The news that China’s massive population dropped by nearly a million people last year was almost universally reported as a “crisis.” In this episode we unpack the news coverage and take journalists to task for completely overlooking the fact that, in an overpopulated world, population contraction should be greeted with a collective sigh of relief. The population news was accompanied by an announcement that China’s economy grew by only three percent, less than half the previous year’s 8.1 percent. This, too, was reported as bad news for China. Of course, obsession with GDP growth is what’s driving China’s recently-found determination to convince its citizens to start birthing more laborers. And globally the GDP growth fetish is killing the planet. Dave explains how China’s efforts to keep its population growing are an effort to perpetuate a Ponzi scheme, and this is not the behavior of a good global citizen. “We need to make one-child families the norm, for the next hundred years, if we want those children to have any shot at a decent life.” We give special attention to the reporting of Steve Inskeep on NPR’s Morning Edition, as well as Geoff Bennett of PBS NewsHour. These journalists should have a much more comprehensive understanding of limits to growth and the unsustainability of perpetual economic and population growth. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: China’s Population Can Still Prosper - by Catherine Bowen and Vegard Skirbekk https://www.wired.com/story/china-fertility-population-decline-demography-economics/ Mainstream Media Blindness to China’s Depopulation Dividend - by Jon Austen, in our Ending Overshoot publication on Medium https://medium.com/ending-overshoot/mainstream-media-blindness-to-chinas-depopulation-dividend-419e708e460 Now Here’s What We Call an Eco-Superhero - Episode 76 of the GrowthBusters podcast https://www.growthbusters.org/eco-superhero/ Join the GrowthBusters online community https://growthbusters.groups.io/ GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth – free on YouTube https://youtu.be/_w0LiBsVFBo Give Us Feedback: Record a voice message for us to play on the podcast: 719-402-1400 Send an email to podcast at growthbusters.org The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones. https://www.fadermusicandsound.com/ https://carlosjones.com/ On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society’s growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture’s obsession with, and pursuit of, growth. Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared “could be the most important film ever made.” Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy. Join the conversation on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GrowthBustersPodcast/ Make a donation to support this non-profit project. https://www.growthbusters.org/donate/ Archive of GrowthBusters podcast episodes http://www.growthbusters.org/podcast/ Subscribe to GrowthBusters email updates https://lp.constantcontact.com/su/umptf6w/signup Explore the issues at http://www.growthbusters.org View the GrowthBusters channel on YouTube Follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode:  

Getting take-out in your own reusable container, recycling bubble-wrap properly, and getting arrested – it’s all in a day’s work for an eco-superhero. Stephanie and Dave learn about climate activism with Extinction Rebellion, sharing quirky sustainability life hacks on social media, and the joy of a 58-hour train trip – from Stephanie’s former co-worker and friend, James Comiskey. Find out... why James is angry and thinks he has a right to be if #AmtrakLife should be your new favorite hashtag why Steve Bannon wears three shirts at one time why Dave proposes we organize a conference for journalists (spoiler, we can’t resist: to “deprogram” the pro-growth bias that’s been instilled in them) LINKS: Before the Flood – documentaryhttps://www.beforetheflood.com/ James Comiskey on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/jamescomiskey/ Avoiding Air Travel and Going by Trainhttps://www.instagram.com/p/CmALljmPh9-/ Reusable Take-Outhttps://www.instagram.com/p/CJcnt_vnGhb/ The One About Bubblewraphttps://www.instagram.com/p/CSQOPcfn4Uj/ List of Multiple Discoveries (from John’s email about invetntions)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_multiple_discoveries Give Us Feedback: Record a voice message for us to play on the podcast: 719-402-1400 Send an email to podcast at growthbusters.org The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones. https://www.fadermusicandsound.com/ https://carlosjones.com/ On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society’s growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture’s obsession with, and pursuit of, growth. Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared “could be the most important film ever made.” Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy. Join the conversation on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GrowthBustersPodcast/ Make a donation to support this non-profit project. https://www.growthbusters.org/donate/ Archive of GrowthBusters podcast episodes http://www.growthbusters.org/podcast/ Subscribe to GrowthBusters email updates https://lp.constantcontact.com/su/umptf6w/signup Explore the issues at http://www.growthbusters.org View the GrowthBusters channel on YouTube Follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode:

