Striding Toward Sustainability

Zhihan Chen

As many esteemed scientific studies have concluded, the United States, along with worldwide civilizations, has been growing at a rapid rate, having already achieved overpopulation in its strictest sense-an area too densely populated for its available resources and environment capacity. This steady growth, which has accelerated in the last fifty years, is further exacerbated by the U.S.'s "inordinately high use of resources," particularly its "profligate consumption (of natural resources) and waste emission." Basing my viewpoint on scientific studies executed, I believe in the consensus that 150 - 200 million is the best, sustainable population for the United States instead of the present 300 million.

A pioneer move toward zero or negative population growth and sustainability would be "comparable in scale to only two other changes: the Agricultural Revolution ...and the Industrial Revolution of the past two centuries," declared William D. Ruckelshaus in 1989. "This [revolution] will have to be a fully conscious operation, guided by the best foresight that science can provide. The undertaking will be absolutely unique in humanity's stay on the Earth," Ruckelshaus concludes.

In fact, it is wisest to progress with this movement, as it seems inevitable that our environmental issues will be resolved, whether through our own choice or in unpleasant ways such as warfare, genocide, starvation, disease epidemics, etc. As elucidated in Jared Diamond's apocalyptic novel Collapse, twelve contemporary problems are cited as serious enough to possibly propel our civilization to collapse, as many previous empires have fallen. Four of these deal with destruction or losses of natural resources, three involve ceilings on natural resources, three consist of harmful things produced or moved, and the final two are concerned with population issues- incredibly high rates of growth and the people's impact on the environment. "Our world society is presently on a non-sustainable course, and any of our twelve problems of non-sustainability that we have just summarized would suffice to limit our lifestyle within the next several decades" (Diamond).

Indeed, slowing population growth will yield far-reaching consequences. Currently, the world's six billion people consume resources and generate waste, with each citizen in the U.S. consuming 32 times more resources and emitting 32 times more waste, than do inhabitants of the Third World (Plate 35). Therefore, a smaller, more environmentally conscious population can significantly restrain our currently extravagant expenditures and waste emissions.

In addition, sacrifices should also be made in the controversial area of immigration. Negative Population Growth suggests a strict reduction in illegal immigration, which makes up about one half of the yearly population growth, through the implementation of more rigid measures and penalties. Once the US has achieved successful population policies, it can direct its attention to informing other countries about the dangers of overpopulating a world with limited resources and a definite carrying capacity

Thus, if we care about the earth, its future, our children and grandchildren, we will adopt various novel lifestyles and change our traditional paradigms. Simple things to help save the Earth include buying an energy-efficient car, recycling bottles and cans, voting wisely in elections (keeping in mind that perpetual growth is not always a prudent course). Harder changes involved in a more frugal lifestyle consist of having two children, supporting higher priced fossil energy (in order to promote fuel efficiency and renewable energy), helping others out of poverty, caring well for your land, opposing unfair and oppressive systems, and running for elections (Donnella Meadows).

If these guidelines can be followed by first a household, community, county, and state, the U.S. can steadily but surely navigate this noble revolution, which reveals a nation's love for, insight and concern about its people, its environment, other countries' citizens, and the Earth. Using principles of systems thinking and self-restraint, we will be able to stop this rush forward into growth, slow down, enjoy the small wonders of life, and in the process, preserve our beloved world in pristine conditions for thousands of years to come.