tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31602017.post3828542122700481178..comments2023-10-10T12:31:55.576-04:00Comments on The Mouse's Nest: Global Warming Wednesday: Are the children our future or will they destroy it?Mousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14704189465052882543noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31602017.post-37831513459744962322007-06-29T20:59:00.000-04:002007-06-29T20:59:00.000-04:00This was a wonderfully reasoned response to those ...This was a wonderfully reasoned response to those silly anti-child people. All I could manage was to make fun of them ;)Her Bad Motherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03535958887714152413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31602017.post-50229803426534807692007-06-28T09:35:00.000-04:002007-06-28T09:35:00.000-04:00I haven't read the article, but I do suspect that ...I haven't read the article, but I do suspect that articles of this kind arise less from concern for the environment and more from a desire to critique environmentalism by pushing it to its extremes (at least, that's what it is when the columnists in my right-wing newspaper invoke these kinds of arguments!). <BR/><BR/>It does raise a kind of essential question about our approach to environmentalism. Does concern for the environment require one to reject the notion that human beings have some kind of essential value that makes them more important than trees or animals? Can one be an environmentalist and still believe that the earth exists FOR human beings? <BR/><BR/>Certainly in practice, many people are committed to environmental preservation precisely because they are concerned about the future of their children and grandchildren. And there's nothing contradictory about having children if the goal of environmentalism is to achieve sustainable human life on this planet.Beahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15957626443087438904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31602017.post-53615738609736066222007-06-28T09:04:00.000-04:002007-06-28T09:04:00.000-04:00"And I remain pretty convinced that my children wi..."And I remain pretty convinced that my children will do more good than harm."<BR/><BR/>I think what these articles try to point out is that this is not possible. All of the recycling in the would won't compare to the benefit to the environment if they had not existed at all. It may be harsh to hear but it's true. It's true for all of us. There is nothing I'll ever be able to do to make up for my mere existence on this planet.<BR/><BR/>Also, Western countries use up more resources than third world countries where there are higher birth rates. Hell, America uses up 25% of the earth's resources even though we are only 10% of the population. A westerner having one less child does more for the environment than someone from a third world country having one less.<BR/><BR/>That said, I don't think someone should be made to feel bad for having one, two or even three kids. But I will admit that people who have five or more make me wonder if they care at all about the environment.queenbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03854252381104657005noreply@blogger.com