Insight and inspiration in turbulent times.
Self domestication, the process by which humans became a more cooperative and less aggressive species, paradoxically contributes to humanity’s overshoot predicament.
This World Population Day, humans number in the vicinity of 7.5 to 7.6 billion individuals. Can the Earth support this many people indefinitely? What will happen if we do nothing to manage future population growth and total resource use?
As you read this, humankind has used up nature’s budget for the year.
Instead of starting from the perspective that the crises are paralyzing and we are “done for,” let’s try something else.
In reality, every discussion about population involves people, the world that our children and grandchildren will live to see and the health of the planet that supports all life.
Introducing Overdevelopment, Overpopulation Overshoot.
William Catton Jr. died last month at age 88. His book, "Overshoot," may stand as the central text of the 20th century about the ecological fate of humankind. The book represents a missed opportunity in that so few people were able to hear what Catton had to say in 1980, and so few want to hear it now–even as the headlines are filled with the very precursors of the bottleneck he laments in his last major piece of writing.
I didn’t read Overshoot until around 1999; when I did, it made an enormous impression. My book The Party’s Over owed a great deal to it
The real star of this book is the photography.
I was saddened to learn a few days ago, via a phone call from a fellow author, that William R. Catton Jr. died early last month, just short of his 89th birthday.
We are in uncharted territory with the Ebola virus disease (EVD). This pandemic signifies a turning point for society in response to peak oil, highlighting the problem of globalization for a planet of 7 billion people.
Alex is joined by Cam Walker, Friends of Earth Australia, Dr. David A. Lavers, and author Alan Weisman.
