University of Virginia Library

A Matter Of Attitudes

Writing in the "New Scientist"
of December 14, 1967, Dr. Ehrlich
explodes many of the myths
surrounding the population explosion,
concluding that "Population
control is primarily a matter of
human attitudes, not contraceptive
technology. And human attitudes
are not changing or being changed
at anything like the rate necessary
to minimize the coming catastrophe
a catastrophe which could not be
avoided even if men's minds were
transformed tomorrow."

According to Dr. B. Commoner,
Director of the Center for Natural
Systems Study at Washington University,
the optimum population
the earth can support is six to eight
billion. That figure will be reached
by 2000 even if present population
trends recede. And it appears now
that current growth patterns are
not going to recede, but are in fact
accelerating at a frightening rate.

Consider the marked decrease in
the annual death rates, not only in
the United States but in most of
the underdeveloped nations. In
1940, the death rates in Mexico.
Venezuela, and Ceylon were respectively,
23, 17, and 20 deaths per
1000 persons. By 1963 these rates
had been reduced, to 11, 8, and 9
deaths per 1000.