Shows
Beyond Pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kidsJane | An OB-GYN on the Lack of True ChoiceJane went into obstetrics and gynecology after her own terrifying pregnancy experience. Now a fulfilled single mother of two, she shares her observations on the pressures women experience to have children, on the ethics of having children amid the global ecological crisis, and on her own fight against the pronatalism of her profession. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/jane About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet...2025-02-2530 min
The Dissenter#1062 Nandita Bajaj: We Have an Overpopulation Problem******Support the channel******Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thedissenterPayPal: paypal.me/thedissenterPayPal Subscription 1 Dollar: https://tinyurl.com/yb3acuuyPayPal Subscription 3 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/ybn6bg9lPayPal Subscription 5 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/ycmr9gpzPayPal Subscription 10 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/y9r3fc9mPayPal Subscription 20 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/y95uvkao ******Follow me on******Website: https://www.thedissenter.net/The Dissenter Goodreads list: https://shorturl.at/7BMoBFacebook: https://www.f...2025-02-2152 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceThe Sexual Politics of Meat | Carol J. AdamsOur patriarchal culture animalizes women and sexualizes animals, and without compulsory pregnancy among human and nonhuman females, both patriarchy and animal agriculture would fail. Carol Adams, author of The Sexual Politics of Meat: A Feminist-Vegan Critical Theory, joins us. Highlights include: How Carol got started on her personal journey to veganism; Why patriarchal cultures associate masculinity with meat-eating and how women and animals become ‘absent referents’; Why feminism and veganism have a long history of deep interconnection; How sexism persists in the animals rights movement; Why a vegan diet is a daily act of anti-oppressive resistance. See epis...2025-02-181h 02
One Single WomanECOLOGICAL OVERSHOOT & OUR FUTURE with Nandita Bajaj, Executive Director of Population BalanceToday, my guest is Nandita Bajaj, Executive Director of Population Balance. Following on from my awakening episode, last week, I wanted to publish this interview which was carried out in August 2024. Nandita explains the stage we are currently at with overpopulation and how human supremacy, patriarchy and pronatalism have driven us to a dire situation on planet earth. We discuss ecological overshoot, the loss of biodiversity and the effect this has on the human race and the non-human animals, the ways in which animal agriculture is a driving force of climate change, the inequality between we...2025-02-121h 24Beyond Pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kidsMariko | Mixed-Race and ChildfreeRaised by a Japanese father and a German mother in two contrasting cultural settings, Mariko always had the alienating sense of not quite fitting in. To spare their children the same unease, and to follow their personal life passions, she and her partner choose the childfree path. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/mariko About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know th...2025-02-1234 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceFrom Grief to Regeneration | Sarah BexellWe have it in us to create a more beautiful, regenerative future that allows both humans and nonhumans to flourish. Dr. Sarah Bexell, professor of social work and co-founder of the Center for a Regenerative Future at the University of Denver, joins us. Highlights of our conversation include: Why captive breeding programs for endangered species are both cruel and ineffective; How the mental health of both conservation professionals and animal rights activists is deeply impacted by the ongoing suffering of both wild animals and farmed animals; How ongoing ecological destruction is causing eco-anxiety and eco-distress in students and...2025-02-041h 05Beyond Pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kidsOlivia | The Fear of Missing Out on FamilyOlivia and her husband are both fairly certain they don’t want biological children, but they deeply value family and are afraid they’ll miss out. The challenges of the adoption process have thrown them into a state of uncertainty about how to have the family they crave, while staying true to their convictions. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/olivia About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and ye...2025-01-2831 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceThe Biggest Risk to Humanity | Mathis WackernagelEcological overshoot is the second largest risk to humanity. Not reacting to it is the biggest. Mathis Wackernagel, co-creator of the ecological footprint and co-founder of the Global Footprint Network, joins us. Highlights of the conversations include: How ecological footprint is calculated as a measure of how much of nature’s regenerative capacity humanity is using; Why the estimate that we’re using the natural regenerative capacity of 1.7 Earths is an underestimate of humanity’s actual ecological overshoot; Why shrinking our ecological footprint needs to be framed as an opportunity for resource security, not just noble and charitable but ab...2025-01-211h 07
