic. But it bears examining, because it's frequently offered as the ultimate argument against proceeding as we are.
Jablonski also has his doubts. Do you see Homo sapiens as a likely survivor, I ask him or as a casualty? "Oh, we've got to be one of the most bomb-proof species on the planet," he says. "We're geographically widespread, we have a pretty remarkable reproductive rate, we're incredibly good at co-opting and monopolizing resources. I think it would take really serious, concerted effort to wipe out the human species." The point he's making is one that has probably already dawned on you: Homo sapiens itself is the consummate weed. Why shouldn't we survive, then, on the Planet of Weeds? . . . "A lot of things are going to happen that will make this a crummier place to live--a more stressful place to live, a more difficult place to live, a less resilient place to live--before the human species is at any risk at all." And maybe some of the new difficulties, he adds will serve as incentive for major changes in the trajectory along which we pursue our aggregate self interests. . . .
To read this article in its entirety, visit http://www.enviroweb.org/coe/e-sermons/weedplan.html
With the winter nearly behind us, only a couple of months remain in the one-year term of our chapter officers.
The current individuals have been serving for periods ranging from six years to just a few months. Though the chapter generally operates without strictly constructed rules, each May we customarily elect a volunteer chairperson, vice chair, treasurer, and secretary. Anyone is eligible to serve in these posts, and everyone is encouraged to consider doing so.
CHAIR: This volunteer leader serves for a year as the chapter's head honcho, setting strategy and acting as our primary contact with ZPG National and other organizations. He or she also customarily sets meeting agendas, represents the chapter to other local/regional organizations and to the public.
VICE CHAIR: The responsibilities of the chapter's vice chairperson, aside from filling in for the chair when he or she is unavailable, are pretty much defined by the incumbent.
TREASURER: Among the present officers, treasurer Dan Bloom has served the longest. And he's now very interested in having someone else try a hand at the job. Managing the chapter's simple finances is a good way to contribute work to the cause. (Dan also says it requires very little financial acumen and not really all that much time, either.) There are a few guidelines and requirements, laid down by ZPG National. Anyone who's interested, please contact Dan; ZPG needs you! To ease your way, it will be possible to arrange a transition period, so that a new treasurer could "apprentice" for a couple months before flying solo.
SECRETARY: As with those of the vice chair, the duties of the chapter's secretary are also defined rather loosely. The main duty is to take the minutes at the bi-monthly meetings. On occasion, it may be necessary to help out with other communications as well.
In addition to the four elected officers there is a need for COORDINATORS AND PROJECT SPEARHEADS: The chapter is always in need of people who will volunteer to coordinate all the details to "make something happen." Everything you hear about via the chapter newsletter has come about through the initiative of one or more of our members.
The 1998-99 chapter year has seen some stirring initiatives by the chair and others. The last year that starts with a "1" could be your time to step forward and make your presence felt. The chance to accomplish something, either as an officer or as a project leader, will never be greater. With the world due to crack the 6-billion-humans mark this coming autumn, the movement's need for your efforts has never been greater.
Anyone wanting to run for office should place his or her name in nomination at the upcoming general meeting in March, so that we know who the candidates are before the election in May. To learn about these positions, contact the current officers as listed on page two. And do plan to come to the next chapter meeting and let everyone know what you can do. Help lead ZPG/Boston Chapter into the next century!
The year 1999 will be marked as the year when the population of the planet Earth reaches six billion people. In response, the ZPG Boston Chapter is organizing an event in the Boston Public Library entitled: "Are We Prepared for Six Billion?"
Boston's library is the oldest in the nation, and on May 15th its Mezzanine conference room will be occupied by a wide array of activists, scholars and the media. One television news team has already promised to cover the event. The local chapter of the Sierra Club voted unanimously to co-sponsor the event, as has The Wilderness Society. Other interested organizations are also considering co-sponsorship. The first four speakers have already been selected. They are Henry Barbaro of the Sierra Club, Dr. Larry Wangh of Brandeis University and Dr. Syed Hasan Mamun from the University of Calcutta, India and Mark Rodgers representing The Wilderness Society.
The conference is scheduled to begin at 10 AM and end at 4:30 PM. It has been divided into three panel discussions. The first discussion will be a description of the present state of affairs: what six billion people means. The panel in the early afternoon will describe the future of the world if the present trend continues with its consequent environmental desecration and human suffering. The third and last panel will be a call to action. Hopefully, there will be a vigorous exchange of ideas and a group of participants will be chosen by the conferees to devise a plan of action for this coming October 12th, the day the United Nations estimates the six billionth living human being will be added to the planet.
More than fifty organizations from all over New England have already received invitations to attend. Seating in the 100-seat conference room will be on a first come, first served basis. Volunteers from ZPG and other organizations are needed for pre-conference and conference day activities. A $10 tee shirt commemorating the event is already in production. The event is free and open to the public. It will be advertised in the Boston area newspapers and on college campuses. Anyone willing to volunteer is asked to contact Jeff Herman.
