New NPG Forum Paper Calls for Urgent Action on Overpopulation and Its Impact on the Environment
- NPG
- February 5, 2025
- Press Releases
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Building Awareness for a Thriving Planet
Alexandria, VA, (February 5, 2025): Negative Population Growth (NPG) is pleased to announce the release of a compelling new Forum paper by renowned author and environmental advocate, Dr. Karen I. Shragg. Titled “Killing Our Land with Kindness: Why We Must Consider the Next Seven Generations By Making Better Decisions About Our Population Size”, this paper highlights the critical need for addressing overpopulation in the United States and the profound consequences of population growth on both human and environmental systems.
Drawing on eye-opening research and real-world examples, Dr. Shragg offers a sobering look at how the increasing strain of overpopulation is leading to a biological and ecological “meltdown.” She emphasizes the urgent necessity of reconsidering how immigration and development are managed within our borders. “We must look to other ways that we can help the stranger than admitting them entry to our already overpopulated country,” writes Dr. Shragg, “or assume the responsibility that we are killing our landscapes, and each other, with kindness.”
Dr. Shragg points to the wide-reaching effects of overpopulation, ranging from urban sprawl encroaching on wilderness areas to the depletion of natural resources like water and cropland. “Sprawl studies are showing that there is a rapid creep of growth into open lands and wilderness areas,” she explains. “When commercial, recreational, and transportation infrastructure moves into an area, the fast-paced concentrated development negatively impacts water absorption, cropland, and wildlife—at times even impinging on sacred lands.”
Her work further details the challenges facing both human and natural infrastructure, underscoring the need for a national dialogue on population control. Dr. Shragg emphasizes her position by noting that as many as 166 million people would like to immigrate to the U.S., and poses this existential question to her readers: “Where would we put them?” She highlights the harsh reality that resources are finite and choices must be made regarding their allocation. “There is only so much water to go around. Choices have to be made whether growing populations want water to be diverted from croplands into developments.”
Dr. Shragg also shines a light on the social implications of consistent immigration and population growth in the U.S. She addresses the growing needs of underserved populations already within the U.S., such as the homeless, Black Americans, and Indigenous communities. “These long-term Americans need to be the first in line to get government help, not the last,” she asserts. “A new narrative about kindness needs to be introduced. May I suggest, ‘Be kind to strangers, but not at the expense of those already in need in your neighborhood.’”
One of her most pressing calls to action is for a deeper permeation of public discourse on the risks of overpopulation. “We cannot solve our problems by repurposing bags or recycling our peanut butter jars. We cannot expect technology to solve the problems generated by overpopulation,” she argues. Instead, she stresses the importance of education and policy reform to address these challenges in meaningful, sustainable ways.
NPG calls on its members and supporters to engage with this critical issue by reading Dr. Shragg’s Forum paper, advocating for balanced population policies, and sharing these ideas with others. Together, we can foster solutions that protect our environment and secure a better future for the next seven generations.
Since 1972, NPG has worked to educate both the public and policy leaders about the impacts of overpopulation. With a steadfast commitment to reducing population growth to achieve a sustainable balance with our environmental resources, NPG continues to be a leading voice of reason in a world often driven by the pursuit of perpetual growth. We do not simply identify the problems – we propose solutions. For more information, visit our website at NPG.org, follow us on Facebook @NegativePopulationGrowth or follow us on X @npg_org.
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