More men are stepping up and taking responsibility for avoiding unplanned parenthood. Dave celebrates this trend as he shares GrowthBusters plans for the new year in this special year-end mini-episode. A typical vasectomy takes about ten minutes. It’s much less invasive, and less expensive, than the equivalent procedure for women. GrowthBusting highlights for next year: GrowthBusters online community continues into its second year, developing resources and providing support for sustainability activists. GrowthBusters Campus Tour now has 8 impressive speakers to virtually enter your classroom, campus event, conference, workshop, seminar, symposium, forum, colloquium, service club, church or community group meeting. The GrowthBusters podcast continues. We depend on your financial support to keep these important initiatives humming. Please make a one-time or recurring donation at https://www.growthbusters.org/donate/ Mentioned in this Episode: Fewer Abortions, More Vasectomies: Why the Procedure May Be Getting More Popular https://www.npr.org/2022/12/20/1143639556/vasectomies-dobbs-roe-abortion-contraception   Give Us Feedback: Record a voice message for us to play on the podcast: 719-402-1400 Send an email to podcast at growthbusters.org The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones. https://www.fadermusicandsound.com/ https://carlosjones.com/ On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society’s growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture’s obsession with, and pursuit of, growth. Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared “could be the most important film ever made.” Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy. Join the conversation on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GrowthBustersPodcast/ Make a donation to support this non-profit project. https://www.growthbusters.org/donate/ Archive of GrowthBusters podcast episodes http://www.growthbusters.org/podcast/ Subscribe to GrowthBusters email updates https://lp.constantcontact.com/su/umptf6w/signup Explore the issues at http://www.growthbusters.org View the GrowthBusters channel on YouTube Follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode:

Examining news coverage and commentaries about human population passing 8 billion on November 15, we unpack the reasons far too many of us avoid discourse about human overpopulation. Why are we tap-dancing around the very dialogue needed so people around the world can make informed, responsible family-size decisions? We conclude the guilt many feel about their privilege is actually hurting those who don’t share our fortune. Also, find out why Black Friday was really bleak, and how TV networks refused to run Buy Nothing Day commercials. Plus, should Dave get over his obsession with phantom power and wall warts? And, how do you approach the occupant of an idling vehicle and educate them about wasting gas and needlessly polluting – without getting shot?  LINKS: GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth – the documentary (see it free)https://tinyurl.com/growthbustersmovie World Population Hits 8 Billion: What Do People on the Street Think? – our YouTube videohttps://youtu.be/ncT-J5BsVuc  8 Billion is Too Many: Don’t be a Twit About Overpopulation – Episode 73 of GrowthBusters podcasthttps://www.growthbusters.org/8-billion-is-too-many/ Child-Free by Choice: The Birth Rate Crisis Gripping the West - by Rosa Silverman in the UK Telegraphhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/parenting/child-free-choice-birth-rate-crisis-gripping-west/ World Population At 8 Billion Humans -- And Still Growing – AFP story by Amélie BOTTOLLIER-DEPOIShttps://www.barrons.com/news/world-population-at-8-billion-humans-and-still-growing-01667786407 8 Billion People: A Milestone by the Numbers – by Jennifer Sciubba at Population Reference Bureauhttps://www.prb.org/articles/8-billion-people/ Earth at 8 Billion: Consumption Not Crowd is Key to Climate – AP story by Seth Borensteinhttps://apnews.com/article/science-africa-pollution-climate-and-environment-1c70df435acda74301ff2df96a86dd43 The Human Eco-Predicament: Overshoot and the Population Conundrum – by William Rees in the Vienna Yearbook of Population Research 2023https://www.austriaca.at/0xc1aa5576_0x003dcfa1.pdf Bending the Curve - by Chris Tuckerhttps://www.whp-journals.co.uk/JPS/article/view/761/515 Global Population About to Hit 8 Billion - by William Ryerson (Population Media Center) and Kathleen Mogelgaard (Population Institute)https://thehill.com/opinion/international/3712763-global-population-about-to-hit-8-billion/ 8 Billion Day Facts and Myths: A Guide to the 8 Billion Global Population Milestone on 15 November – by Sustainable Population Australiahttps://population.