Zero Population
Growthof Greater Boston
Zero Population
Growth
| Volume 7, Number 5 | September/October 1997 |
Have we heard from you recently? Please read the Newsletter Changes.
The Boston Chapter Speakers Committee made two visits to area schools recently. On June 9, Howie Breinan and George Warren presented a 75 minute lecture and discussion to a class of about 15 students at the Lynn Environmental School. This alternative education program is designed to give these urban students both academic and practical training on environmental issues, and to encourage careers in environ- mentally related fields. We were impressed at their level of understanding of population issues, especially considering the more immediate hardships and problems they face in an inner city environment. The students were eager to discuss issues such as birth control and teenage pregnancy, and we encouraged them to spread the word among their friends and family.
On July 22, Jeff Herman, Chris Conty, and Howie Breinan made another 75 minute presentation, this time to a class on the en-vironment at UMass Lowell as a guest of old friend Pat Mattson. Pat teaches several classes on the environment at Lowell and Middlesex, and has invited us to speak in the past. The intense interest of the students was evidenced when many stayed to ask more questions after the class had ended. Three even continued the lively discussion for over an hour! Pat promises to invite us back on a regular basis.
We are always looking for more engagements like these to spread the word on population. Our usual presentation involves showing the ZPG 6-minute population video, spending some time talking about ZPG and the dangers of over-population, then opening up to discussion. However, this format can be modified for speaking to different groups. If you have any contacts with teachers, events, or organizations in your community where we might present a lecture or program on ZPG and/or population, please call our presentations coordinator, Mike Hanauer at 781/862-5927.
ZPG has embarked on an ambitious program to place a “District Coordinator” in every congressional district in the country! The main goal of the progam is to encourage ZPG members to act in their communities to bring a local face to population issues and to send the message to all congressional representatives that their constituents are concerned about population growth and its related problems.
The national office offers support to the District and State Coordinators by periodically providing legislative updates and action alerts to keep individuals posted on a wide range of issues such as family planning, urban growth policy and population education. In addition, a handbook will be available to provide backgound materials and organizational strategies. And ZPG staff will always be available to support individual volunteers by answering questions and supplying information via phone, mail or e-mail.
District Coordinators offer a local voice for population issues by keeping in touch with their own representatives in Congress and community members through letter-writing, phone calls, attendance at town meetings and, perhaps most important of all, by meeting individually or in small groups with their congressional repre-sentatives.
State Coordinators follow state issues and keep the national office alerted to legislation pertaining to population as well as identifying allies in local government who will introduce legislation advocated by ZPG. This can be done by reading the local newspapers, attending meetings of local community organizations and collecting information from state governmental offices.
Through the District Activist Network, ZPG will be able to have a substantial impact on pressing state legislation into law which in turn will effect national strategies. Anyone interested in participating as a District or State Coordinator should contact Andrew Brand at the Washington, DC office: 1-800-767-1956.
Dear Supporters,
We at the Boston Chapter are pleased to offer our chapter newsletter to any ZPG national member who would like to receive it. Keeping in mind our desire to continue sending this newsletter to as many people as possible, we are taking steps to reduce the cost of distribution of the paper version. Please note the following plans to overhaul our mailing list and create an electronic alternative.
First, we want to be certain that those who are receiving the newsletter want to receive it. Furthermore, we would like you to at least keep in casual contact with our chapter. If you have attended a meeting, volunteered at an event, sent a contribution or even called us within the last 18 months, we thank you. Do nothing and you will continue to receive the newsletter. For those of you who have not communicated with us, we would like to give you a chance to reestablish contact. If we haven't heard from you (at least a note, an e-mail or a phone call) by the mailing of our November newsletter, you will receive that edition with a final warning. If we still don't hear from you, we will assume you no longer wish to receive the newsletter. Also, please let us know if for some reason you do not wish to continue receiving this newsletter. We would also like to take advantage of e-mail and the internet. Currently, for those with web access, the newsletter is available on our website, http://www.populationconnection.org/chapters/boston/ This site will include extras including links to other sites and articles, and sometimes full text of news articles that were edited for space in the paper version. We will also offer an unformatted version of the newsletter by e-mail. If you wish to receive the electronic version instead of the hard copy, please let us know by sending an e-mail to Howie. You will receive an e-mail every other month containing the newsletter text and notifying you when the website version will be available. You can also be placed on the e-mail list AND continue to receive the paper version.
