Population increase triggers many ills

UK population 'to rise to 71.6m'

"The population of the UK is expected to increase from 61m to 71.6m by 2033, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Just over two-thirds of the increase is expected to be related directly or indirectly to migration to the UK.
The population of pensionable age is expected to rise by 32% over the next 25 years.
If the projected increase materialises, the population will have grown at its fastest rate in a century."

BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk/8318010.stm
21 October, 2009



The extremes of global warming social problems have only just begun to emerge. Yet, already, as you can see above, population shifts threaten our countryside and rural way of life. I am especially concerned because this is only the beginning. There are several factors that coalesce to make for frightening consequences. One, already DEFRA spokespersons are talking about feeding the world. Just recently I read that already we need almost double the food to feed the world. Two, as hundreds of thousands need a new homeland when their living spaces flood, they will naturally put pressure on us to absorb them. This puts tremendous pressure not only on our available housing space but on our social services. Three, economic growth and CO2 emission reduction are at cross purposes. The prevailing corporate philosophy of unending growth or die is cancer incarnate. Four, the rainforest destruction continues unabated. So what do we need to do?

One, encourage fewer births and allocate funding to assist poorer countries to eliminate the need for several children to take care of their parents; or whatever is driving the need for several children. Two, break up corporate and private practices of depriving indigenous people of the land to feed themselves. This includes a halt to the shipment of luxury, out of season food, to the West. Three, break the power of corporate political domination. Endless growth assumptions are absurd and come from the fact that corporations have the legal standing of a person but no heart or conscience. Sustainability must be substituted for the endless growth objective. Four, stop rainforest cutting everywhere and compensate those who lose financially whilst implementing a timed shift in job availability and business objectives. Make the rainforest too valuable to cut.

All four of these problem and action items can be achieved through the efforts of people around the globe acting locally to wean themselves from the corporate world trade agreements and encouraging and supporting local growth.

Now is the time to start and the Transition Town movement has the structure and is gaining the experience to lead the way.