The Oil Drum

90 comments on Is More Better?

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Don in Colorado on March 6, 2006 - 1:38am

I saw all this coming way back in the 1970s, when I incessantly studied energy, environment and population issues. I decided then not to have kids, because even 25 years ago, I believed it was ethically irresponsible.

I haven't missed the kids a bit; instead I work with the Partners program and help tutor kids (and they all know about peak oil!}

A big topic in the 1970s was "appropriate technology." Build passive solar homes. Pump water with solar or wind. Recycle clothings and tools. Ride a motorbike instead of driving a 4WD SUV to the coffee shop ...

In a way, we've lost our connection and love for simplicity and thrift.

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beggar on March 6, 2006 - 9:03am

My wife and I don't have biological kids either. We did openly adopt two children. We have nurtured the relationship between our children and their birthmoms, and have watched their birthmoms grow and mature into terrific, confident adults while maintaining a positive connection with their biological children.

I agree that we need to reduce population, and agree that this will not be easy at all. There are some "rational" or at least "rationalistic" approaches to this which on the face of it sound better than the apocalyptic approach of letting resource depletion, war, disease, and so forth reduce population.

While we work toward population control I want to emphasize the importance of nurturing the next generation. Paradoxical at best?

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Peak Oil Primers

“The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences…”

—Winston Churchill, November 1936