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceNew Podcast Name - We are now OVERSHOOTANNOUNCEMENT Hello everyone, here we are in 2025 and we have some important news to share. Last year was a really challenging year – we grappled with new climate records, we saw worsening global conflict, and we saw an upsurge in regressive pronatalism. And the year ahead looks like it will include much of the same—which means that all of us will have to remain steadfast, and become even bolder in our work to fight back and advocate for life-affirming alternatives. PODCAST NAME CHANGE As part of that commitment, we’ve decided to rename the po...2025-01-1602 minBeyond Pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kidsNicole | The Rich Lives of Women Without KidsNicole grew up in a traditional household in Brazil, but knew from an early age that motherhood was not for her. When she found herself with a partner who decided he did want kids, she embarked on a journey of discovery about the many pathways life could take outside of our reproductive capacity. This journey included not only deep self-reflection, but interviewing 14 incredible women and publishing a book that tells their stories. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/nicole About Beyond Pronatalism T...2025-01-1444 min
Choose The BearBalancing the Population with Nandita BajajPopulation can be a sensitive subject but Nandita Bajaj, Executive Director of Population Balance, discusses the subject with intelligence, empathy, and deep introspection. In this episode we discuss how her upbringing in India impacted her beliefs about children and population, pronatalism and climate change, and the incredible work that she and her organization are doing.
Learn more about Population Balance and find their podcasts HERE.
Questions? Want to share your story? choosethebearpod@gmail.com. And don't forget to LEAVE A REVIEW!
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OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceThe Other Significant Others | Rhaina CohenFriendship is not a “nice-to-have” but a core, potentially transformative human connection. Rhaina Cohen, author of The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life With Friendship at the Center, joins us. Highlights of our conversation include: The “friendship recession” and how modern culture undervalues friendships compared to romantic or family ties; Historical and cross-cultural insights into how friendship has been understood and prioritized in different societies; Stories from Cohen’s book about people redefining relationships, including platonic co-parents and friends who live together as chosen family; The legal and cultural barriers to elevating friendship as a socially sanctioned form of kinship an...2024-12-231h 04Beyond Pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kidsMelissa | The Joys of the “Empty Nest”Following in the footsteps of her grandparents, Melissa gave birth to four kids in rapid succession. She found raising children - who include Population Balance Board Chair Lukas Eddy - to be incredibly rewarding, yet wishes she had first taken the time to discover herself. As an empty nester, she is finally finding that time. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/melissa About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our liv...2024-12-1720 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceAnimals are Not Ours | Ingrid NewkirkAnimals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, or use for entertainment. For International Animal Rights Day, we are joined by Ingrid Newkirk, co-founder and President of PETA, the world’s largest animal rights organization. Highlights of our conversation include: The formative experiences that inspired Ingrid to co-found PETA and dedicate her life to animal liberation; PETA’s groundbreaking campaigns that include both bold, confrontational activism as well as behind-the-scenes deliberation and negotiation; Major victories of PETA in transforming industries like food, fashion, experimentation, and entertainment to reduce animal suffering and the challenges that remain; Ingrid’s though...2024-12-1047 minBeyond Pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kidsJuan Camilo | Childfree Biologist on Eco-CrisesJuan Camilo made a decision when he was just a teenager: that he would not bring children into a world where they would suffer. Despite the pressures of living in conservative Colombia, he has managed to stick to his convictions and now teaches graduate students about how they can reduce their environmental impact by having fewer kids. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/juan-camilo About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in...2024-12-0325 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceProgressive Pathways for a Smaller Population | Hannah Evans and Pam WassermanPopulation dynamics are deeply connected to environmental sustainability and social justice. That's the message of Pam Wasserman and Hannah Evans from Population Connection - the oldest grassroots population organization in the U.S. Highlights include: The origins of Population Connection and its evolution from ZPG (Zero Population Growth) to a broader mission addressing the intersections of population, environment, and social justice; How their K-12 education program trains thousands of teachers annually to teach students the importance of population dynamics within the broader issues of environmental sustainability; The connections between population growth, resource consumption, and climate vulnerability, and how...2024-11-2655 minBeyond Pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kidsMilly and Mik | The Joys and Challenges of AdoptionRaised in disparate cultures across the world, Milly and Mik had different ideas about what kind of family they wanted. But there was one thing they agreed on: adoption (of three dogs and a child!) was the way to go. