I read your article about human population growth. I felt that you are giving this issue the seriousness that it deserves. There is not enough talk today about the consuming problem of the human population. I may not have to worry about the problem because I will most likely be dead in 97 years, but my children may have to. I only bring this up because you pointed out that the world's population is expanding exponentially. You also alluded to the fact that in the year 2100, that the world "s population will have reached the 12 billion mark. This outrageous amount is 6 times the population of the world only 170 years ago. This is almost cause for panic. I don't feel that the public knows the seriousness of the situation. At some point we could be faced with severe famine due to the rising population of the world. .
Worries about human population growth are not new. Over 200 years ago Thomas Malthus published "An Essay on the Principle of Population". He said that because of the increasing population, the world would eventually "out grow" of its food production. This would lead to famine, disease and war. His ideas, at the time, were quickly discarded because the other great thinkers of his time believed that mankind's ability to master the environment was limitless. Malthus was, of course, proven wrong. He blamed the survival of society on the improvements in agriculture and the industrial revolution. Many of today's great thinkers feel that Malthus" ideas are more applicable today. I feel we should spread his message and start preparing for the possibility of a massive famine or disease that could quickly ravage and entire country or continent. .
In 1960, many steps were taken by several different nations that reduced the child mortality rate. The use of DDT in Africa cut down mosquito born Malaria, child immunization programs saved lives all over the world, and antibiotics gave sick and dying children a second chance.
