WARMING: Population's role

This planet has a yearly net population gain of 1.1 percent.

The planet is warming. The combustion engine contributes to the warming by increasing the CO2 content of the atmosphere. However, CO2 with a “Global Warming Potential” (GWP) of 1 is only a fraction of the problem. GWP is a measure of the relative heat trapping potential a gas has over time when compared to CO2.

Two other gases implicated as causes for global warming are methane and nitrous oxide (N2O).

Methane comes from feedlots, landfills, heated asphalt, petroleum distillation, cattle farts and fermentation, and has a GWP of 86.

Nitrous oxide (N2O) has a GWP of 268 and is produced by agriculture and soil management, combustion engines and nitric acid production.

Thus, methane is 86 times more effective at heat trapping than CO2, and N2O is 286 times more effective, over a 20-year period.

To solve this problem, we should identify a “prime mover.” These gases are by-products of human existence, so population control could be the prime mover.

Accordingly, the world would need very draconian laws. It would take generations of living under worsening conditions before religious groups and cultural ideas would be willing to accept such laws. Sexual mores would need major changes.

During this period the forces* described by the 18th century economist Thomas Malthus (On Population), would have solved the problem of population control for us.

“They paved Paradise and put up a parking lot.” — J. Mitchell

* war, disaster, famine, disease

DICK SHELDON

Coeur d’Alene