@Sturgis,
Sturgis wrote:
However, population growth did slow between birth numbers six billion and seven billion. That took a staggering 13 years, whereas it took only 12 years to get from five billion to six billion.
Now, consider that there were more people in that 13 year stretch than there has been in the 12 year stretch, along with increased life expectancy and it's clear that things are slowing down and nature reclaims its land, air, waters and beauty.
Maybe, but population is a distraction from the real problem, which is that humans live too much like animals and not enough like animals (no, not a typo).
What I mean is that we abuse the land when we use it instead of using it in a way that is good for it.
Just look at any developed parcel of land and the infrastructure that connects it with all the other developed parcels. Are there streams and healthy, living soils there or are there building foundations and pavement on top of dead sand with no possibility of anything living in the ground there?
Humans have to co-exist with nature directly in order for human society to be mutually symbiotic with nature instead of parasitic. Otherwise, economic interest just keep developing and redeveloping more land without doing anything to restore and cultivate healthy, living soil as part of the lot architecture and infrastructure.
Once we start integrating nature and/or horticulture/agriculture/silviculture into developments, there will be hope for a sustainable future. Until then, the population may fluctuate, grow slower or faster, etc. but however many humans are living will continue to be threat because we haven't reformed the way we live to be in harmony with planetary renewal and sustainability.
