Well, not quite just for college students but really anyone who wants to learn more about population.

Thank you for visiting this web site!

As a young person who is facing an environmental future that is very daunting and is likely to result in much stress as you mature into your working years it is very important that you learn about the primary cause of most of our environmental problems, population growth. This cause is not one that is seldom talked about by environmental leaders and teachers never mind the media.

There is a lot on this web site but we urge you to focus initially on:

1. The History of the Population Movement. This is a fascinating history and you should know at least some of the basic points in this history.

2. Read the commentary “For the Record: The Affirmers and the Deniers” to get an idea of what is going on here in Vermont. You will find it pretty surprising.

3. Take a look at the Population Clock to see how dramatic the increases continue to be.

4. Take the pledge to live more sustainably. What better time in your life than now?

5. Now become a “populationist!” That is a person who learns more about population and then speaks out on the population issue. To start, print out a copy of the pledge and take it to your environmental professors and guest environmental lecturers. Tell them you have taken the pledge and ask them if they have taken the pledge. If they have not then ask them why not. Also consider doing a paper, giving a talk, or writing an editorial for your college or local paper on population. VSP is always available for advice.

6. After you have done the basics of the above then whenever you read or learn about an environmental or social problem ask yourself this very important question: “Will this problem be easier or more difficult to solve with an ever growing population?”

   
   

If you want to become even more knowledgeable about the population factor there are two ways you can really increase your understanding. One is to sign up for the daily emails published by Bill Ryerson of the Population Median Center in Shelburne. These are commentaries and in depth papers written by experts from all over the world.  To receive the emails just subscribe at www.populationmedia.org/who/subscribe-to-pmc/. And if you want to know more about what is going on in Vermont sign up for our weekly updates through our web site.

There are also four excellent books that have recently been published on population. They are:

• Growing Pains: A Planet in Distress by Valorie M. Allen. This is a basic book that covers the dilemma we are in, who cares about it, the contributing factors, and the solutions. It is an easy read.

• A Pivotal Moment: Population, Justice & The Environmental Challenge edited by Laurie Mazur. This is another basic book with articles by many experts and covers the numbers, the impact, looking back and moving forward, and thoughts for the journey.

• The Cosmic Cancer: Effects of Human Behavior on Life of Our Planet by David Sussman. The author is a New Englander living in New London, N.H. He is relatively unknown in the population field but this is probably the most in depth book on population that has been written. Because of its depth it is at times a little hard to understand but if you work through it you will gain a great understanding of the causes of population growth, its impacts, and what really needs to be done to make change.

• The population Fix: Breaking America’s Addiction to Population Growth by Edward C. Hartman, with free copies available from VSP. This is a very practical and easy to read book that focuses on the primary cause of U.S. population growth, historically high levels of continuous immigration, and what needs to be done to objectively address this unsustainable population growth.

Finally, Vermonters for Sustainable Population and the New England Coalition for Sustainable Population have possibilities for internships. Whether or not we could pay depends on the time and the nature of the project.

If you or a group of your friends ever want to explore this issue more we have a group of resource people from around the state who would be happy to meet with you. Just contact the Executive Director, gplumb(at)pshift.com.

Population growth is the most important problem the earth and civilization is facing. Thanks again for beginning to become aware of this.