19889

The news is filled with observations of our species’ role in global warming and in the depletion of fisheries, arable land, fresh water, and fossil fuels. Yet I seldom hear the size of the human population cited as a driving force behind these problems. The easiest path to reducing our environmental footprint would be to slow our population’s growth rate—after all, it takes a foot to make a footprint. Has our evolutionary drive to multiply also endowed us with a blind spot when it comes to recognizing the peril of our numbers?

Patricia Leitner
Oakland, Calif.

Ultimately, Malthus was right: No technology can save us from unfettered population growth on a planet with finite resources.

Leandra Vicci
Silk Hope, N.C.