To want there to be coral reefs in the future

[ringle]

Just that really.
Yes, just watched blue planet 2....

Ttbb, fair enough, what matters is that you are concerned.

Evidence please

I thought that was well known. Education is so important and has a massive effect on women's lives - especially in poorer countries.

poster Wilburissomepig

I will try to link to the David Attenborough program. My only qualification is the fact of having watched it!

The sea temperature is rising. That has a massive effect on the level of CO2 in the oceans and an effect on the corals.

A link to an Attenborough lecture

www.populationmatters.org/attenborough-talk/

Coral reefs are a bit meh, I can only assume that you are not used to them. Tbf I am more concerned about there being enough food and fuel to go around.

I think perhaps you don't understand that coral reefs support that useful food stuff called fish. As well as the jobs of those people called fishermen, who in places like Mauritius support their families with food by supplying aforementioned fish. Which rely on coral reefs ffs.

It made me feel really sad. I do as much as I can on an individual level, but it feels useless in the grand scheme of things. We recycle everything, we only have one dc, we live in a tiny city centre flat which is very energy efficient, we have a city centre lifestyle so we can be car-free and walk or use public transport, only do one washing load a week, don't drink bottled water or use disposable cups, don't use plastic bags, and never holiday abroad. There are so many changes we can all make but for many it would mean a lifestyle sacrifice they're not prepared to make.

I think perhaps you don't understand that coral reefs support that useful food stuff called fish

Indeed. We are all interconnected.

Am rubbish at links but feel free to Google it's fairly well researched.

Women who are educated for longer are more likely to delay marriage. This means they're likely to have fewer children.

In addition women who are better educated are more likely to be able to bring in money to families. This means that having a child has an economic cost in terms of lost income. It means women end up having fewer children.

Gender equality in terms of education and economics is not only good for women but also the planet.

'Better educated women have fewer children.'

I think we have to be a bit generous to each other. We all have different knowledge/experience.

To my mind, being a vegan, caring about there being enough food in future and having an urban lifestyle are all positive things to be celebrated.

I don't believe the planet is overpopulated, the way we live of course needs looking at.
There was another thread on population, if I remember correctly everywhere apart from Africa is stable or in decline.

It's not useless oilpaint

Hi Vitalogy, perhaps take a look at the video I linked to. I don't say you're wrong, just that this is what Attenborough thinks.

Well my mind was well and truly blown by the fish and the coconut. I'm sure it will have been filmed in a tank but even so my mind set has shifted.

Mankind is fucked and is fucking the planet, but Mother Nature will out.

Attenborough isn't wrong. Nature will bite you in the bum big style if you mess with it too much.

Nature is very good at controlling population and the earth can surely only tolerate a certain number. I don't know what number that is but the rate at which even just UK's population is growing is worrying. I can't recall the number but the figures over the next 50 years were ridiculous.

I'm totally confused PeiPei. Why the popcorn?

It is very well documented that on a population level higher educational achievement for women means a lower birth rate. Now birth rates have generally fallen and population growth is slowing. So population is less of an issue than it was.

I listened to a good TED talk about this earlier this year.

Reefs can regenerate. There is hope.

But the human race needs to stop its polluting ways - and rich countries need to take a hard look at what they consume and what waste they generate.

Wateraid is a brilliant charity, btw, if you want to get more girls into education. Because it is disproportionately the girls who have to walk miles every day, and miss education to do so, simply to get some water.

Off to bed now but feeling inspired.

Hope to do something positive tomorrow (switch to ecotrictity maybe).

Wateraid is a brilliant charity, btw, if you want to get more girls into education. Because it is disproportionately the girls who have to walk miles every day

It's amazing how such little money can be spent to make such a massive difference to people.

blogs.worldbank.org/health/female-education-and-childbearing-closer-look-data

www.earth-policy.org/data_highlights/2011/highlights13

wol.iza.org/uploads/articles/228/pdfs/female-education-and-its-impact-on-fertility.pdf

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4649870/

It is extremely well documented that the more you educate women (men too, but especially women) then the birth rate of a country will drop.

It’s a combination of giving women options other than getting married and raising a family, the empowerment to decide their own paths in life, whether that’s career or family focussed, the know-how to use contraceptives effectively, and on a wider scale, the higher the education levels of a country then the better the medical facilities, and lower infant mortality rates. Therefore there is less pressure to have a large family.

ringle I clicked the link but couldn't see the video for some reason.
I know David Attenborough is generally a much beloved character, I used to think this too. But not now. He wants to stop helping the developing world and basically cull them. There's more than enough resources on the planet, it's the way they are distributed that's the problem.

Hi Vita,
There is a play button on the page but tbh I just googled his name + population.

When you say cull, I don't think you mean that literally?

He wants to stop sending food aid to reduce the population. Is he willing to sacrifice himself and his family first I wonder!?