Overpopulation
The letter by Ray Lamb on 01/15/16 and the column by Georgie Anne Geyer on 02/04/16 about the explosion of the human population on our planet are important reminders of the enormity of problems that confront all of humanity. This explosion has been caused by a number of developments: Advances in medical science during the past two centuries have brought about dramatic decreases in the mortality of infants and women during and after childbirth. In addition, the discovery of antibiotics and various drugs has reduced mortality of people of all ages. Our longevity has been increased substantially by improved understanding of our nutritional requirements, and by new knowledge on how to increase the production, quality and preservation of all types of our food.
The problems caused by overpopulation are not particularly serious in technologically advanced countries, but they are dire in many of the less developed ones. These problems include malnutrition (including starvation), lack of uncontaminated drinking water, and a shortage of medical resources. Human activities in all parts of the world are exacerbating these problems.
We are all engaged in activities that are causing global climate change. As the weather patterns change there will be increased drought in many areas and flooding will occur in others. Such changes have already occurred in many parts of our planet. For example, the southern boundaries of the deserts across northern Africa have been moving progressively southward for decades now, and many low lying regions in Asia and elsewhere are already being flooded by rising sea levels. The recent agreement among most of the nations of the world to reduce their production of global warming gasses and other activities that cause climate change may only serve to slow the process, but they will probably not prevent its progression.
One outcome of the progression of climate change is that the habitable territory of our planet will continue to shrink, as will land areas suitable for agriculture. Accordingly, mass starvation, decimation of populations due to lack of medical care, and even more wars will occur, and these will reduce the human population substantially. Ironically and tragically, the genius of our super-powered brain that brought about the population explosion has also created the conditions that will “correct” it. But it troubles me that I have not heard a single one of the candidates who aspire to become our next president even mention this enormous problem of global overpopulation in their debates or pronouncements. In fact, some of them even deny that global climate change is actually occurring, and even if it is happening, that human activities are the causative factors.
Charles S. Nicoll, Lucerne
Saving Lake County dollars
I was reading that the fire victims wanting to get permits to rebuild. I was reading about what Mr. Comstock stated and that makes very good sense. I believe that the State of California needs to bend the rules to allow these people to rebuild because if they would have done their job of responsible state management we would have had controlled burns way back when, and therefore we would not have had the wildfires that went totally out of hand. Now we are punishing the homeowners and taxpayers in more ways in one.
I feel that at this time, every one of those homeowners in Anderson Springs should be given a permit to rebuild exactly where their old house was and pursue the sewer and give all these homeowners a variance to use what they were using prior to the fire that was not any of their responsibility in any way, shape or form.
One of the reasons is that today all buildings are required to have a low flush toilet, which took less than half of the water that was used before with the old toilets that were legal. Let’s help the homeowner with instant permits with the requirement that the variance is automatically cancelled when the sewer is in operation and they can hook up. In the meantime, lets help all the tax payers with the building permit fees and the taxes for the residence on the property versus a bare piece of land and a homeowner staying with friends or in a motel or trailer park someplace — this is totally unfair and an economic disaster to these homeowners that was not their fault.
This is what I mean by common sense government within the County of Lake. If I was the supervisor today I would talk with my co-board members and make a motion to make this happen for the taxpayers and homeowners that need help.
Ron Rose, Lakeport
More waste
Gee. Has anyone seen the missing million dollars worth of State Department SUV’s that the United States lost in the country of Yemen last year, when we had to evacuate that country? It seems Obama’s spokesmouth (Jen Jaski) at the state department assured us that we would be getting them back. Yeah right.
More lies and wasted money from the Obama state department.
Thomas Nickel, Lakeport
