Population Growth and Environmentalism

Ok, so we all know that becoming vegan is one of the biggest impacts we can have on the environment, regarding everything from transportation to waste to balances in nature (and on and on and on).

Here’s the thing…population growth keeps moving up at a rapid pace. While we may not be economists or have all the data, how do you feel regarding the attempts to “go green” and the growth of population? Do you think that the experts who suggest it may not be too late and that we can reverse the problems that are causing climate change are correct?

I’d like to see more numbers on the impact of veganism on the environment. I want to know how many people it would take to be vegan before we start seeing an impact in a measurable sense (not to downplay one person’s impact, which is still huge, if not only for the environment, for the individual animals as well).

Anyway, just throwing some thoughts out there…wanted to see what people had to say!

Actually, my friends and I have been talking about exactly the same thing. In the 80s we were being told in school that Europe might have to adopt a ‘one child per family’ policy like China before long. Instead, the governmnet encourages people to have many children because they want a high population to support the glut of people who are now retiring :unamused: Then we have a viscious circle where we need more people working to support the health and education systems, and all the stay-at-home-Mums claiming welfare :banghead:

Going vegan will help climate change, but the figures will depend on just how fast the population grows and how much energy they consume. For example, building affordable family housing in cities instead of in suburbs and villages will slash carbon emissions from cars. Initiatives to give all children computers, for example, will increase carbon emissions. The issues are very complex.

I would certainly like to see families be encouraged towards responsible family planning, and a little more support and respect for people who remain childless. Even if everybody becomes vegan, population will still eventually become an issue again.

Read “Ishmael” by Daniel Quinn. Great book about overpopulation and the natural order of things.

Ishmael sounds interesting from a philosophical point of view. I read the summary from the wiki page here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishmael_(novel).

I emailed with a professor at Columbia University who told me about research done at Cornell where the students concluded that if everyone worldwide were to go vegan, that it would support approximately 800 million new people through 2040. However, estimates of population growth worldwide suggest there will be approximately 3 billion new people by 2040.

So even being vegan wouldn’t address the concerns fully! But it sure would save a lot of animals and help the environment a ton!

So that means that as more and more people are converted to veganism, there are born babies that will grow as meat eaters?

Population growth is the biggest problem. People should have only 1 or 2 children everyplace. Well China has made it but probably too late. Climate in chinas big towns are pure pollution.

People should be vegetarians and not to be selfish. Also we dont need to dye our hair, we dont have to use make-up, we dont have to shop new clothes every month, we dont have to use car in towns. We dont even have to cook warm dinners every day. Raw food is the most healthy food. We dont need to have pets. We wouldnt even have to work every day so hard if we consume less.

Market areas are so sick. Companys want only to win more money. People do so bad. And why are people so dumn that they dont get this? Wars are so horrible. Things could stay in balance if people were more wise.

Since we are so over populated, why don’t the people who feel so strongly about it, be the first ones to get the population declining. Do you see how dumb this is? All the people in the US could fit in the state of Texas, not anymore, after all the immigrants have come here. I’d like to hear more about the products causing global warming. And have them proven please. From what I’ve seen, it has been getting colder here since people started talking about global warming, so then they changed it to climate change. Whenever the government makes a mistake, they cover it up. Just my opinion.

Actually meat and other animal products have the biggest negative impact on ecology, it’s beside that animals suffer…

I agree go greeen! Many people lose weight and even reverse killer diseases if they eat more on vegetables. Vegetable Oils also is high in inflammatory Omega-6 fatty acids, increase inflammation and oxidative damage makes our body more healthy.

Opinions aren’t facts. Your mention of it getting cooler in Texas is a very weak argument against global warming. We know there is a major drought in California. By your reasoning that would be a myth because it rained in Sacramento last week.

Global warming brings dramatic weather extremes, not a constant warming everywhere on Earth at the same time. Of course, 99% of climate scientists could be wrong, and your opinion could be right.

Great thanks for the great info.

~ Most innovative Spiral Slicer for vegetable dishes.