Too many people

In the Feb. 15 N&O, an article's headline said, "Study's look at oceans is sobering." It described research showing negative human influences on nearly every corner of Earth's oceans and seas.

This is just one of many worrisome phenomena that we read and hear about daily: severe water shortage, global warming, overcrowded schools, power plant pollution, deforestation, endangered species, gang crime and so on. But they all have something in common that never seems to get mentioned: There are too many humans on this planet! Further, I understand that we are increasing by 70 million a year!

We can reduce our littering, change our consumption habits, find better ways to generate electricity, limit the number of new homes, try to protect endangered species and so on, but those solutions only ameliorate the problem until further population expansion and increased human demands overtake them. To add to the problem, having large families is apparently becoming popular again.

Do no political leaders -- or, for that matter, news reporters -- recognize that the reason behind so many of our more serious problems is simply overpopulation? Do none of them see the urgent need for more and better family planning?

Robert P. Hawkins, Ph.D.

Cary