Letters - 21 June 2013
From population to the propensity for loving
Population
Roger Plenty’s article on over-population (1 March) hit the spot with me, as I had always felt there were too many of us on the planet being over clever, eating up the Earth rather than being its caretakers. John Woolman reminds us ‘to lessen the distresses of the afflicted and increase the happiness of the creation’. What would he say to our present predicament?
Sheet six of the Quaker pack Responding to Climate Change talks of the need to underpin technical and political solutions with ‘a change in values, societies and relationships at almost every level’. These are the enormous, complex and non-politically-correct changes that must happen to reduce population to sustainable levels. By what means can this be done without coercion? What a hot potato!
Bravo, Roger, for opening the debate. Quakers have always relished a challenge and this is one on all levels, from personal relationships, to cultural prejudices and top-level policy making. It is fundamental to the sustainability discussion, has been debated for centuries, but is never so vital as nowadays. I would like to hear Roger’s concerns discussed in a public Quaker forum designed to raise our awareness of the issues and to debate ways forward in this matter for Friends both here and around the world.
Cherry Foster
Sticking together
We look forward to getting our copy of the Friend each week and regret when it is missing. The splendid biodegradable plastic ‘envelope’ tends to stick to its plastic friend. Several times we have not received ours or have had someone else’s copy stuck to ours. If this happens to you, please post on the attached copy. Someone is waiting for it.
Ruth Baker
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