A profoundly disappointing article, which never mentions the one overriding problem in the world, from which all others stem.

I refer, of course, to the problem of overpopulation.

Seeing as how the only thing that the muslim world and the vatican agree on is that nothing should be done to stem the rise in human population, it seems inevitable that the current environmental crises will get much worse when the third world doubles its population over the next 25 years. Fortunately the first world population has stabilised, but the extra 4 billion in the third world will impose an intolerable burden on the earth.

With the failure of humanity to address the problem in an ordered and humane way, it seems inevitable that the problem will be corrected in nature's traditional way, with the four horsemen of the apocalypse - war, famine, pestilence and death.

Stand by for a very rocky ride this century.

Our planet is a closed system with the troposphere as the boundary layer and life as we know it is contained within. If the planet is threatened (as the UN Security Council and General Assembly think it is) then it makes sense that humanity takes action to remove or lessen this threat.

Some people don’t think there is a threat (and that is their opinion) but why then are all the world’s nations taking steps to address this perceived threat? Why is the world’s political, economic, scientific, engineering, social, educational, business, religious, etc. leaders addressing this perceived threat? Are they as stupid as some would have us believe? I don’t think so.

Does it not make sense to live in a more sustainable way? I think so.

Once we acknowledge there is a problem of this nature we can do something about it, can we not? Yes we can.

Of course it is not easy for those accustomed to an intensive consumer driven society. But is not the cost (direct and indirect) of making changes now cheaper than the costs in the future? Yes it is (and there are many benefits to be had).

Does it not make sense to live in a globally sustainable way? Yes it does.

So how do we solve the “World’s problems” (population, health, poverty, growth and development, finite and dwindling resources, conflict, etc) and live in a more sustainable way? The answer lies in respecting all life and the world that it inhabits.

In a practical sense, the solutions to humanity's problems start with acknowledging there is a problem, be willing to do something about it and then EDUCATING OURSELVES AND OTHERS about how to overcome it.

Yes I am suggesting, and good reason to believe that the collective activities of humankind may have been a causative factor in the Tsunami. Of course it is impossible to know one way or the other.
But we do live in a multi-dimensional quantum world in which everything is interconnected and which is far less solid that we are taught to believe.

Runner, when are you ever going to make some kind of intelligent comment other than socialism, socialism, socialism? Implicit in your comments is the presumption that we all wonderfully free that socialists are always scheming to limit our freedoms. The fact of the matter is that everything that we think, and do is governed and conditioned by other people and especially the media. Most of us are just robotic clones of the system, dutifully and unconsciously doing what we have been progranmmed to do.
Our culture, every last bit of it, being the invisible "sea" in which we swim. Check out the references to Captains of Consciousness by Stuart Ewen via Google----then see how "free" you really are.

Yes over-population is the Brontosarus occupying most of the room.
Every effort that we may take to limit and reduce our individual and collective ecological footprint(s) is plain old cancelled out by the sheer momentum of population.

And yes Runner the concept of ecological footprint is very real and thoroughly scientific. It is totally impossible for the planet to support everyone at even a modest western life-style.

Once again Online Opinion proves its worth by giving oxygen to thoughtful and thought provoking opinion pieces by otherwise unknowns. This article is far from perfect but it adds value to the current sustainability debate that we have to have. There's no one answer. It is to be hoped that there's an amalgamation of philosophical algorithms for each and every problem facing the world today. Winning the argument that we can enjoy a prosperous, peaceful, harmonious planet both harvesting and enjoying what the natural world provides is the challenge we face. Raising conscienceness and changing value systems would seem to be the way to go about it. Forums such as Online Opinion and articles like this one are an important part of the process. I hope Michael Fendley continues to contribute more articles.

to plerdsus
" I refer, of course, to the problem of overpopulation."

Good on you to mention the elephant in the china shop

considering the mutual attraction of each sex , the immutability of
human nature and the permanent laws of nature
there is only the good old horsemen of the apocalypse to keep things under control

WAR is in fact very disappointing , number wise ,it's only power is the destruction of civilized behavior

PLAGUE got a bit more bite ,easily outpacing war as a cause of population downsizing

DEATH I take as accidents such as volcanoes , tsunamis and other meteorites , very unreliable , low statistical probability of it , useless !

FAMINE , the old fear is probably the most reliable one ,always work
world grain reserves are getting thinner and thinner before harvest
the green revolution was based on cheap fossil fuels for machinery , fertilisers , pesticides and irrigation
a couple of bad seasons would decimate the poor countries and make our meat much more expensive
a severe increase in the prices of energy would have the same effect

time will tell ,

.

It has been said that one's own personal example is the only way to effect change in the world.
To bring about the understanding suggested in the above article regarding the immense and all pervading beauty in Gaia (our planet) can I suggest the following practical,simple daily diversions:
Deep breathing and or yoga
Bicycle wherever possible
Increase the consumption of fresh vegetables and fruit.
Give some time for free to someone who wants it
Reduce one's witness of televised violence instead perhaps read history.
Play music or sing at least once a day
Offer something creatively to God and Goddess (AKA larger entities)at stellar calendar moments, full moon equinox, etc...(even if they are only human creations they are required once again as guides.)
Happiness and a glorious awareness of our lovely world results.