Received: from smtp2.jps.net (smtp2.jps.net [209.63.224.235]) by csf.Colorado.EDU (8.9.1a/8.9.1/ITS-5.0/csf) with ESMTP id VAA01447 for ; Tue, 10 Nov 1998 21:13:03 -0700 (MST) Received: from jps.net (209-142-55-76.stk.jps.net [209.142.55.76]) by smtp2.jps.net (8.9.0/8.8.5) with ESMTP id UAA17494 for ; Tue, 10 Nov 1998 20:15:45 -0800 (PST) Message-ID: <36490E69.9E96CAE9@jps.net> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 20:11:21 -0800 From: Ted Toal MIME-Version: 1.0 To: ppn Subject: What Can We Do? Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Jim Talboy asks: "Given the time frame we are working with, and the current magnitude of the world's population, what can "we" do realistically?" First, realize that we have already done a lot, and if we hadn't, the situation would be far worse. Also realize that we haven't done nearly as much as we could have, hence the situation is much worse than it could have been. I.e. the situation is a continuum, not black/white. Where we are 75 years from now, on that continuum, depends greatly on what we do now. Every little bit has an effect. So what CAN we do? Its funny that so many people ask this question about overpopulation. Of all our problems today, this is the one that has MANY ways to approach it. My web page lists a bunch of possibilities: http://www.iti.com/iti/kzpg/Current/KZPG/Opinion/Solutions/whattodo.html I'll add stuff to this, send me your ideas. (BTW, if it appears unreadable, please let me know, I'm still learning how to do this and it may have a problem). The most important thing to do is to spread awareness, to foster an enlightened consciousness about OP by talking about it. The overpopulation problem is not a technological one in any sense -- we have contraceptives. It is basically a problem in consciousness. Anything you can do to open people's eyes will help. One obvious thing that always stands out is to improve contraceptive availability. There are still well over 100 million women who want to be using them but can't afford or obtain them.