I attended a Sustainability Education seminar.  Here is the gist:  there are too many people.  That hypothesis was supported by facts in which some numbers are larger than other numbers, particularly numbers of people, and in other cases they are smaller, such as food production figures and acres of rainforest.  Not much new there.  Essentially, in case you are unfamiliar, there is no reason for any person concerned about the health and sustainability of the world’s population to be optimistic.  Take heart, though, because while there is very little you can do about it personally, you won’t have to feel inconsolably distraught if you only choose to pretend that the problem doesn’t exist.

 

     For the equation lovers, our dismal plague-ridden future is represented thusly:  total energy consumption equals population size times the average per capita energy use, or E = P x e.  Obviously when P is up, e must go down to keep E constant.  If P is up, and e isn’t down, go buy some guns and ammo.

 

     Eventually we got down to business, brainstorming in true grassroots fashion ideas for your average human being to take responsibility.  One idea that had some traction was the use of green umbrellas as symbols of reproductive planning awareness.  Perhaps activists might like to create an informative website.  Perhaps a few phone calls to a local politician.

 

     But, I queried, what is to be done about mankind’s imminent reduction in elbow room?  Yes, we can do all the ridiculous crap you mentioned, but let’s get for realsies.  I propose we push for a moratorium on preventative medicine, encourage homosexuality, legalize cannibalism, enact a one strike you're out criminal justice system.  Drop the P and have a kick ass e party.  Too many people is annoying.  Most of the world’s population needs to be dead right now… or killed.  Let’s go killing.