There is no doubt that there is now a serious issue with overpopulation. But abortion and leaving the MPs and media to make villains of innocent immigrants obviously are not the answers. A few hundred years ago, there were not even a billion people, but today the population grows by around 83 million year, and by 2050, we will have almost 10 billion people (London has already gone over 8 million). It’s not just numbers, but rather people in the west consume more (nature, animals etc). Then we have banning voluntary euthanasia along with religion (not just Catholics) banning contraception (and the ethical/moral issue of abortion).
Some MPs and the media target innocent immigrants that England is ‘too full’ but in fact, most population grown is in 9 countries: India, Nigeria (growing the most), Pakistan, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Indonesia, Democratic Republic of Congo and USA. Nearly all the world’s people live in Asia and Africa, but they tend to live more simply. It’s western consumers (often at the expense of poor people abroad) that are killing the planet. 25% or so of the world is now under 15 years old, so it’s vital to educate on how to live simply for the 90% of young people who live in developing countries, at most risk from floods, droughts and other catastrophes from a warming planet.
is England overpopulated?
Likely yes, but not really due to immigration. It’s partly due to better health care so people live longer. Our teen births (highest rate in Europe) is due often to a culture more concerned with celebrity and sex, over education and making a difference. Abortion is not the answer (on any level), what we need is to be like Scandinavian countries and remove the stigma and organised religion around ‘awkward talks’. The Nordic countries not only have the lowest rates of teen pregancies, but the highest happiness rates.
More people also mean more homes are needed. But rather than knocking down forests, we could take the waste straw burned (which creates fossil fuels) to build new insulated cheap houses on wasteland instead. BOKLOK homes (built by IKEA) are cheap to build and beautifully designed, and could easily replace damp housing estates. Yet you can’t buy them here, because councils won’t give permission for land to build them on. Governments remain antiquated in their ideas, and some now resort to criticisin immigrants (our country would likely fall apart without them, as they make up the backbone of the NHS and other caring professions).
the real issue is overconsumption
The issue is not really overpopulation, but rather overconsumption. There’s nothing wrong with a devout Catholic family sprouting 8 children. What is the problem is a family having one child that demands factory-farmed fast food, iPads and iPods, designer trainers shipped in from Asia, palm-oil-laden peanut butter and being ferried around by car. One western child often has a far higher carbon footprint than 8 Chinese ones! In just 2 weeks, the average person in England emits as much carbon as a person in Mali does for a year.
What also does not help is GDP (Gross Domestic Product). This is the barometer used by all main political parties (including Labour and the Lib Dems) to measure ‘economic growth’. Which means to buy stuff to throw away. So this means keeping people sick (hospitals), dangerous (prisons) and polluted (cleaning up oil spills) are all ‘good’ because they create jobs and income. This is bonkers.
The way for society to flourish is to use alternative indexes like Alberta’s ‘Happiness Index’ (created by Canadian economist Mark Anielski). With his model, it’s better to keep people well and safe (so less hospitals and prisons are needed), and build parks and restore nature so people have better physical and mental health, and less money is needed to live.
the best natural contraception ideas
The contraception industry is a multi-million dollar one, but has caused immense havoc to our wildlife and oceans (some fish have changed sex, when hormone-rich contraceptive pills have been flushed down loos). What you believe or do is up to you, but here are some helpful pointers, so alongside your doctor or church, you can make decisions that resonate best for you, and help the planet too.
It’s not just the Roman Catholic church that is against contraception, many other faiths are too. Some people are critical of this (suggesting overpopulation is the issue) but it’s more than modern western countries use more resources. But even then the answer is natural birth control and preventive methods rather than abortion (like creating societies where teenage girls don’t give birth at 16, because they feel that’s all there is to life). A bit of compassion is needed. One valid criticism of American evangelists who bomb abortion clinics is that many vote for governments that don’t care about dropping bombs on pregnant women in middle eastern countries. Why don’t media pundits call this out?
Did you know that in ancient Rome and Greece, the juice from the Silphium plant was so popular to naturally prevent pregnancy that the birth rate remained low, but the plant went extinct? Also be aware that many foods are banned in pregnancy. Other foods should be avoided (high doses of ginger and many other foods) as they contract the uterus and cause early labour/contractions.
The problem with all forms of contraception (natural or otherwise) is that often people complain they don’t work, when often instructions are not followed properly. The boffin couple that created the Swedish app Natural Cycles (where you measure basal temperature each morning) were criticised when many people got pregnant. But an investigation found they had been accurate in the percentage success rate (and lack of compliance to the instructions may have been responsible for many unplanned pregnancies).
CycleBeads were created by reproductive researchers at Georgetown University in Washington, USA. Available in simple beads (used in Africa to prevent unwanted pregnancy) or in an app version, these again tell you the days you are most likely to get pregnant, so you can abstain or use alternative contraceptive methods.
The main types of contraception are:
Abstinence! This is oft-forgotten in our sex-obsessed society. The USA’s Silver Ring Thing program has teens wearing a ring, showing that they are more interested in having fun and studying than sleeping around, until they find true love. It may sound a bit puritanical, but surely there is more wisdom in this philosophy than encouraging youngsters to think of nothing but sex?
Natural family planning can be up to 99% effective, if done well. But get training from an expert, not from a book!
Condoms are often used these days, but never flush them down the loo, as they are a common form of beach litter and blocked drains (leading to garden floods). Better brands (vegan and Fair Trade) are Hanx, Flo and Fair Squared
FemCap is a reusable hormone-free alternative to the cervical cap. This has FDA approval and is available on prescription, and offers around 92% effectiveness.
Lady-Comp is a German-invented fertility tracker, where you use it to measure your basal temperature each morning. It learns for a while, then tells you when your fertile and non-fertile days are (the Pearly version is cheaper, without all the bells and whistles). It may not work for hormone-related medical conditions). Daysy is a similar fertility tracker in app form.
If you need to use lubricants, YES! offers an organic brand free from usual nasties. Sorry if this is a bit rude, but it’s important to list the ethical alternative, to save marine creatures – yes!
Talking With Your Teen About Sex and Start Talking To Your Kids About Sex are books written for Catholic parents to combine education with morality and faith. Organised in a question-and-answer format,
a doctor’s book to empower girls & teens
We Need to Talk is an empowering book for girls and teens, for them to get to know their body. This is not some narcissistic book by a celebrity influencer, instead by a highly qualified doctor from Chicago, helping youngsters to understand their body without the media or religion (it covers same-sex relationships). It can help on choosing eco menstrual products, relieve period pain and educate on how to prevent pregnancy.
Rather than get your information on feminine health and sex from magazines, get it from an expert then get on with living your life to change the world! Beautifully illustrated, the author explains why girls have periods and how to say no, if pressured into having sex. You’ll learn the correct names, know the difference from a vagina to a vulva, practice self-care and know when to see a doctor.