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Briefing-Note-8-Billion-Day.pdf Crisis Point: The World at 8 Billion People - Fact Sheet from Population Mattershttps://populationmatters.org/resources/the-world-at-8-billion-people/ Has the Population Bomb Exploded? - by Julian Cribbhttps://juliancribb.blog/2022/11/02/has-the-population-bomb-exploded/ Buy Nothing Day TV commercial produced by Adbusters in 1999https://youtu.be/UOqRXBJgapQ Internet Spreads Word as Networks Shun Adverts for Buy Nothing Dayhttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2000/nov/24/internetnews.internationalnews Herman Daly commemorative sampler from CASSEhttps://steadystate.org/in-commemoration-a-sampling-of-herman-daly/ Economic Heresy – Herman Daly on the Conversation Earth radio series/podcasthttp://www.conversationearth.org/economic-heresy/ I’m Thankful Smart People Are Telling the Truth: Economic and Population Growth Need to End ASAP – by Dave Gardner at Mediumhttps://medium.com/ending-overshoot/im-thankful-smart-people-are-telling-the-truth-654f3ae27155 NYC Anti-Idling Law Turns Into Huge Payday ($125K for One Man) for Citizens Who Reporthttps://www.nbcnewyork.com/investigations/nyc-anti-idling-law-turns-into-huge-payday-125k-for-one-man-for-citizens-who-report/3637231/ Idle Threat – 2012 documentaryhttps://www.videoproject.org/Idle-Threat.html 19-minute free versionhttps://cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/play/53634/Idle-Threat MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:   GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth – free on YouTube https://youtu.be/_w0LiBsVFBo Give Us Feedback: Record a voice message for us to play on the podcast: 719-402-1400 Send an email to podcast at growthbusters.org The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones. https://www.fadermusicandsound.com/ https://carlosjones.com/ On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society’s growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture’s obsession with, and pursuit of, growth. Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared “could be the most important film ever made.” Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy. Join the conversation on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GrowthBustersPodcast/ Make a donation to support this non-profit project. https://www.growthbusters.org/donate/ Archive of GrowthBusters podcast episodes http://www.growthbusters.org/podcast/ Subscribe to GrowthBusters email updates https://lp.constantcontact.com/su/umptf6w/signup Explore the issues at http://www.growthbusters.org View the GrowthBusters channel on YouTube Follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode:

While Elon Musk erroneously claims population collapse is our biggest worry, world population is hitting 8 billion, adding the latest billion faster than any time in history. The UN has declared world population will surpass 8 billion on November 15, 2022. We persist in adding about 80 million people to the planet every year, despite overwhelming evidence we’ve outgrown our planet. Christopher Tucker, author of A Planet of 3 Billion: Mapping Humanity’s Long History of Ecological Destruction and Finding Our Way to a Resilient Future, joins Dave in a conversation intended to help cure the rampant overshoot illiteracy resulting from misguided silence on the subject. This illiteracy is demonstrated as Dave shares his new YouTube video (link below) about the 8 billion milestone. Tucker shares his disappointment in United Nations messaging around World Population Day (July 11) and the 8 billion milestone, and Dave turns his criticism up to eleven. He makes this important point about the silence on overshoot and overpopulation: If responsible people don’t talk about these issues, irresponsible people will – and they’ll spread disinformation and perpetuate the negative attitudes we want to avoid. The conversation also turns to coercive pronatalism, a topic that may be new to some listeners. It’s surprisingly pervasive.  