On May 15th, 1999, several environmental organizations came together
at the Boston Public Library and focused
on the issue of overpopulation. The purpose of the publicly attended conference
was to initiate a plan of action for October 12th of this year, the date
the United Nations has designated as the
day when the six billionth person will be added to the planet Earth.
The event began with Jeff Herman, the current chair of the Boston area ZPG chapter, drawing a graph on the board with current population numbers rising hyperbolically from the beginnings of human history. Forty years ago there were three billion people on Earth. One hundred years ago, there was a quarter of the current population. In fifty years there may be twice the current number.
From that point on the panelists took over. Dr. Richard Rohrer, a transplant surgeon from Tufts University, discussed human behavior from an evolutionary perspective. He concluded that our current "hard wiring" has not had sufficient time to evolve to adapt to the dramatically changing circumstances since the industrial revolution and a world of six billion. Writer Lee Strauss cited from his own writings. Looking inward, he presented a psychobiological perspective, questioning just how hard the wiring is. From Brandeis University, Professor Larry Wangh took the conferees from the hydrogen atom to the biosphere, placing our "extraordinary time" in perspective. Using video equipment, he presented data which displayed the momentum of our growing population. From Bangladesh, Dr. Syed Mamun described the issue of population as "the most critical problem in the world today." He blamed the population explosion as having slowed social and economic development, which in turn inhibits a rising standard of living.
In the afternoon, the panelists were all recognized activists in the population movement. Annie Faulkner of the New England Coalition for a Sustainable Population described a New England of urban sprawl and diminished biodiversity. She also suggested that we look at the issue of overconsumption. Mark Rodgers, representing The Wilderness Society argued that "taking action against fertility is a compassionate act." Henry Barbaro of the Sierra Club is a professional planner; he questioned the idea that government can solve this problem. He noted that state planning involves planning for overpopulation, not stopping it. Michael Hanauer, a long-time ZPG activist, questioned the idea that technology will get us out of the problem when it is technology that got us into the problem. He went on to say that throwing more money at the symptoms of overpopulation, such as poor air or water quality, is not going to work until we address the issue of overpopulation.
The last session of the conference was for brainstorming as the general public and the panelists mingled to offer suggestions for action. The suggestions included a letter writing campaign to newspapers and elected officials, and a display in the Museum of Science. Others called for hanging banners over crowded freeway overpasses with slogans such as: "You'd be home by now if there weren't so many of us." Many of the participants signed up for the various projects which will lead to action on October 12th, Six Billion People Day. The next meeting will be held on July 26. For further information, email Jeff Herman at: uaeroht@aol.com.