In honor of Earth Day, it seems only fitting that we discuss ways to ensure that many more generations have the opportunity to catch a beautiful sunset and plant trees on April 22. After all, this celebration has recently become an impetus for conservation and preservation talks worldwide as the effects of human impact are becoming ever more dire.
And while there are the obvious ways we can all make a difference — recycling, being energy efficient, saving water — there is a more pressing issue that often gets pushed out of the forefront.
Overpopulation plays a large (if not the largest) part in current Earth-related problems popping up almost everywhere. With the world population approaching 7 billion, it is time to seriously start thinking about ways to make sure every man, woman and child goes to sleep without feeling hungry while respecting the finite natural resources that exist.
More people means more cars on the roads, which means more greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere. More people means less resources and less food to go around, which leads to destruction of land, increases in disease and wars for resources. And the bad news is that it is only going to get worse as this growing population continues to grow at an amazing rate.
There is some good news, though. Great news. All these problems are solvable, so long as we don’t wait until it is too late. It is time that we talk about population control and how it relates to the destruction of our planet. If more people had access to birth control, practiced safe sex or abstained completely, there is no doubt that it would drastically impact the world population. In turn, with a decrease in population — or at the least a leveling off — we would be taking steps to control this issue before Mother Nature steps in with a global epidemic (think bubonic plague).
Though some religious groups are fundamentally opposed to contraceptive use, it is important to remember that we are all at the mercy of the world. Try as we might, we cannot control natural elements. The Earth has built-in mechanisms that can be devastating, but if we minimize our impact and avoid upsetting the natural balance that exists, we can continue to enjoy our standard of living without wreaking too much natural havoc.
In other words, let’s be proactive! Big families can be great (my grandmother is from a Catholic Polish family of 10), but ensuring that your family lives on in a world as pristine as possible is a much better legacy to leave behind.
Learn about how you can donate condoms or money for contraceptives to a needy community
In addition to helping control population, your donation can stop the spread of STDs like HIV.
United States:
Planned Parenthood (national)
Public Health Student Association (Washington, D.C.)
Worldwide:
International Planned Parenthood Federation
Family Health International
Condomunity (Africa)