LINKS: 8 Billion is Too Many: Don’t be a Twit About Overpopulation - by Dave Gardner on Medium(we’ll post this link here later today)  World Population Hits 8 Billion: What Do People on the Street Think? - new YouTube video by Dave Gardnerhttps://youtu.be/ncT-J5BsVuc New Rule: Let the Population Collapse - Bill Maherhttps://youtu.be/HB97iwcm_Qc A Planet of 3 Billion: Mapping Humanity’s Long History of Ecological Destruction and Finding Our Way to a Resilient Future - by Christopher Tuckerhttp://planet3billion.com/index.html  Bending the Curve by 2030: On the Path to a Population Safe Harbour - by Christopher Tuckerhttps://www.whp-journals.co.uk/JPS/article/view/761/515 We Know How Many People the Earth Can Support – by Christopher TuckerJournal of Population and Sustainability December 2020https://www.whp-journals.co.uk/JPS/article/view/657 How Many People Can the Earth Sustain? - The Stream on Al Jazeerah English  10/27/22https://youtu.be/EStNKj5WNnI Sustain What: How Many Billions Can a Heating, Pandemic-Wrapped Planet Support? - A Sustain What chat hosted by Earth Institute’s Andrew Revkinhttps://youtu.be/KkPIyR_SrO4 Decline and Prosper! Changing Global Birth Rates and the Advantages of Fewer Children(new book debunking aging and other depopulation fears)https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-91611-4 Dismissal of “Population Alarmism” is Rooted in Pronatalist Ideology - by Nandita Bajaj https://www.indepthnews.net/index.php/opinion/5709-dismissal-of-population-alarmism-is-rooted-in-pronatalist-ideology GrowthBusters Online Communityhttps://growthbusters.groups.io/ GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth - 2011 documentary by Dave Gardnerhttps://tinyurl.com/growthbustersmovie Global Footprint Network - data on biocapacity, ecological footprint and overshoothttps://www.footprintnetwork.org/ Give Us Feedback: Record a voice message for us to play on the podcast: 719-402-1400 Send an email to podcast at growthbusters.org The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones. https://www.fadermusicandsound.com/ https://carlosjones.com/ On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society’s growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture’s obsession with, and pursuit of, growth. Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared “could be the most important film ever made.” Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy. Join the conversation on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GrowthBustersPodcast/ Make a donation to support this non-profit project. https://www.growthbusters.org/donate/ Archive of GrowthBusters podcast episodes http://www.growthbusters.org/podcast/ Subscribe to GrowthBusters email updates https://lp.constantcontact.com/su/umptf6w/signup Explore the issues at http://www.growthbusters.org View the GrowthBusters channel on YouTube Follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode:

World population may peak this decade and start dropping, over 60% of Coloradans are fed up with the negative consequences of growth of their communities, a new online community and resource for sustainability advocates, Elon Musk keeps populating our conversations, and should Dave run for president of the U.S.? Stephanie and Dave sit down with professors Paul Sutton and Chris Bystroff for a conversation that includes an update on Chris’ contraceptive vaccine and Paul’s COP26 experience.  We announce the launch of a new GrowthBusters online community for sustainability advocates. If you want to bring a speaker like Paul Sutton, Chris Bystroff or Dave Gardner to your campus, you can find out how to contact Nicole, our staffer who’s coordinating the GrowthBusters Campus Tour and the new online community. Stephanie shares a bit about greening her recent wedding, and Dave has shocking news about the carbon footprint of feeding dogs and cats (at least their typical diet).  LINKS: Running Out of Gas - Episode 26 of the GrowthBusters podcasthttps://www.growthbusters.org/running-out-of-gas-podcast-episode-26/ World Leaders COP Out - Episode 62 of the GrowthBusters podcasthttps://www.growthbusters.org/world-leaders-cop-out/ Footprints to Singularity: A Global Population Model Explains Late 20th Century Slow-Down and Predicts Peak Within Ten Years - by Chris Bystroffhttps://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.02.04.429734v1 GrowthBusters Campus Tourhttps://www.growthbusters.org/campus-tour/ New GrowthBusters Online Communityhttps://growthbusters.groups.io/g/main Colorado Voters Worry State Becoming Too Crowdedhttps://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/july_2022/colorado_voters_worry_state_becoming_too_crowded Planet in Crisis podcasthttps://www.scientistswarningeurope.org.uk/podcast Ecological Economics with Prof Tim Jackson: Scientists Warning into Action COP26 Press Conference - Episode 25 of Planet in Crisis podcasthttps://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/show/planetincrisis/id/22555061 Video of the abovehttps://youtu.be/1EEm5P0h8pk How to Have a Green Wedding - episode 25 of the GowthBusters podcasthttps://www.growthbusters.org/green-wedding-episode-25/ Sarah’s Wildlife Friendly Wedding - episode 47 of the GowthBusters podcasthttps://www.growthbusters.org/wildlife-friendly-wedding/  The Truth About Cats' and Dogs' Environmental Impacthttps://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/08/170802142835.htm GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth – free on YouTube https://youtu.be/_w0LiBsVFBo Give Us Feedback: Record a voice message for us to play on the podcast: 719-402-1400 Send an email to podcast at growthbusters.org The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones. https://www.fadermusicandsound.com/ https://carlosjones.com/ On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society’s growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture’s obsession with, and pursuit of, growth. Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared “could be the most important film ever made.” Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy. Join the conversation on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GrowthBustersPodcast/ Make a donation to support this non-profit project. https://www.growthbusters.org/donate/ Archive of GrowthBusters podcast episodes http://www.growthbusters.org/podcast/ Subscribe to GrowthBusters email updates https://lp.constantcontact.com/su/umptf6w/signup Explore the issues at http://www.growthbusters.org View the GrowthBusters channel on YouTube Follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode:

As we approach the 8 billion population milestone, activist/author Valorie Allen thinks it’s high time we stop avoiding the overpopulation subject. Yet here we are, on World Population Day 2022, and the UN is still beating around the bush, journalists rarely report on the subject (and when they do, it's usually with a pro-growth bias), and most environmental groups run and hide from it. Allen believes that we can bend the long-rising population curve soon and begin the needed contraction. But we must stop avoiding the subject, and we need to make a project of it.  As we observe World Population Day 2022, we share this insightful conversation with Valorie Allen, author of the new book, 8 Billion Reasons Population Matters: The Defining Issue of the 21st Century. This is a rich and comprehensive encyclopedia of history, information, opinion and inspiration. After this conversation, Stephanie and Dave review recent “GrowthBusting News,” including new insanity from Elon Musk, outrageous ideas for overconsumption on hyperdrive, a new paper by Paul and Anne Ehrlich, and sad words of wisdom from actor Jeff Goldblum.  MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: UNFPA World Population Day 2022 Statement https://www.unfpa.org/press/world-population-day-statement-2022 UN Secretary-General's World Population Day Statement https://www.un.org/en/observances/world-population-day 8 Billion Reasons Population Matters - new book by Valorie Allenhttps://books.friesenpress.com/store/title/119734000096587474 Surviving the 21st Century - by Julian Cribbhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30420519-surviving-the-21st-century Population in Sync - Valorie Allen’s websitehttps://populationinsync.net/ Paul Ehrlich on Limits to Growth - Episode 70 of the GrowthBusters podcasthttps://www.growthbusters.org/ehrlich-limits-to-growth/ Leaked Amazon Memo Warns the Company is Running Out of People to Hirehttps://www.vox.com/recode/23170900/leaked-amazon-memo-warehouses-hiring-shortage Elon Musk Breaks Silence on Birth of Secret Twins with 'Overpopulation' Jokehttps://www.joe.co.uk/news/elon-musk-on-birth-secret-twins-overpopulation-joke-346768 Elon Musk is Wrong: We Need Smaller Familieshttps://populationmatters.org/news/2021/12/elon-musk-wrong-we-need-smaller-families Climate Damage Caused by Growing Space Tourism Needs Urgent Mitigationhttps://phys.org/news/2022-06-climate-space-tourism-urgent-mitigation.html Nuclear-Powered Sky Hotelhttps://youtu.be/ZrodDBJdGuo Let Them Eat Fermented Protein - Review of Monbiot book, Regenesis: Feeding the World without Devouring the Planethttps://literaryreview.co.uk/let-them-eat-fermented-protein Returning to “Normal”? Evolutionary Roots of the Human Prospect - by Paul and Anne Ehrlichhttps://academic.oup.com/bioscience/advance-article/doi/10.1093/biosci/biac044/6608897 Your Kids Are Not Doomed - uninformed column by Ezra Kleinhttps://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/05/opinion/climate-change-should-you-have-kids.html Current Policies Will Bring ‘Catastrophic’ Climate Breakdown, Warn Former UN Leadershttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jun/02/current-policies-will-bring-catastrophic-climate-breakdown-warn-former-un-leaders For 50 Years, Governments Have Failed to Act on Climate Change. No More Excuses - by Christiana Figueres, Yvo de Boer and Michael Zammit Cutajarhttps://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jun/02/for-50-years-governments-have-failed-to-act-on-climate-change-no-more-excuses Give Us Feedback: Record a voice message for us to play on the podcast: 719-402-1400 Send an email to podcast at growthbusters.org The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones. https://www.fadermusicandsound.com/ https://carlosjones.com/ On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society’s growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture’s obsession with, and pursuit of, growth. Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared “could be the most important film ever made.” Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy. Join the conversation on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GrowthBustersPodcast/ Make a donation to support this non-profit project. https://www.growthbusters.org/donate/ Archive of GrowthBusters podcast episodes http://www.growthbusters.org/podcast/ Subscribe to GrowthBusters email updates https://lp.constantcontact.com/su/umptf6w/signup Explore the issues at http://www.growthbusters.org View the GrowthBusters channel on YouTube Follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode:  

Biologist Paul Ehrlich reflects on the 1972 MIT study, The Limits to Growth, on its 50th anniversary – including the fact that it has been refuted (poorly), ignored, and confirmed. The study was done by a team of scientists commissioned by the Club of Rome to develop a computer model to simulate the interaction of earth and human systems. It revealed that continuation of the then-current trends in population, industrialization, resource use and pollution would result in overshooting the carrying capacity of the Earth and result in a general collapse at some point in the first half of the 21st century. The study results were published in the 1972 book, The Limits to Growth, which holds the record as the top-selling environmental book. The book was authored by four system dynamics scientists (Donella Meadows, Dennis Meadows, Jørgen Randers, and William Behrens III). Gaya Herrington, whose 2020 analysis of The Limits to Growth was published in Yale’s Journal of Industrial Ecology, described the study and book aptly: “the authors identified society’s relentless pursuit of growth not as the solution to, but the cause of, so many of the environmental and social crises that plague humanity still today.” “....what is it about Homo sapiens that leads us to the limits as a moth to a flame.  Why don’t we stop?  Why should we?  Can we?”   – Brian Czech, Executive Director of the Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy Read The Limits to Growth: Online Read, but includes scans of pages and downloadable charts https://collections.dartmouth.edu/teitexts/meadows/diplomatic/meadows_ltg-diplomatic.html High Quality Scan https://collections.dartmouth.edu/content/deliver/inline/meadows/pdf/meadows_ltg-001.pdf Mentioned in Our Discussion of The Limits to Growth: Limits to Growth 50th Anniversary Events - on Club of Rome website https://www.clubofrome.org/ltg50-events/ UN Event June 2-3: Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity View live on the web: https://www.stockholm50.global/events/programme The Stockholm+50 Conference: What You Need to Know and Why It Matters https://unfoundation.org/blog/post/the-stockholm50-conference-what-you-need-to-know-and-why-it-matters/ Take this survey before June 2: https://www.stockholm50.global/state-planet-global-public-survey June 10 seminar: Limits to Growth +50: Can Economies Keep Growing Indefinitely on a Finite Planet? Organized by: Norwegian University of Life Sciences https://www.nmbu.no/en/faculty/landsam/department/noragric/research/seminars/node/44433 The Limits to Growth at 50: From Scenarios to Unfolding Reality - by Richard Heinberg https://www.resilience.org/stories/2022-02-24/the-limits-to-growth-at-50-from-scenarios-to-unfolding-reality/ Limits and Beyond (New book April 2022 from the Club of Rome, a collection of essays) https://exapt.press/books/limits-and-beyond Nate Hagens interviews Dennis Meadows in his podcast, The Great Simplification. https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/12-dennis-meadows Dennis Meadows on the 50th Anniversary of the Publication of The Limits to Growth - interview by Richard Heinberg https://www.resilience.org/stories/2022-02-22/dennis-meadows-on-the-50th-anniversary-of-the-publication-of-the-limits-to-growth/ Is Global Collapse Imminent? – by Graham Turner (2014) The Limits to Growth “standard run” (or business-as-usual, BAU) scenario produced in 1972 aligns well with historical data that has been updated in this paper https://sustainable.