For all who have been out of contact, with our chapter, want to be dropped from the list, or want to switch to e-mail, please contact Howie Breinan: breinan@alumni.stanford.edu OR (617) 225-8905. Please let us hear from you!
This book discloses that the U.S. government, at the highest level, understands that the issue of population control is of vital importance to the security and health of the U.S. but refuses to face the issue because of political pressure from religious and far right wing groups. This book publishes word for word the political recommendations made by various presidential commissions endorsing a population control policy for the U.S. from President Nixon to President Clinton.
As many of you know, ZPG will be celebrating the kickoff to its 30th anniversary year with a gala event honoring Ted Turner and Jane Fonda in New York City. The event, also serving as a fund-raiser, will take place on Thursday, November 13, 1997, and will be attended by celebrities such as Lily Tomlin, Joanne Woodward, Paul Newman, and Robert Redford. As described in the September Reporter, ZPG members will be given the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event. In order to increase chapter involvement, the national organization has also awarded two tickets to the Boston Chapter. The sentiment at the July chapter meeting was that we should use these tickets to attract media attention to our cause, and/or to reward chapter members who have made a recent contribution in time or money. If you are interested in attending this function and need more information, please contact me, Howie, at (617) 225-8905.
President Richard M. Nixon, “Special message to the U.S. Congress on problems of population growth,” July 18, 1969
Many summers I go on vacation with relatives at a lake in Maine. Over the past 20 years, the water has become murkier, the air has become dirtier, the traffic has become noisier and heavier, the number of canoes passing by the back porch daily has increased. All these changes accompanied an increase in tourist traffic. It is true it has become a more popular area, but the increase in traffic is partially a consequence of increased population. More people means more vacation spots needed; some spots closer to cities will become crowded and people will travel further, even way up to Mount Desert Island, to find less crowded areas.
People seek these less crowded areas to recover from civilization. That’s what we all first liked about America: the open spaces, the sense of freedom when we are immersed in nature. All of this is disappearing.
The frontier died quite a while ago. Now, it’s pretty tough in many places to find a place to be alone.
I know I am lucky to be able to have these vacations. I’m including this description as a read-to-hand example of a population increase affecting quality of life.
Population #1: Bricks Carved from the Chaos Excerpt #15 by Mike Merrill
To protect the quality of civilization
Last Sunday's front-page story on the Aral Sea ("A sea dies, mile by mile") shows conclusively that we are inflicting devastating harm to our planet. It also demonstrates how backward our thinking is on solving these problems. The suggested solutions were to conserve more water and to offer up our prayers to Allah.
Nothing could be further off base. The real problem is population growth, both in central Asia, where the indigenous peoples require a basic amount of water to live, and worldwide, where we all demand the cotton products produced there. This region and our planet can no longer support their people with a decent standard of living in a manner that will preserve the environment for future generations. Yes, we should eliminate waste, but simply reducing consumption yields only a temporary patch as we add 100 million people to our world each year.
It is critical that we acknowledge the limited ability of the planet to support us and that success for human beings cannot be equated just with growing numbers. We are faced with the ultimate test of an intelligent species: to control our own population to protect the quality and future of our civilization.
