Population control needed to fight climate change
Re: “Older generations have also created problems that need solving” (Citizen, June 12)
I have become increasingly confused lately with all the climate change bandwagon riders who have been blaming the cause of this theory on fossil fuel usage. If one examines the greenhouse gas and fossil fuel graphs shown in the June 12 letter you will find they very closely mimic the human population explosion graphs that anyone can easily find on the internet; unfortunately I’m not computer savvy enough to include one in this letter.
So the only reason for this increase in fossil fuel usage is because of our population increase. If the population magically went back to what it was 100 years ago that would have more of an effect on fossil fuel usage than if everyone was magically driving an electric car tomorrow. We can cut back all we want, buy an electric car, ban plastic bags and turn off our lights for an hour one day out of the year, but will it really help when our population is completely out of control?
This carbon tax that our government collects from average people buying gas to drive to work and buying heating fuel to heat their homes should be given back to people that choose not to have a child or only choose to have one child, an incentive or a tax break to help curb this population problem. After all, the family with one child has a much smaller carbon footprint than the family with four children. Then if those four children each have four children, wow, multiplication really takes hold.
We need to really dig down to the root of our problems and realize that we are the only species on this planet that cannot control its own population, not deer, geese or rabbits. Humans, we are too smart for our own good.
Mike deMeulles
Cobble Hill