[BLUG] environmentalism and limiting pop growth.

The vast majority of the numbers listed in this discussion so far are WAY off from the actual rates of population growth in the world. 5 children is almost completely unheard of in America anymore. There are a few exceptions, but by and large 0-3 is the standard. Take a quick look at the Total Fertility Rates.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_territories_by_fertility_rate

These numbers are based on the average number of children that each female has. So approximately 2 is exactly replacement fertility. Ignoring imbalance between male and female population, and ignoring general death rates. Note how much of this list is below 2. A HUGE amount. And many of the countries who are above 2 have death rates based on lack of modern health services that account for those numbers. In fact if you look at the rates of fertility historically there is a direct correlation between higher life expectancy and lower fertility rates. We are in fact self regulating, and in some places like Japan over self regulating.

Population is indeed an issue, but not the world devastating issue that people are making it out to be.

Also that I have 80 great grand children. One that number assume NO DEATH pre fertility AT ALL. That is an idealized number beyond imagination. So bring that down a touch, then remember that that great grandchild of yours has 2 parents, and 4 grandparents, and 8 great grandparents. So work in death, account for average fertility rates in the country you're talking about, and I think you will find the overall generational populations aren't increasing. I have 6 biological cousins and 1 sister, but 5 sets of aunts and uncles. That is well below the replacement fertility for my parents generation. If you look at my parents generation which was the generation after life expectancy had actually gone up, but before people had lived long enough for people to notice and stop having so many kids you realize they resulted in a jump in population, but even if my family is on the low side of American fertility by the full margin of error for such things we still aren't looking at!
any sort of long term problem.

Where the problem lies is in countries where the life expectancy went up, but cultural requirements to have kids were so high that fertility did not adjust. China and India are perfect examples. China took care of their problem through totalitarian means, and no one in the free world has been particular approving. I sadly know less about the way things are developing in India other than fertility rates are way out of line with their life expectancy. Those are however, isolated countries. World population trends are very different.

Finally I'd like to point people to the World average fertility number in the link from above. It was 2.8 in 200 and is now 2.59. Most of the world has lower life expectancy than we enjoy, and the number is going down. I think those specific statistics speak for themselves.

PS: For anyone who doesn't trust Wikipedia, click on the source link at the top, check the URL and browse through that PDF for verification.

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