> Wendell Berry gave a wonderful (because I agree with it) response to a
> question about this issue at the NOFA Conference the other day. In this
> country we must be extremely careful about raising the spectre of
> overpopulation as a contributing factor to environmental destruction,
> since our per capita impact on global ecosystems is so enormous by
> comparison to most of the rest of the world. Despite all the qualifiers, I
> am always wary of the social assumptions/agenda of folks who look to
> population control (and/or elimination) as a means of "saving the world."
>
Yes, yes, yes!!!!!!!!!!!!! I feeel really strongly about the connections
typically drawn between over-population and food. I also feel that with
certainity we can link a lot of suffering and hunger in this world to the
legacy of early european imperialism as well as it's ongoing attempts (I
know europeans aren't the only one who have imperialized and have had
deleterious affects on local food systems...but they sure have done more
than their fair share. I also think we can say with certainity that a lot
of suffering and harm in this world is due to OVER consumption. I find
focuses on over-population too often to be
heavily laced with patronization, racism, sexism, xenophobia, holier than
thou, etc....So, I am very wary of focusing on it. Instead, I chose to
focus on where I think I might make a difference, local food security
issues and the consumptiveness (sic, as in a disease) of many, not all,
citizens of the usa and other "Over-developed" places.
Anyhow, thank you Wendell, (though many folks in "under-developed"
places have been aware of what he says and have spoken out on it for
years I am still glad to hear some of the folks of "over-developed" places
getting on the band wagon) wish I'd been able to hear his speech.
Oh well, I have been meaning to write on this topic for sometime but I
just don't have any time now, no more time than to throw a few logs on the
fire...And, they are poorly organized logs, to boot. But, truly I do ahve
more thoughts, more well thought out too, on this issue.
More come November or so :-)
eliza
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