POPULATION'S LOSS IS EARTH'S GAIN

SAM SMITH, The Associated Press ran a story bemoaning the fact that
Europe and Japan are on the cusp of population losses. You'll read more
of this in the future. But as you do, bear two facts in mind:

- Nothing contributes more to global climate change and related problems
than population growth. Yet it is rarely mentioned even by the
ecologically aware.

- The primary reason for the economic problems associated with
population loss is the economic system widely used which depends on
ever-growing markets. Conventional capitalism needs population growth
and, as a consequence, more global pollution. Again, even progressive
economists do not give this the attention it deserves.