October 3, 2011

Economist Lester Brown, in the latest book of his Plan B series, states that “socialism collapsed because it did not allow the market to tell the economic truth. Capitalism may collapse because it does not allow the market to tell the ecological truth.” In its frenzy for more consumers and an apparently equal frenzy to ravage ecosystems, capitalism ignores the obvious truth that human overpopulation may already have reached plague status.

Dr. Alan Watt once told a New York City audience that, “You didn’t come into this world at all. You came out of it, in just the same way that a leaf comes out of a tree… Our world is peopling, just as the apple tree produces apples, and the vine grapes.” He explained that, if we are intelligent beings, it must be that we are the fruits of an intelligent Earth, symptomatic of an intelligent energy system, for one “doesn’t gather grapes from thorns.” We should realize that we are intelligent products of a sentient Earth. If we wish to “survive” in what is likely an intelligent cosmos, we must heal planet Earth, which we have been steadily maiming. Reducing our population is essential.

Today’s economic problems will remain unsolvable as long as the illusion is maintained that Earth can support an infinite number of people. Scientists understand that a species can remain healthy only as long as its population does not exceed the environment’s carrying capacity. World population five centuries ago, in 1500, was just 400 million. It quadrupled to 1.6 billion by 1900, and in little more than one century has now mushroomed to seven billion. Read the complete Post.

by Madeline Weld

Every so often policy wonks or talking heads hyperventilate about Canada’s need for more people. The growth boosters take the crude numbers for Canada’s land surface area (about 9.1 million square kilometers) and divide it by Canada’s population (34 million) and conclude that there’s a desperate shortage of people, a paltry 3.3 per square kilometer. In the summer of 2010, no amount of coverage seemed too much for a proposal by Irvin Studin that Canada could better meet its potential and have more international clout if there were 100 million of us. In January of 2011, Canada’s nationally read paper, the Globe and Mail, printed an editorial by Neil Reynolds called “Go forth, multiply and fill the provinces” which urged Canadians to do exactly that. Read the complete Post.

Poodwaddle.com

Watch TV and save Civilization!

VPOE member and co-founder, Jon Cooksey, has worked for 4 long years making a film called, How To Boil A Frog. Sept. 8 at 8:30 pm you can see this opus on Movie Central. http://tiny.cc/o8wts

Here’s the blurb: An eco-comedy (documentary feature film) that mixes rapid-fire humor with hard-hitting facts to show the consequences of overshoot: too many people using up too little planet, much too fast. Gives us an overview of our situation and 5 surprising ways that regular people like you and me can save civilization, while making our own lives better now.

Do yourself a favor and check it out.

BLUE NORTH FESTIVAL OF ART AND SUSTAINABLE CULTURE presents – How to save Civilization with a Movie – an eco-workshop with:

Teri Woods McArter – Co-Producer, How To Boil A Frog (documentary film by Jon Cooksey)
Rick Balfour- Architect, Urban Planner; Balfour and Assoc., Metro Vancouver Planning Coalition
Vandy Savage – Animation Supervisor, How to Boil a Frog; Communications Vancouver Peak Oil Executive

Join us for a FREE Illustrated lecture and discussion.

Get a sneak preview of the new film, How to Boil a Frog, created and produced on the North Shore. Get informed about strategies to transition into New Normal by building resilient communities from author, architect, urban planner, Rick Balfour. And find out how we won the People’s Choice Award for our 1 minute animated film teaser.

Date: Saturday, April 4th, 2009
Time: 10:00 am – 11:30 am (registration onsite at 9:30am)
Location: John Braithwaite Community Centre – Anchor Room ground level
145 West 1st Street, North Vancouver

Cost: FREE

www.howtoboilafrog.com
www.plancanada.com

For more information visit: www.bluenorthfestival.ca