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/milly-mik About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know that we even have a choice about ho...2024-11-1936 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceWalking with Gorillas | Gladys Kalema-ZikusokaHealthy and thriving animal communities depend on healthy and thriving human communities. That’s the message from this week’s guest, Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Uganda’s first wildlife veterinarian and founder of Conservation Through Public Health. Highlights include: How a scabies outbreak among gorillas reshaped her approach to conservation, linking human health to the health of the gorillas; The role of family planning and community health education in reducing human population pressure, human-wildlife conflict and improving both conservation outcomes and local livelihoods; The balance between the benefits of ecotourism for funding conservation and the risks it poses to gorill...2024-11-1251 minBeyond Pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kidsLaura | Escaping Trad Wife CultureRaised in the conservative Deep South of the United States, Laura always believed having kids was a requirement. When she found out it was optional, suddenly everything changed. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/laura About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know that we even have a choice about how we define and create our families? Beyond Pronatalism host Na...2024-11-0531 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceThe Poverty of Growth | Olivier De SchutterObsession with growth is enriching elites and killing the planet. Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights and author of The Poverty of Growth, joins us. Highlights include: Why poverty is about more than low income and how unequal economic growth creates greater social exclusion and status anxiety for the majority of people that growth leaves behind; How global trade practices benefit corporations over workers, especially in low-income countries, driving inequality and limiting worker protections; Why ‘green growth’ is a myth and that economic growth continues to be tied to both resource depletion and...2024-10-2946 minBeyond Pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kidsAsh | Rejecting Mormonism and MotherhoodA Mormon upbringing, an accidental pregnancy, and lack of access to abortion services drove Ash to bear a child against her wishes. Committed to taking back her stolen autonomy, Ash chooses a surprising path. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/ash About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know that we even have a choice about how we define and create our fa...2024-10-2241 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceThe Meat Paradox | Melanie JoyEating animals isn’t just a personal choice. It’s shaped by an invisible belief system, carnism, that conditions people to see eating animals as normal, natural, and necessary. Melanie Joy, social psychologist and author of Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows, joins us. Highlights include: How the three 'N's’ - normal, natural, necessary - are used to justify systems like carnism and pronatalism, and how dismantling these myths creates space for more compassionate choices; How cognitive distortions like objectification and dichotomization impact both human and animal relationships, perpetuating cycles of violence and opp...2024-10-1550 minBeyond Pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kidsHans-Peter | Vasectomy as a Gift of LoveRaised in a small Catholic village in Germany, curious 13yo Hans-Peter used his first paycheck to buy a Bible. A deep dive into Chritianity drove him to stand up for reproductive rights and ecological sustainability, and on his 25th birthday, he gifted himself a vasectomy. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/hans-peter About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know that we eve...2024-10-0824 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceThe Emotional Lives of Animals | Marc BekoffAnimals feel deeply, and recognizing their emotions could transform how we treat them. Marc Bekoff, animal behavior expert and author of The Emotional Lives of Animals, joins us. Highlights include: How cognitive ethology helps us understand the minds and emotions of animals, and why this understanding is essential for improving their wellbeing; What is wrong with the traditional animal welfare approach and why Dr. Bekoff advocates for a science of animal well-being that values each individual animal’s life; Why human overpopulation exacerbates habitat destruction and the suffering of animals, stressing the need to reduce human impact on ec...2024-10-0146 minBeyond Pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kidsSara | The Relief of IVF FailureUnable to have children naturally, and driven by her fear of regretting childlessness, Sara sought IVF in her late 30s - a journey that was physically, emotionally, and financially harrowing - only to realize that she had just dodged a pronatalist bullet. