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Explore our latest coverage of environmental issues, climate change and more.

Focusing Attention On Overpopulation

Pablo Lopez Luz
/
"Overdevelopment, Overpopulation, Overshoot"
"Sprawling Mexico City, Mexico, population 20 million, density 24,600/mile (63,700/square kilometer), rolls across the landscape." -- from the book "Overdevelopment, Overpopulation, Overshoot"

Every day, the world's population increases by more than 200,000 people. There are now over 7 billion people who call this increasingly crowded planet home. Whatever you think about that, this level of population growth is fundamentally changing the world - with big impacts on the environment and on human society.

So is there a way to slow down population growth to ease up on our burdened ecosystem without stepping on personal rights? And can we have an economy that works for everyone without depending on the engine of rapid population growth?

We look at some attempts to call attention to the big issue of overpopulation - and to tackle some of the social issues that drive the population explosion - with two Vermont activists. Tom Butler is editorial projects director of the Foundation for Deep Ecology and editor of the new book Overdevelopment, Overpopulation, Overshoot. And Missie Thurston is  director of marketing and communication at the Vermont-based Population Media Center.

Plus, we talk to several Vermonters with personal and professional connections to Nepal about the recent earthquake and its deadly impact.

Nepal Resources:

Vermont Community Foundation
 

Broadcast live on Tues., April 28, 2015 at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

Jane Lindholm is the host, executive producer and creator of But Why: A Podcast For Curious Kids. In addition to her work on our international kids show, she produces special projects for Vermont Public. Until March 2021, she was host and editor of the award-winning Vermont Public program Vermont Edition.
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