Synopses & Reviews
Life on the Brink aspires to reignite a robust discussion of population issues among environmentalists, environmental studies scholars, policymakers, and the general public. Some of the leading voices in the American environmental movement restate the case that population growth is a major force behind many of our most serious ecological problems, including global climate change, habitat loss and species extinctions, air and water pollution, and food and water scarcity. As we surpass seven billion world inhabitants, contributors argue that ending population growth worldwide and in the United States is a moral imperative that deserves renewed commitment.
Hailing from a range of disciplines and offering varied perspectives, these essays hold in common a commitment to sharing resources with other species and a willingness to consider what will be necessary to do so. In defense of nature and of a vibrant human future, contributors confront hard issues regarding contraception, abortion, immigration, and limits to growth that many environmentalists have become too timid or politically correct to address in recent years.
Ending population growth will not happen easily. Creating genuinely sustainable societies requires major change to economic systems and ethical values coupled with clear thinking and hard work. Life on the Brink is an invitation to join the discussion about the great work of building a better future.
Contributors: Albert Bartlett, Joseph Bish, Lester Brown, Tom Butler, Philip Cafaro, Martha Campbell, William R. Catton Jr., Eileen Crist, Anne Ehrlich, Paul Ehrlich, Robert Engelman, Dave Foreman, Amy Gulick, Ronnie Hawkins, Leon Kolankiewicz, Richard Lamm, Jeffrey McKee, Stephanie Mills, Roderick Nash, Tim Palmer, Charmayne Palomba, William Ryerson, Winthrop Staples III, Captain Paul Watson, Don Weeden, George Wuerthner.
Review
andldquo;The desire for families is built into our genes; and since people have a right to reproduce, more people living a more abundant life is a perennial hope. But seven billion and escalating to ten or twelve? Too many people is arguably the most serious problem on the world agendaandmdash;for the adverse effects on human flourishing, on land health, and on biodiversity. . . . Cafaro and Crist have gathered much of the best recent work analyzing these daunting issues. In the new millennium no one can claim to be well educated, or moral, without facing andlsquo;life on the brink.andrsquo;andrdquo;andmdash;Holmes Rolston III, Colorado State University
Review
andldquo;For decades, overpopulation deniers have claimed that those who advocate population stabilization or reduction do so to retain privileges; are motivated by racist, sexist, or colonialist views; or do not understand economics. Life on the Brink courageously argues that intelligent and compassionate action in our world demands that we reduce our numbers as quickly and humanely as possible. Its urgent message should be widely read and acted upon.andrdquo;andmdash;Bron Taylor, author of Dark Green Religion: Nature Spirituality and the Planetary Future
Review
andquot;In this challenging anthology, coeditors Philip Cafaro and Eileen Crist, together with some two dozen contributors, resolutely confront what until quite recently has been the 'toxic third rail' in far too many discussions of humanity's environmental past, present, and future. The book's principal concern and recurrent theme is how 'wild nature,' the totality of life's biological diversity, ecological complexity, and evolutionary dynamism, will survive and flourish in the face of a rapidly expanding global human enterprise (i.e., modern agricultural/industrial/technological civilization). As the title suggests, confronting ongoing population growth is of critical importance. Simply stated, the authors persuasively argue that global human numbersandmdash;along with excessive per capita consumptionandmdash;must initially be slowed, then stabilized, and subsequently reduced as rapidly and as humanely possible to levels consistent with the earth's longer-term sustainable carrying capacity, a number that may well turn out to be in the one to three billion range.andquot;andmdash;J. Kenneth Smail, professor emeritus of anthropology, Kenyon College
Review
andquot;Life on the Brink is a timely and valuable volume, bringing together an impressive set of cutting-edge essays by leading scholars from a wide range of disciplines. The essays address human population growth and issues associated with it from a variety of important (and all-too-often overlooked) perspectives. The work here is empirically well grounded and goes well beyond tired claims that overconsumption is the problem of the wealthy nations, while overpopulation is the problem of those that are developing, or that 'business-as-usual' development alone will inevitably lead to a desirable outcome for the human population. Cafaro and Crist have brought together a volume that will be of great interest for any scholars working on development, population, and environmental issues; indeed, most all of the essays would also be very useful in advanced undergraduate or graduate courses in these areas.andquot;andmdash;Jason Kawall, associate professor of philosophy and environmental studies, Colgate University