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/sara About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know that we even have a ch...2024-09-2424 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceEarly Warning Systems | Chris FunkNote: Despite the slightly compromised sound quality, Chris offers absolutely essential insights. Population growth and extreme weather events converge to create growing challenges in vulnerable regions. Chris Funk, climatologist and director of the Climate Hazards Center, joins us. Highlights include: How rapid population growth in already hot and humid regions of Africa increases the number of people exposed to extreme heat, drought, and flood; What Funk’s research reveals about how El Niño and La Niña events are amplifying extreme weather in the Global South and their impacts on food security;...2024-09-1759 minBeyond Pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kidsTania and Brian | Healing Together with AnimalsDeeply in love with each other and their 38 animals, Tania (a Ukrainian asylee) and Brian (a Latino/Native American) share their vastly different upbringing that set them on their childfree paths. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/tania-brian About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know that we even have a choice about how we define and create our families? Bey...2024-09-1030 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceThe Lies Economists Tell | Joshua FarleyThe dominant economic system delivers neither ecological nor social justice. Joshua Farley, an expert in ecological economics, argues for reclaiming our humanity from the destructive grip of mainstream economics. Highlights include: How mainstream economic ideologies disregard planetary boundaries and contribute to ecological damage through unchecked economic growth; A critique of the ‘Homo economicus’ model in mainstream economics, which inaccurately depicts humans as purely rational, self-interested, competitive, and insatiable, and misrepresents our fundamentally cooperative nature; Why markets, while suitable for catering to individual tastes and preferences, are wholly inadequate in addressing ecological constraints and achieving secure suff...2024-09-031h 09Beyond Pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kidsVincie | Disrupting Family ExpectationsBorn and raised in densely-populated Hong Kong, Vincie shares her journey of wrestling with traditional Asian family norms and creating her own chosen family. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/vincie About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know that we even have a choice about how we define and create our families? Beyond Pronatalism host Nandita Bajaj interviews women an...2024-08-2730 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceWater Always Wins | Erica GiesWe need to respect what water wants. Erica Gies, journalist and author of Water Always Wins: Thriving in an Age of Drought and Deluge, joins us. Highlights include: Erica’s personal decision not to have biological children as both a personal choice and a contribution to reducing human pressure on the planet; The concept of 'slow water' and allowing for water’s natural cycles on the land contrasted with modern, infrastructure-heavy approaches that focus on controlling water; The broader implications of population growth on water and the need to address this issue within environmental and degrowth movements; The hidde...2024-08-201h 10
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceAnnouncement: New Podcast "Beyond pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kids"Hello, this is Nandita Bajaj, co-host of The Overpopulation Podcast and Executive Director of Population Balance. I am excited to share that we’ve launched a second podcast, Beyond Pronatalism: Finding Fulfillment, With or Without Kids. Please subscribe and share it widely. Episodes drop every two weeks and you can find them on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Don’t miss the chance to hear stories that could very well resonate with your own experiences—or open your mind to new ways of thinking about family, community, and personal fulfillment. And, if you’d like to be on...2024-08-1504 minBeyond Pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kidsLili | Escaping the Dread of MotherhoodBorn and raised in Haiti, and now living in the US, Lili talks about how she found peace after many years of dreading motherhood within a pronatalist culture that values large families. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/lili About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know that we even have a choice about how we define and create our families? ...2024-08-1423 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceThe Delusion of Decoupling | James HopewardEconomic growth is failing the planet, and it’s time for a change. James Hopeward, environmental civil engineering professor, joins us. Highlights include: Why decoupling economic growth from energy and material use relies on temporary efficiency gains and ultimately fails in a growth-based system, rendering the concepts of absolute and relative decoupling meaningless; How the IPCC treats economic and population growth as exogenous to its modelling scenarios, and has therefore both overestimated fossil fuel supplies and underestimated catastrophic social and ecological outcomes resulting from overshoot; Why understanding exponential growth was a crucial lesson for James and is now a...2024-08-061h 01
