The Overpopulation Podcast

A smorgasbord of good and bad news about efforts to achieve a sustainable population on this planet. The good news is more and more people are recognizing – and speaking out about – the need for society to end our obsession with growth.

We give a shout out to James Pogue, a writer at Harper’s Magazine, for his enlightened comment on Real Time with Bill Maher about the fact that we WILL need a national conversation about ending our obsession with infinite economic growth (hear his words in this episode).

Also, good news that South Korea’s fertility rate has dropped below 1.0. While growth-addicted policymakers, economists and journalists are treating this as a problem, it is actually very good news for a nation that imports more than half its food supply.

The bad news is Canadian politician Garnett Genuis continues to defame the One Planet, One Child billboard campaign, despite Dave’s repeated attempts to correct his misassumptions. Also, scientists’ assessment of our progress on diminishing the climate crisis is not good.

A shout out to Population Matters Head of Campaigns Alistair Currie for his interview with Judy Lynn Wong, founder of the Black Environment Network, who said, “"Young people have a hunger to protect the environment – let’s talk about population. They’re ready for it."

Plus, celebrities are making big bucks with sponsored tweets announcing their pregnancies. Should World Population Balance sponsor tweets sharing the good news of negative pregnancy test results?

See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript:

https://www.populationbalance.org/podcasts/2021-02-15-episode-56-good-news-bad-news

ABOUT US

The Overpopulation Podcast features enlightening conversations between Population Balance Executive Director Nandita Bajaj, cohost Alan Ware, and expert guests. We cover a broad variety of topics that explore the impacts of our expanding human footprint on human rights, animal protection, and environmental restoration, as well as individual and collective solutions. Learn more here: https://www.populationbalance.org/

Some have the perception that social justice and environmental sustainability don’t necessarily go hand in hand. Some social justice advocates have, at times, been critical of sustainable population advocacy. Our guest in this episode confirms that sustainable population efforts go hand-in-hand with, and do not inherently conflict with, social equity.

We asked Majora Carter to have this conversation with us to help us and other sustainable population advocates improve our understanding of social and environmental justice issues. “We just want to be seen, and heard, and treated equally,” she tells us. The conversation is far-ranging and fascinating.

Majora Carter is a real estate developer and urban revitalization strategy consultant. She has a lot of experience working to improve status and opportunity for challenged communities that have been left behind. Majora established Sustainable South Bronx and Green for All, among other organizations, and in 2008 she opened the Majora Carter Group, a private consulting firm, which was named Best for the World by B-Corp in 2014.

See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript:

https://www.populationbalance.org/podcasts/2020-12-02-episode-53-social-justice-and-overpopulation-part-2

ABOUT US

The Overpopulation Podcast features enlightening conversations between Population Balance Executive Director Nandita Bajaj, cohost Alan Ware, and expert guests. We cover a broad variety of topics that explore the impacts of our expanding human footprint on human rights, animal protection, and environmental restoration, as well as individual and collective solutions. Learn more here: https://www.populationbalance.org/

Society can flourish with declining birth rates. That’s what the world needs to know, according to João Abegão, author of The Human Overpopulation Atlas. He wants men and women to desire a smaller family and be able to easily exercise that choice.

Our conversation with João covers depopulation panic and growth mania, civilization collapse, pessimism, overconsumption, the value of simple living, and a billboard campaign in Portugal that celebrated small families.

See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript:

https://www.populationbalance.org/podcasts/2020-08-11-episode-46-cold-showers-depopulation-panic-and-overpopulation-illiteracy

ABOUT US

The Overpopulation Podcast features enlightening conversations between Population Balance Executive Director Nandita Bajaj, cohost Alan Ware, and expert guests. We cover a broad variety of topics that explore the impacts of our expanding human footprint on human rights, animal protection, and environmental restoration, as well as individual and collective solutions. Learn more here: https://www.populationbalance.org/

College students grieve when presented the facts about overshoot. World Population Balance Executive Director Dave Gardner picks the brain of a professor teaching a college course on human population. Chris Bystroff, Professor of Biological Sciences and Computer Science, and Director of the Bioinformatics Program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute shares what he’s observed about the knowledge and attitudes of young adults enrolled in his college course. Bystroff also shares exciting news about his research project to develop an easily reversible contraceptive vaccine.

See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript:

https://www.populationbalance.org/2018-04-03-chris-bystroff-teaching-students-about-overshoot

ABOUT US

The Overpopulation Podcast features enlightening conversations between Population Balance Executive Director Nandita Bajaj, cohost Alan Ware, and expert guests. We cover a broad variety of topics that explore the impacts of our expanding human footprint on human rights, animal protection, and environmental restoration, as well as individual and collective solutions. Learn more here: https://www.populationbalance.org/

Robin Maynard has tremendous faith that the young people of the world have both tremendous power and growing awareness and interest in getting humanity back onto a sustainable path. Our guest, the director of Population Matters, shares his thinking about human overpopulation and talks about the organization's goals, strategies, and tactics.

Like World Population Balance, his organization is working hard at "shifting those amplifiers in society who really could reach so many people and talk in a rational, humane and compassionate way about population." There is still a perplexing guilt, awkwardness and hesitation to talk about population, among both the general public and even among leaders of environmental organizations. The good news is people ARE becoming a little less cautious in discussing the subject.

00:00 Opening and introduction 02:02 Project for non-profit Population Matters 11:18 Overpopulation as an agenda for organizations 15:15 Population taboo 20:39 Mission of Population Matters 25:37 Why talk to people in North America and UK about overpopulation? 30:03 Overpopulation and overconsumption 40:03 National population policy 47:10 Small Families, Small Planet video 49:28 Audio clip and discussion 52:05 Bearer of ill tidings, mischief, fun 53:25 Bigfoot campaign 56:46 Final thoughts 58:46 Wrap up

See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript:

https://www.populationbalance.org/podcast/robin-maynard

ABOUT US

The Overpopulation Podcast features enlightening conversations between Population Balance Executive Director Nandita Bajaj, cohost Alan Ware, and expert guests. We cover a broad variety of topics that explore the impacts of our expanding human footprint on human rights, animal protection, and environmental restoration, as well as individual and collective solutions. Learn more here: https://www.populationbalance.org/

*Episodes from 2016-2021 were hosted by former executive director Dave Gardner and later with co-host Erika Arias, and then with co-host Nandita Bajaj.