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/2763500/MSSI-ResearchPaper-4_Turner_2014.pdf Update to Limits to Growth: Comparing the World3 Model with Empirical Data - by Gaya Herrington https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jiec.13084 Come On! Capitalism, Short-termism, Population and the Destruction of the Planet - by Anders Wijkman and Ersnt Von Weizscker and with contributions from more than 30 members of the Club of Rome https://mahb.stanford.edu/library-item/come-capitalism-short-termism-population-destruction-planet/ What a 50-year-old World Model Tells Us About a Way Forward Today - by  Gaya Herrington, now vice president of ESG Research at Schneider Electric and member of The Club of Rome’s Transformational Economics Commission https://www.clubofrome.org/blog-post/herrington-ltg50/ In this episode, we also discuss these “growthbusting news” items: Walk Or Cycle Instead of Driving, Urges Ford Boss https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2022/05/16/walk-or-cycle-instead-of-driving-urges-ford-boss/?sh=2283c3ba3481 New flight of fancy for billionaires – the Air Yacht https://theuglyminute.com/2022/05/11/air-yacht/ Back From a Touring Hiatus, Coldplay Pledges to Make Performances More Sustainable https://www.npr.org/2022/05/14/1098947216/back-from-a-touring-hiatus-coldplay-pledges-to-make-performances-more-sustainabl The European Environmental Bureau has launched a campaign calling on the EU to refocus from GDP Growth to Wellbeing Campaign Page: https://eeb.org/doughnuteconomicsforall/ https://meta.eeb.org/2022/05/12/doughnut-economics-how-to-bake-a-better-future/ The 25% Revolution - film https://vimeo.com/535791169 GrowthBusters Called Me Extreme, So I Responded - episode of This Sustainable Life podcast by Joshua Spodek https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/this-sustainable-life-593342/episodes/583-growthbusters-called-me-ex-139440528 Mobilising Humanity Film Premier at COP26 - Ed Gemmel described his nightmare in this episode of the Planet in Crisis podcast from Scientists Warning Europe https://planetincrisis.libsyn.com/30-mobilising-humanity-film-premier-at-cop26 Give Us Feedback: Record a voice message for us to play on the podcast: 719-402-1400 Send an email to podcast at growthbusters.org The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones. https://www.fadermusicandsound.com/ https://carlosjones.com/ On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society’s growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture’s obsession with, and pursuit of, growth. Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared “could be the most important film ever made.” Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy. Join the conversation on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GrowthBustersPodcast/ Make a donation to support this non-profit project. https://www.growthbusters.org/donate/ Archive of GrowthBusters podcast episodes http://www.growthbusters.org/podcast/ Subscribe to GrowthBusters email updates https://lp.constantcontact.com/su/umptf6w/signup Explore the issues at http://www.growthbusters.org View the GrowthBusters channel on YouTube Follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode:

While nary a week goes by that we don’t get a new report of the destruction we’re wreaking on our home planet, the news has been particularly bad over the last few weeks. Plus: Bill Maher, usually praised by us for speaking the truth, needs to get there on the benefits of a shrinking economy. We devote half of this episode to the news, and half to our swelling file of listener feedback. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Population Decline is Part of the Solution - YouTube video (by GrowthBusters)https://youtu.be/XXyyCY5IM6Q Paul Ehrlich, Unfiltered – Episode 68 of the GrowthBusters podcasthttps://www.growthbusters.org/paul-ehrlich-unfiltered/ GrowthBusters Campus Tourhttps://www.growthbusters.org/campus-tour/ 8 Billion Angels – documentary produced by Terry Spahrhttps://8billionangels.org/ Can Living a 1.5 Degree Lifestyle Make a Difference? - Episode 66 of the GrowthBusters podcast, with Lloyd Alterhttps://www.growthbusters.org/can-1-5-degree-lifestyle-matter/ Obsessive-Compulsive’s Guide to Cutting Your Carbon Footprint - Episode 67 of the GrowthBusters podcast, with Lloyd Alterhttps://www.growthbusters.org/cutting-carbon-footprint/ This Sustainable Life podcast with Josh Spodekhttps://joshuaspodek.com/podcast 7th Generation Initiative / Sustainability Project (Mike Nickerson)http://www.sustainwellbeing.net/ Life, Money & Illusion: Living on Earth as If We Want to Stay – by Mike Nickersonhttp://www.sustainwellbeing.net/what_the_book_is_about.html More Fun, Less Stuff- Episode 55 of the GrowthBusters podcast, with Mike Nickersonhttps://www.growthbusters.org/more-fun-less-stuff/ Al Bartlett’s Laws Relating to Sustainabilityhttps://www.albartlett.org/articles/art_reflections_part_5.html Where Lawns Are Outlawed (and Dug Up, and Carted Away)https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/03/climate/las-vegas-lawn-grass-ban.html As Climate Fears Mount, Some in U.S. Are Deciding to Relocatehttps://e360.yale.edu/features/as-climate-fears-mount-some-in-u.s.