On February 20, Citizens for Participation in Political Action (CPPAX), the largest activist lobby in the state of Massachusetts, went on record at its annual convention as supporting "non-coercive, fully financed, family planning efforts both inside and outside the United States."
CPPAX is a "progressive" organization with 4,000 dues-paying members throughout the state, and has a $200,000 budget. They were recently instrumental in passing the Clean Elections Initiative. Politicians throughout the state, both for state and federal office, actively seek the support of CPPAX.
Last year, at its annual convention, CPPAX tabled a motion to support education of the issue of overpopulation. Objections had been made saying that the issue had racist overtones and that overpopulation is really an economic issue. This year those same objections were outvoted by a margin of forty to one.
The resolution that was passed reads as follows:
I introduced this passing resolution, as well as that of last year which was tabled. It is encouraging that persistence pays off in this important issue.
Everything's moving very fast here at ZPG Boston. At the University of Massachusetts, some of our members have invited Peter Bahouth to a speaking engagement on the campus in cooperation with the student council and the faculty. For those of you who don't know, Peter Bahouth was the executive director of Greenpeace and is now the executive director of Turner Foundation. He shares Ted Turner's convictions that the world's population should be stabilized by non-coercive, family planning.
On the legislative front, sixty members of the state legislature have signed on in favor of contraceptive coverage. A coalition of grassroots organizations throughout Massachusetts is behind the effort, and Massachusetts should soon become the third state to endorse such coverage. However, the job is not completed and we need to put more pressure on the legislature right now.
The Boston Public Library has confirmed May 15th as the date for our conference with many of New England's environmental organizations. The purpose of the conference is a call to action regarding the issue of overpopulation and its negative impact on the quality of our lives. The local chapter of the Sierra Club unanimously approved co-sponsorship of the conference, and several other noteworthy organizations are considering similar action. A few distinguished professors have already accepted invitations to attend including Dr. Syed Hasan Mamun of Bangladesh. The title of the conference is: "Are We Prepared for Six Billion?"
What we need now is more members to help us carry on with the work. The more the better. We need to write and lobby our elected officials. We need to speak at schools, speak at club meetings and make contact with the press. We need to staff tables at city events and pass out literature. We need to educate more people and transform the body politic so that our children will inherit a sane Earth.
These are not easy nor impossible tasks, but every one of us are needed to do our part. We can succeed if we all work together. So, take your pick. What would you like to do? How can you help? Let us know. Come to our next meeting. Let's work together and make a difference.
We will meet at the home of Christina Gordon, 61 Foster Street in Cambridge. Her home is near the Mount Auburn Hospital.
Dr. Syed Hasan Mamun will be our guest speaker. He is a specialist in population and policy research, and will speak about the effectiveness of family planning agencies outside of the United States. Dr. Mamun is from Bangladesh.
DIRECTIONS: At the main entrance to Mount Auburn Hospital, heading towards Harvard Square, take a left onto Lowell Street. Immediately take your first right onto Foster Street and travel about a half mile to a stop sign. Keep straight, crossing over Spark Street and continuing for a very short distance on Foster. Look for a cluster of four houses on your left. Christina’s home is in back to the right. Call her if you have any questions: (617) 661-3235
Please see the meeting schedule for general information and other meeting dates.
Imagine a city about 60 years ago somewhere in the central USA. Joe Average wants to buy a house there that he and his wife can raise kids in. (This is 60 years ago, remember, when women were still in the habit of staying at home because they had to in order to have enough children to propagate the species.) He finds out that a large tract of land to the north of the main city is going to be designated as a park. So, being a quick sort of guy, he goes out and buys a lot next to that park, across the street. He has a house built. He and his family move in.
Years pass. The kids grow up and go to college. More houses are built around the park. Average houses, not houses you’d consider to be mansion-like, but not little boxes either. The city starts to become more populated (that’s what causing more houses to be built). Soon, there isn’t really any open land around the city to speak of. It becomes cheaper to build multi-story structures than to expand horizontally, so that’s what happens.
As the city becomes more crowded, more people begin to visit the park, because, after all, people like open space with trees and grass. This is o.k. with Joe Average. He’s a social guy. But soon, as poverty increases in the city, he notices that the people walking around the park are starting to look resentfully at his house. They could never afford his house on their salary (property values around the park have gone up due to the laws of supply and demand). Joe starts to get uncomfortable when he goes out to mow his lawn. It’s a lot different from when it was back when he bought the place, and it was all open space with few people. Joe’s neighbor’s house gets broken into, so Joe has to buy an alarm system. Joe’s wife has become afraid to walk outside at night.
Now, what is the cause of the degeneration of Joe’s neighborhood? Is it that he is an oppressor? Is it a social class thing? Is it just the way things are, so we might as well accept it? Or does it have something to do with population growth?
