Climate change, ocean acidification, depletion of acquifers, toxic air pollution, deforestation - those are just the symptoms. The cause is overpopulation. No amount of technology, recycling, renewable energy, voluntary reduction in consumption, efforts toward land conservation and environmental awareness can halt the greater forces propelling us toward an environmental catastrophe. All of our efforts, up until now, have amounted to stop-gap measures that distract us from the fact that we add 80 million more people every year to the earth, who together consume more resources faster than the world can replenish, and emit more waste than the earth can naturally absorb. It is critical to offer an alternate vision for the future. If we, as individuals, families and nations, band together by pursuing smaller families, supporting the worldwide adoption of accessible and affordable family planning, and strengthening our global commitment to the education and empowerment of women and girls, we will not only bring tremendous social justice, economic prosperity and health equity to billions, but we will unequivocally restore the environment.
—Terry Spahr