-are-deciding-to-relocate Chronic Land Degradation: UN Offers Stark Warnings and Practical Remedies in Global Land Outlook 2https://www.unccd.int/resources/global-land-outlook/overview Humanity Entering ‘Spiral of Self-Destruction’, UN Warnshttps://www.france24.com/en/environment/20220426-humanity-entering-spiral-of-self-destruction-warns-un-disaster-agency?ref=tw Latest IPCC Report Skips Population Growth in Summary for Policymakers, but Highlights it in Full Report and Technical Summaryhttps://overpopulation-project.com/population-in-the-ipccs-new-mitigation-report/ GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth – free on YouTube https://youtu.be/_w0LiBsVFBo Give Us Feedback: Record a voice message for us to play on the podcast: 719-402-1400 Send an email to podcast at growthbusters.org The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones. https://www.fadermusicandsound.com/ https://carlosjones.com/ On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society’s growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture’s obsession with, and pursuit of, growth. Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared “could be the most important film ever made.” Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy. Join the conversation on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GrowthBustersPodcast/ Make a donation to support this non-profit project. https://www.growthbusters.org/donate/ Archive of GrowthBusters podcast episodes http://www.growthbusters.org/podcast/ Subscribe to GrowthBusters email updates https://lp.constantcontact.com/su/umptf6w/signup Explore the issues at http://www.growthbusters.org View the GrowthBusters channel on YouTube Follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode:

A reprise of Paul Ehrlich’s candid conversation with us on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, in April of 2020. We discuss the COVID pandemic, overpopulation, The Population Bomb (including an amusing mistake on the cover), dinner with Johnny Carson, the deficits of our university system, the climate crisis, and human civilization’s prospects (“I'm very pessimistic about the future but very optimistic about what we could do”). Dr. Paul Ehrlich is most famous for co-writing The Population Bomb (1968). He is Bing Professor of Population Studies, Emeritus at Stanford University, and founded the Center for Conservation Biology at Stanford. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: GrowthBusters Campus Tour https://www.growthbusters.org/campus-tour/ EarthX https://earthx.org/ EarthxTV https://video.earthxtv.com/ The Population Bomb by Anne and Paul Ehrlich https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Population_Bomb Nov/Dec 2019 Sierra Magazine https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/2019-6-november-december BOOKS MENTIONED (by Paul Ehrlich): Rattlesnake Under His Hat by Sam Hurst https://www.earlbrockelsby.com/ The Wisest One in the Room – by Thomas Gilovich and Lee Ross https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25205421-the-wisest-one-in-the-room Human Natures: Genes, Cultures, and the Human Prospect by Paul Ehrlich https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/159685.Human_Natures Ecoscience: Population, Resources, Environment by Paul R. Ehrlich, John P. Holdren and Anne H. Ehrlich https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6348326-ecoscience Give Us Feedback: Record a voice message for us to play on the podcast: +1-719-402-1400 Send an email to podcast at growthbusters.org The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones. https://www.fadermusicandsound.com/ https://carlosjones.com/ On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society’s growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture’s obsession with, and pursuit of, growth. Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared “could be the most important film ever made.” Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy. Join the conversation on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GrowthBustersPodcast/ Make a donation to support this non-profit project. https://www.growthbusters.org/donate/ Archive of GrowthBusters podcast episodes http://www.growthbusters.org/podcast/ Subscribe to GrowthBusters email updates https://lp.constantcontact.com/su/umptf6w/signup Explore the issues at http://www.growthbusters.org See the film, GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth https://youtu.be/_w0LiBsVFBo View the GrowthBusters channel on YouTube Follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode: