At 09:41 AM 3/14/96 -0100, you wrote:
>On average, a child born in the USA will consume during his lifetime roughly
>the same amount of resources than 100 children born in India.
>I wonder if this sort of facts would have any relevance to this
>discussion? ;-)
>
>Oscar Garcia - ogarcia@nancy.engref.fr
>Unite Dynamique des Systemes Forestiers
>Ecole Nationale du Genie Rural, des Eaux et des Forets (ENGREF)
>14 rue Girardet, 54042 NANCY Cedex, FRANCE - Fax: +33 83 30 22 54
>
Dear Oscar:
I agree with you that resource consumption is related to per capita income.
The national product (GDP) per capita is $25,850 for the US and $1,360 for
India (19 to 1 ratio). This helps explain why a person in the US may consume
8 times more wood/year than a person in India (2.4 cubic meters of wood/year
in US vs. my estimate of 0.3 cubic meters of wood/year in India).
This also partly explains why a person in France (with $18,670/yr) may
consume 218 cubic decimeters of sawnwood/yr while a person in Spain (with
$13,120/yr) may consume only 92 cubic decimeters of sawnwood/yr. (sorry, I
do not have the total wood use for either France or Spain).
If the US could reach a Zero Population Growth then this would take some
resource pressure off of other countries. Therefore, I support the concept
of Zero Population Growth and would like to see the US reach the same
population growth rate as Kerala in India (see Dr. RAJIV G. RAJA comment of
3/15). I also support the reduction in waste that occurs with persons that
have a high level of disposable income. I am so concerned with your
observation that I recently joined Zero Population Growth. I would ask that
you and others that are concerned about the world also join this group since
one of its main objectives is for the United States to achieve a zero
population growth as well as reduce the per capita waste (see below).
Currently, the US growth rate is 1%/yr. The US population will soon be
double that of the year 1940.
Zero Population Growth, Inc.
1400 16th Street, NW, Suite 320, Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202/332-2200; Fax: 202/332-2302
1-800-767-1956
e-mail: zpg@igc.org
http://www.igc.apc.org/zpg/index.html
===========================
Since 1968, Zero Population Growth (ZPG) has helped educate Americans about
the economic, social, and environmental impacts of overpopulation, both in
the United States and abroad. We emphasize that overpopulation is a product
not only of multiplying numbers, but also of our wasteful consumption and
lifestyles. For instance, Americans comprise just five percent of the
world's population, yet consume more resources, generate more waste and
pollution, and use more energy than citizens of any other nation. ZPG
distributes thousands of informative, reader-friendly materials
free-of-charge to the public, media, educators, lawmakers, and opinion
leaders. Our publications help people understand the impact of
overpopulation on a range of timely issues -- from poverty and unemployment
to deforestation and the status of women. ZPG's Children's Stress Index, for
instance, examines the effects of population growth on the welfare of
children in over 800 U.S. communities. The survey shows that bigger isn't
always better. Children in our nation's most populated areas contend with
high rates of poverty and crime; poor quality schools and public health
facilities; and alarming levels of toxins in the air and water. Citizens
have used the Index as a tool for improving the environmental quality and
infrastructure of their communities, and for urging public officials to
reconsider the effects of rapid, unchecked growth on future generations.
By encouraging people to get involved and educate others, ZPG believes it is
not too late to change the course. ZPG's national Speakers Network includes
180 carefully screen volunteers who speak to churches, schools, businesses
and civic groups in their local community about overpopulation. "Your
presentation was outstanding," wrote one person. "I was not aware that the
world's population was growing at such an alarming rate, nor was I aware of
the effect that this will have on our planet in the future."
ZPG's Population Education Program makes a special effort to reach school
students -- the next generation of leaders, parents, and consumers. Through
teacher training workshops, we show educators how to incorporate population
studies in a variety of classroom settings. ZPG also produces high quality
teaching materials that feature hands-on, problem-solving activities for
students. Since the program began, more than a million students have been
introduced to population issues.
In all its work -- reaching 50,000 members, 4,000 activists, 2,000
educators, tens of thousands of students, and millions of Americans every
year -- ZPG has worked to improve the quality of life for all by helping to
bring about a sustainable balance of people, resources, and the environment.
David South
School of Forestry
Auburn University, AL 36849-5418
USA
dsouth@forestry.auburn.edu
334-844-1022
334-844-1084 (FAX)
http://www.forestry.auburn.edu/coops/sfnmc/sfnmc.html
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The world population is expected to double by the year 2100.
Therefore the annual demand for wood for energy (etc.)
will increase and might double (to more than 7 billion m3/yr).
To provide plantation wood for people in the future,
support the planting of trees on pastureland.
Set a goal of converting 8 million ha of pastureland/yr for the next 55 years.
This would increase tree plantations to about 5% of the world's landbase.
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