Howie Breinan
Chairman of the Boston Chapter of Zero
Population Growth
Cambridge, MA
Boston Globe - August 24, 1997
Wednesday, September 10: Presentation entitled "Population and the Environment: Striking a Better Balance," by Peter Kostmayer, Executive Director of ZPG, at Smith College, Northampton, MA, in the Browsing Room of the Nielson Library, 8:00 PM. Part of ZPG's "15 Cities Tour" bringing population concerns to local and regional discussions of sustainability and quality of life. Presentation is sponsored by the Population Committee of the Pioneer Valley Group of the Sierra Club. For more information contact Anita King at 413-268-9212 or Deron Lovaas (ZPG) at 1-800-POP-1956.
Saturday, September 13: Arlington Town Day. This annual event is a good opportunity to become acquainted with many civic and environmental groups in the Boston area. There will be entertainment and numerous food booths as well. Volunteers are needed to help staff our ZPG table from 9-3 PM. Please call Howie Breinan at 617-225-8905 or contact him by e-mail at: breinan@alumni.stanford.edu
Monday, September 15: ZPG Boston Chapter bi-monthly meeting. See page 9 for location and directions.
Friday--Sunday, September 26-28: The 31st annual conference of the New England Environmental Education Alliance, “Partnerships, Perceptions and Professionalism” at YMCA Camp Jewell in Colebrook, CT. There will be opportunities to learn about successful partnerships, improve your skills in the areas of education, administration, programming and grant writing as well as having the opportunity to discuss issues of mutual interest.
Registration must be made in advance with either of the conference Co-Chairs, Annie Guion at 860/455-0759 OR Richard Haley at 860/455-9534. The fee depends upon the particular package you sign up for. The contact person for exhibits is Sue Quincy at 203/263-3711.
OCTOBER
Friday, October 24: Sustainable Life-styles Conference, Chase Community Center, Vermont Law School, South Royalton, VT. 8:30-4:30 p.m. Tools for reducing individual consumption. Conference targeted to individual and organizations promoting initiatives to reduce consumption at the local level. Keynote address by Ellen Furnari, Director of the Center for a New American Dream. Contact person Barbara Duncan 802-649-5168 or bdpop@valley.net
NOVEMBER
Thursday--Sunday, November 6-9: Education for Sustainability: 1997 Northeast Regional Workshop, by the group Second Nature. Directed at college and university faculty. Models and technique for promoting sustainability through curriculum development, campus operations and institutional change. Speakers include Anthony Cortese, Collette Hopkins, Kurt Teichert, Mike McElroy, Madaline Ochinang, David Orr and Thomas Lovejoy (invited). Location: Cornwall, CT. For more information contact Second Nature at 617-292-7771 or workshops@2nature.org
Thursday, November 13: ZPG 30th Anniversary Celebration, New York City. Contact Jay Keller at 1-800-POP-1956. See write-up on page 9.
Friday, Saturday, November 21-22: Conference on "Population, Consumption and Sustainability: Infinite Growth in a Finite World?" Keynote by Lester Brown. Other speakers include Peter Kostmayer (ZPG), Bill Ryerson (Population Communications International), Al Bartlett, David Pimentel and Barbara Ronningen. To be held at the Hubert Humphrey Institute at the University of Minnesota. For more information contact David Paxson, World Population Balance, at 612-869-1640 or WPBdPax@tc.umn.edu
Co-Secretary, Chris Conty, introduced the idea that the full text of the minutes could be made available by e-mail, since he now is a subscriber, and that hard copy could be made available for those still not connected to the Internet.
We need volunteers to coordinate our activities calendar as well as to serve as backups to attend the Environmental Roundtable meetings if Mike or Howie can't go. We now have a new free website (http://www.populationconnection.org/chapters/boston/) c/o Howie at MIT, but still maintained by Greg Wilcox in spite of the fact that he has moved to the Washington DC area. Now that our mailing list is expanding so rapidly, it has been suggested that we give people the option of receiving the newsletter by e-mail. This will reduce the number of hard copies that Frances Cameron will be required to mail, making her job more manageable (See Howie’s column on page 2). Efforts to hire a paid staff member for the Boston Chapter are currently dormant.
