A response to David Attenborough's overpopulation comment

[Simon]

This response by Ian Angus to David Attenborough's overpopulation comment is essential reading.

 

In an interview last week, Attenborough called humans "a plague on the Earth" and called on the world to put limits on population growth.

 

"Yes, there is a plague on the earth, but it isn’t people," Angus writes in his response to Attenborough. "It’s a social and economic system that puts profit before people, that treats food as a commodity instead of as a basic human right. So long as that system remains in place, hunger and poverty will continue, no matter what happens to birth rates."

 

Read it: A plague of David Attenborough

 

What do you think? Do you agree with Angus or Attenborough?

[Hakan]

Considering Africas dark past (no pun intended) its pretty disrespectful of Attenborough to blame the continents problems on too many people.

[Love 4 Mother Earth]

I agree. The problem is not only overpopulation, the problem is greed. 
People who overconsume, who have a huge carbon footprint. Millionaires who have yachts and an insatiable greed. They are worse for the environment than overpopulation. 

Some Africans live on less than one dollar a day, Ethiopia is hardly overpopulated. It is overpopulated considering the scarce resources it has. That's why people are dying of hunger. A drought comes -- and there is no food, so people are dying. 

And the drought is caused by the pollution and exhaust fumes from the cars in the West. We are partly responsible for Africa's food problem. 

Now it is a bit cynical to tell the people of Ethiopia - don't procreate because you have no food.  


David Attenborough has made millions from his programs. He is one of the rich overconsumers.
His new worth is 35 million. 

http://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/david-attenborough-net-worth/


He probably consumes as much as an entire Ethiopian village. 

I am tired of these megarich celebrities preaching to ordinary normal people. Like Madonna saying "Save the environment", then getting into her SUV, on her way to her million dollar mansion with a huge carbon footprint.