Letters: It all starts with population

Posted Thursday, January 14, 2010 8:59 pm

Warming isn’t the first problem

Once again a Climate Change Conference has failed to reach a science based, enforceable and timely agreement. However, the talks were going to fail to produce actual results anyway because one of the most important factors creating climate change was not discussed and that is population growth.

The world population is due to grow from its present to 6.8 billion to 9.5 billion by 2050, while during the same period the United States, will grow from 308 million to 400 million. As a result much more carbon dioxide and methane are going to be produced.

As George Monbiot, writing for the Guardian said, "Even if we manage to prevent climate breakdown, growth means that it’s only a matter of time before we hit a new constraint, which demands a new global response: oil, water, phosphate, soil. We will lurch from crisis to existential crisis unless we address the underlying cause: Perpetual growth cannot be accommodated on a finite planet."

The answer to dealing with climate change, and all of our environmental problems, is that we need to change the system and not just institute a few regulations such as cap and trade. Nation by nation, and state by state, we need to move from a growth oriented economy that is dependent on ever increasing population and consumption to a steady state economy where the emphasis is on meeting human needs through quality and not quantity, making the polluters pay, and using all of our resources in a sustainable manner.

To learn more visit the Web site of the Center for the Advancement of a Steady State Economy www.steadystate.org

Article Continues After Advertisement

Vermonters for Sustainable Population has endorsed a steady state economy through a detailed position statement which can be found on its Web site at www.vspop.org.

Other organizations and individuals can begin to start this economic change by also endorsing and supporting this movement.

Article Continues After These Ads

GEORGE PLUMB

Washington ATV misconceptions, Part 2

In Jan. 2 letter, "ATVs Are Misunderstood," Tom King states that he knows of no misconceptions regarding ATVs.

Article Continues After Advertisement

His letter in itself reveals misconceptions regarding ATVs. Let’s take a closer look at his statements: 1. Damage to trail beds: ATV tires typically run anywhere from 3 to 5 pounds per square inch air pressure; the resulting footprint has a minimal impact on dry trail beds. 2. Water and mud impact on trails: During mud season or extreme wet conditions, a voluntary moratorium is adhered to by Vermont All-Terrain Vehicle Sportsman’s Association members to eliminate impact on the trail beds. 3. Oil, gas, grease spills: The majority of ATVs legally on trails nowadays are rather new (keep in mind ATVs really became popular in the latter part of the past decade); oil and gas leakages are a thing of the past (a leaking ATV on the trails also leaks on your own property when parked). 4. Fumes from exhaust: The majority of ATVs today are four strokes versus two strokes (EPA mandates); oil/gas fumes are no more. 5. Noise, 82 decibel rule: The biggest misconception in Mr. King’s letter is that ATVs want to take over hiking trails in Vermont. All that is being asked is to allow access to state lands to interconnect an already legal ATV trail system, very much the same as is already the case for snowmobiles.

Mr. King, contact VASA; contact the Bennington Trail Conservancy, and find out what we ATV’ers are really about. Destroying the woodlands makes no sense for anyone of us. Let’s get rid of all misconceptions. ATVs and all woodlands users can co-exist!

CHRIS YASI

Bennington Trail Conservancy

Pownal