Review
andquot;All of the diverse threats to biological diversity are ultimately caused by an increasing human population and a rising standard of living. In Life on the Brink, the authors ask us to consider that the major environmental, social, and economic problems of the world could be dealt with more easily if the human population stabilized or even began to shrink. This is a bold statement by leaders who are not afraid of speaking the truth about how to protect nature.andquot;andmdash;Richard B. Primack, author of Essentials of Conservation Biology
Review
“Life on the Brink . . . aims to reignite a robust discussion of population issues among environmentalists, environmental studies scholars, policymakers and the general public. . . . [It] is an invitation to join the discussion about building a better future.”—Columns
Review
andldquo;Any environmental science or social issues collection will find Life on the Brink packs in much food for classroom discussion, debate, and thought.andrdquo;andmdash;Midwest Book Review
Review
andldquo;[Life on the Brink] provides evidence that the worldandrsquo;s populations must listen to its scientists/researchers and take action to save Earth. Its poignant message makes it an important resource for all students.andrdquo; andmdash;Choice
Review
andldquo;Life on the Brink: Environmentalists Confront Overpopulation makes a strong case for the environmental impact of overpopulation and is positioned to play an important role in revitalizing this issue, stigmatized in recent environmentalist literature. The book concomitantly aims to help bridge the gap that has developed in environmental literature thought between those who have focused on the problems of consumption and those (smaller in number of late) who have emphasized the dangers of overpopulation for the environment.andrdquo;andmdash;Darrell P. Arnold, Environmental Philosophy
About the Author
Philip Cafaro is a professor of philosophy at Colorado State University. His books include Virtue Ethics and the Environment and Thoreauandrsquo;s Living Ethics: Walden and the Pursuit of Virtue (Georgia). Eileen Crist is an associate professor in the Department of Science and Technology in Society at Virginia Tech. Her books include Gaia in Turmoil: Climate Change, Biodepletion, and Earth Ethics in an Age of Crisis.
Table of Contents
List of Tables and Figures ix
Paul Ehrlich and Anne Ehrlich, Foreword xi
Part I: Introduction
1. Eileen Crist and Philip Cafaro, Human Population Growth as If the Rest of Life Mattered 3
2. William R. Catton Jr., Destructive Momentum: Could an Enlightened Environmental Movement Overcome It? 16
3. Albert Bartlett, Reflections on Sustainability and Population Growth 29
4. Martha Campbell, Why the Silence on Population? 41
5. Dave Foreman, The Great Backtrack 56
Part II: Impacts
6. Leon Kolankiewicz, Overpopulation versus Biodiversity: How a Plethora of People Produces a Paucity of Wildlife 75
7. Jeffrey McKee, The Human Population Footprint on Global Biodiversity 91
8. Tim Palmer, Beyond Futility 98
9. Lester Brown, Environmental Refugees: The Rising Tide 108
10. George Wuerthner, Population, Fossil Fuels, and Agriculture 123
11. Captain Paul Watson, The Laws of Ecology and Human Population Growth 130
Part III: Necessary Conversations
12. Eileen Crist, Abundant Earth and the Population Question 141
13. Stephanie Mills, Nulliparity and a Cruel Hoax Revisited 154
14. Tom Butler, Colossus versus Liberty: A Bloated Humanityandrsquo;s Assault on Freedom 160
15. Philip Cafaro and Winthrop Staples III, The Environmental Argument for Reducing Immigration into the United States 172
16. Joseph Bish, Toward a New Armada: A Globalist Argument for Stabilizing the U.S. Population 189
17. Ronnie Hawkins, Perceiving Overpopulation: Canandrsquo;t We See What Weandrsquo;re Doing? 202
18. Amy Gulick, Salmon in the Trees 214
Part IV: Solutions
19. Robert Engelman, Trusting Women to End Population Growth 223
20. William Ryerson, How Do We Solve the Population Problem? 240
21. Don Weeden and Charmayne Palomba, A Post- Cairo Paradigm: Both Numbers and Women Matter 255
22. Richard Lamm, Confronting Finitude 274
23. Winthrop Staples III and Philip Cafaro, For a Species Right to Exist 283
24. Roderick Nash, Island Civilization: A Vision for Human Inhabitance in the Fourth Millennium 301
Philip Cafaro, Epilogue: Is Humanity a Cancer on the Earth? 313
Select Bibliography 319
Resources 323
Contributors 327
Index 333