The Duggars and environmental responsibility

September 1st, 2009

As some environmentally minded families are making the choice to stop at one child, or, more drastically, choosing not to have children at all, I couldn’t help but wonder if anyone will bring up the issue of population and the environment re the Duggars, who are expecting their 19th child next spring.

OK, I guess I’ll be the one to broach this topic, not so much to chastise the Duggar family — since clearly, Michelle and Jim Bob were genetically hardwired to be fruitful and multiply (though there is such a thing as birth control) — as to spark an intelligent discussion about the tremendous environmental ramifications of an exploding world population.

It’s definitely not as “fun” of a green matter to debate as, say, eco-friendly fashion or organic gardening — who wants to tell people to stop having adorable babies? — but it’s arguably the most important one: A recent Oregon State University study revealed that in the United States, the environmental impact of an extra child is 20 times more important than nearly any other green decisions people might make throughout their lifetime, such as recycling, driving a hybrid car, or using energy-efficient appliances.

–Jennifer Grayson

Related post:
The planet will survive, but will we?

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