Discussion followed on a new book, "The Life and Death of NSSM 200: How the Destruction of Political Will Doomed a U.S. Population Policy" by Stephen D. Mumford. This book outlines how the forces against family planning, etc. have gotten the upper hand politically, squashing the fervor of the 1960's and '70's for our cause. Pam Sinotte brought to our attention recent articles in the New York Times and the New Yorker hostile to our point of view and pointed out the importance of a prompt rebuttal. In this light further appreciation was noted to Phil Morse and his numerous successful letter-writing efforts!
Howie focused the last part of the meeting on the matter of what to do with the two tickets our Chapter has been given to the November 13 banquet in NYC honoring Ted Turner and Jane Fonda. It was noted as a member of the National Board, Mike would be going anyway. A few ideas were discussed: The idea of raffling the tickets was suggested as a way to add to our chapter coffers, sending two representatives from the chapter, or just sending one as well as inviting someone from the media who would then report on this; then someone pointed out that the media gets to go free anyway. No final consensus was reached. (see related story on page 3)
ZPG Greater Boston had a strong presence at the HORDE music festival at Great Woods on Friday and Saturday August 8 and 9. This event brought more than ten bands to Mansfield, MA and attracted mainly high school and college students. The knowledge of some of these young citizens impressed us and reaffirmed the value of teaching population issues beginning at an early age. Of course some comments and the lack of interest in our cause by many others showed that we still have a long way to go. Given this, we were thrilled at the interest from teachers who responded to our sign offering ZPG teaching materials. Some of the more lively conversations centered around family size, especially with several concert-goers who belonged to large families. We were challenged several times by visitors who failed to acknowledge that large families caused any problems and seemed determined to exercise their right to have as many children as they pleased. Unfortunately, Saturday was partly washed out by rain, cutting the event short. We will look forward to this and other tabling events in the future.
Special thanks to our other tablers: Pam Sinotte, Philip Morse, Brooke Lindak, Jeff and Maritza Herman, David Urbina and Beth McCarthy.
This campaign is designed to raise awareness of population issues in 15 communities currently facing population growth problems. Peter Kostmayer will lead the ZPG contingent into the Worcester area on September 9-11. He will be conducting several lectures and activist events with local schools and other environmental organizations. ZPG national is welcoming input from any members from Massachusetts who may know of population issues being raised on a local or statewide level. Anyone with input to help national get a "pulse" on Massachusetts is urged to contact Deron Lovaas at 1-800-767-1956.
Also of note: ZPG is considering extending the 15 Cities campaign into next year in a modified format to create a "10 States" campaign, including Massachusetts. Be on the lookout for state issues that national would be interested in.
The deadline for the November-December newsletter is Monday, October 27.
See Yahoo! Maps for a map
and driving
directions to this location.
We will meet at the home of Barbara Clapp, 100 Lexington Street in Belmont. Driving North on 95/128: Take Exit 28A which says Trapelo Road/Belmont. At the end of the ramp, turn RIGHT. You will immediately see a traffic light. Driving South on 95/128: Take Exit 28 which says Trapelo Road/Lincoln. At end of ramp turn LEFT and go across overpass to the light.
From this intersection travel straight ahead on Trapelo Road for 3 and 1/2 miles . (Do not turn right onto Lexington Street to Waltham Ctr.) at which point you will pass a park and Andros Diner on your RIGHT. Driving East or West on Rt 2: Take Exit 59. Continue on Pleasant Street (Rt. 60); in a mile will come to Police Station on your LEFT. Continue for another mile, pass Star Mkt and turn LEFT at Getty Station and then an immediate RIGHT onto Lexington St. You’ll pass an AA Rental Center and Mobil gas station on your RIGHT. Go through the light and look for a brick building on your LEFT, clearly marked “100”. Turn in and LEFT again into the lower parking lot. Park in any space that says “Guest”. Enter building from parking lot, buzz Function Room, enter and turn right.
Questions? Call Barbara at 617/484-7986
b.clapp@valley.net
Please see the meeting schedule for general
information and other meeting dates.
