Population Archives
In a recent talk in the Bay Area, environmentalist Vandana Shiva criticized the Gates Foundation for committing the sin of attempting to fight poverty in Africa through technological transformation.
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Question: What is the "greatest threat to farmers in the developing world"? Is it (a) grinding poverty, or (b) global warming, or (c) low farm productivity, or (d) drought?
Well, according to noted environmentalist icon, Vandana Shiva, it is none of the above. Addressing a recent conference of the Slow Food Movement in San Francisco, Shiva claimed that the "greatest threat to farmers in the developing world" was none other than the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Yes, Microsoft founder Bill Gates' Gates Foundation. The reason for such ire? Apparently, it is because the Gates Foundation has committed the sin of attempting to fight poverty in Africa through technological transformation. Through the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the Gates Foundation has sought to increase agricultural productivity in Africa through technology. This, some environmentalists believe in their infinite wisdom, represents the "greatest threat to farmers in the developing world"
Continue reading "Is Bill Gates a Menace to Poor Farmers?" »
Promoting the low-tech small-scale agrarian model is neither necessary nor sufficient to solve problems like global warming. Instead, we should use consumption as a tool to encourage new and innovative technologies, like solar energy, wind energy, electric vehicles, biotechnology, etc.
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Over the last few weeks at the Breakthrough Blog, there has been some discussion and debate over consumption and anti-consumption (see my post "Is Consumption Evil" here and Michael Shellenberger's post "The UnGandhi Generation" here). This post is intended to be a continuation of this discussion.
Continue reading "Against Anti-Consumption " »
In India, a generation of people who never learned to read are now able to pursue their dreams of car ownership. With the second largest population in the world, India is at a crossroads, with rapid technological innovation and development alongside high levels of poverty, illiteracy, and malnutrition.
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In India, a generation of people who never learned to read are now able to pursue their dreams of car ownership. With the second largest population in the world, India is at a crossroads, with rapid technological innovation and development alongside high levels of poverty, illiteracy, and malnutrition.
Continue reading "India: Mini-Cars and Malnutrition" »
Ah, the politics of the sixties. Openness to other cultures. Harmony with nature and -- hysterical overpopulation screeds?...
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Ah, the politics of the sixties. Openness to other cultures. Harmony with nature and -- hysterical overpopulation screeds?
Continue reading "The Sixties Were the (Population) Bomb" »
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