SUSTAINABILITY: Population is THE Fundamental Issue þ

Ruth Bamberger, Study Chair

Environmental policy agendas frequently neglect population growth as a fundamental issue. But every environmental problem we face today can be traced to population growth and/or inordinate use of natural resources threatening the carrying capacity of an ecosystem.

The Springfield region has both a growth and resource exploitation problem. The 2000 census revealed that 550,709 people now reside in Springfield/Greene County and a forty-mile radius around the county. Between 1990 and 2000, the population increased by 190,000; and 145,000 of that was due to in migration. The most visible resource exploitation is land for housing and commercial development disproportionate to population growth. In other words, we are consuming land at a much faster rate than our growth in population. Data gathered by League members Lois Wood and “Deck” Decker from the Springfield Dept. of Planning shows that the number of households increased at a faster overall rate than population since 1990. Fewer people are living in bigger houses with bigger lots.

The LWV sustainability study gives a prominent place to population/sprawl issues. We support family planning; we support efforts to direct growth and development in the region based on the carrying capacity of the environment; we support efforts to contain urban sprawl by preserving farmland and maximizing use of in-fill in Springfield for housing and commercial development. These are praiseworthy positions that must be translated into action.

In keeping with the tradition of the Leagues in educating its members and the communities where we live, we must first raise awareness of the problem. We can do this by participating in local groups like the James River Basin Partnership and the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks; participating in special conferences in the region on economic development. Creating a strong League presence in the planning and zoning commissions and the city Environmental Advisory Committee are other important options. Letters to the editor and to state and national legislators are important ways of raising awareness of the population problem. If you want to get more involved with population/sprawl issues, contact Lois Woods (865-7428) or “Deck Decker (886-7663).

These are the Seven Sustainable Wonders of the World:

þ the bicycle, the most energy-efficient form of travel ever invented.

þ the condom, the only thing short of abstinence that prevents sexually transmitted diseases and population growth.

þ the ceiling fan, using a tenth the electricity of an air conditioner, the fan makes a room feel up to 9 degrees cooler.

þ the clothesline, the solar-powered clothes dryer.

þ pad thai, a typical Asian noodle dish, rich in nutrition and skimpy on meat and environmental impact.

þ the public library, the epitome of reuse and building community.

þ the ladybug, one of the natural enemies that protect far more crops than pesticides do, all without poisoning anyone's food, water, or habitat.

from Population Press: Networking for a Sustainable Future, Nov./Dec. 1999, a newsletter of the POPULATION COALITION, a grassroots nationwide educational organization started within local League of Women Voters.