This article appeared in the Guardian Weekend - it explores the environmental impact of having kids and suggest that we make the decision to have few children.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/feb/13/climate-change-family-size-babies

Comments

RacingSnail said…
"Under the constant scenario, an American who forgoes having a child would save 9,441 tonnes of CO2 – almost six times, on average, the amount of CO2 they would emit in their own lifetime, or the equivalent of making around 2,550 return aero­plane trips between London and New York. If the same American drove a more fuel-efficient car, drastically reduced his or her driving, installed energy-efficient windows, used energy-efficient lightbulbs, replaced a household refrigerator, and recycled all household paper, glass and metal, he or she would save fewer than 500 tonnes."

A lot of people want to ignore that type of calculation. Well, I'll have a boatload of kids, but as long as I recycle and don't buy the most gas guzzling car I can buy, it will all be OK. That is just not how it works, unfortunately. Plus, you have very little control over what kind of adult your child turns into. You can raise them to be environmentally conscious, but they might grow up to reject that.

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