Should we have children? The population objection

The Duggar Family

Announcements

• There's homework due Wednesday.
• There's a new issue at the cases/issues tab.

 Population facts

7 billion (Nat. Geographic)
Projections (Wikipedia)
Distribution (Wikipedia)
Birth rates around the world (Wikipedia)

Environmental worries

Ecological footprint quiz 
(how many earths would be needed if everyone consumed resources like me?)
Footprints around the world (Happy Planet Index)

Is there really a population problem?

Bryan Caplan (economist) -- NO! -- annotated article

 How should society encourage more/less reproduction?

• How to encourage less reproduction--China's one-child policy
• How to enourage less reproduction--transferable birth credits
• How to encourage higher population, more reproduction--Caplan: tax credits; open immigration; less pressure to be a high-energy parent
• How to encourage more reproduction -- misc government incentives