Monday, May 07, 2007

The "Eco-Crime" of Large Families

I wrote here about the looming crisis of declining fertility rates around the world. Specifically, liberals who think having children is an eco-crime are going to find themselves increasingly marginalized by the very sorts of people they despise because there won't be enough of them to push their agenda.

The above linked London Times article references a green think tank report that says having only two children reduces one's carbon footprint, so to speak, by about 620 flights between London and New York.

Having large families should be frowned upon as an environmental misdemeanour in the same way as frequent long-haul flights, driving a 4x4 car and failing to reuse plastic bags, according to a report to be published tomorrow by a green think tank.

The paper by the Optimum Population Trust (OPT) will say that if couples had two children instead of three they could cut their family’s carbon dioxide output by the equivalent of 620 return flights a year between London and New York.

John Guillebaud, co-chairman of OPT and emeritus professor of family planning at University College London, said: “The effect on the planet of having one child less is an order of magnitude greater than all these other things we might do, such as switching off lights. An extra child is the equivalent of a lot of flights across the planet.

“The greatest thing anyone in Britain could do to help the future of the planet would be to have one less child.”

In his latest comments the academic says that when couples are planning a family they should be encouraged to think about the environmental consequences. “The decision to have children should be seen as a very big one and one that should take the environment into account,” he added.

Guillebaud says that, as a general guideline, couples should produce no more than two offspring.

Now, let's think about this for a minute. I have three children and I was myself a third child. Do I regret my decision or that of my parents to have three children rather than two?

No, indeed I do not.

In fact, who would I put back if I were to only have two? Who's smiling face, interesting insights, quirky mannerisms, funny jokes, loving hugs and kisses would I live without?

The truth is, we make choices to have the children we do for a variety of factors. If you choose not to have more children because you have a value system that says fewer is better, then that's your choice. But stop with the guilt trips about people who think having children is a good thing. Because it is a good thing for all of us.