Childfree Wealth®Celebrating International Childfree Day🎙️ In this special episode of the podcast, host Bri celebrates International Childfree Day with an insightful conversation featuring distinguished guests Dr. Jay, Nandita Bajaj, Christine Erickson, and Angela Harris. Together, they explore the multifaceted experience of living childfree, examining its implications on legacy, minimalism, policy changes, and empowerment within the community.Join us as our guests share their unique perspectives on creating a fulfilling life without children, emphasizing the importance of freedom, meaningful relationships, and personal responsibility for future care. 👥 The discussion also delves into practical financial planning strategies tailored for those without children, highlighting flexibility, minimalism, and the...2024-08-0139 minBeyond Pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kidsJuliana | Childfree for Earth and AnimalsRaised within the religiously-conservative Colombian culture with a lonely and isolated childhood, Juliana describes her journey of finding liberation by rejecting harmful societal norms and choosing a radical pathway of becoming a childfree environmentalist and animal rights activist. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/juliana About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know that we even have a choice about how we de...2024-07-3026 minBeyond Pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kidsMary Pat | Shaking Loose from Catholic RootsRaised in a large Irish-Catholic family at the height of the 1960s liberation movements in the United States, Mary Pat unpacks her many life transformations, from rejecting her pro-life roots and choosing a small biological and adoptive family to becoming a staunch advocate for the rights of people, animals, and the planet. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/mary-pat About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet ho...2024-07-3033 minBeyond Pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kidsBrittany | Leaving Religion to Find HerselfRaised in an extremist religious community within the United States, Brittany, the youngest of 11 children, recounts her story of navigating her aspirations for freedom against the backdrop of an intensely oppressive and neglectful upbringing and how she mustered the courage to break free. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/brittany About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know that we even have a c...2024-07-3036 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceAnimals as Legal Beings | Maneesha DeckhaOur legal system is failing animals by treating them as either property or persons. Maneesha Deckha, Professor and Lansdowne Chair in Law at the University of Victoria and author of Animals as Legal Beings: Contesting Anthropocentric Legal Orders, joins us. Highlights include: Highlights include: Maneesha’s personal journey into exploring the links between animal legal studies and critical animal studies, health law, reproductive ethics, feminist analysis of law, and postcolonial and critical race theory; Deckha’s evaluation of the 2022 decision by the New York Court of Appeals with respect to the ongoing captivity of H...2024-07-2359 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceMost Good and Least Harm | Zoe WeilEducation is critical to solving our biggest challenges - but it needs a new approach. Zoe Weil, co-founder and president of the Institute for Humane Education and author of The Solutionary Way, joins us. Highlights include: Zoe’s personal journey of co-founding the Institute for Humane Education in 1996, and the many programs and resources offered through the Institute; The description of a “solutionary” as someone who transforms unjust, unsustainable, and inhumane systems for the most good and least harm, and how one can cultivate a solutionary mindset; How to use a humane education lens to understand the connections betwee...2024-07-101h 01Beyond Pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kidsTrailer | Beyond Pronatalism Podcast Launch!Official Trailer Podcast Launches on July 30, 2024! To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know that we even have a choice about how we define and create our families? Beyond Pronatalism host Nandita Bajaj interviews women and men from diverse backgrounds who are courageously and creatively navigating pronatalism - the powerful pressures to have children - whether from family, friends, or the culture at large. Through intimate conversations, they discuss how they are forging unconventional pathways to fulfillment...2024-06-3003 min
Beyond Cinema with NihitaProvoked (2006): A biographical exploration of justice & resilienceDirector: Jag Mundhra
Writers: Carl Austin & Rahila Gupta
Based on: The Circle of Light (book)
Cast: Aishwarya Rai, Miranda Richardson, Robbie Coltrane, Naveen Andrews,Ray Panthaki & Nandita Das
Cinematography: Madhu Ambat
Music: A.R. Rahman
In this episode, we delve into the gripping 2006 biographical drama "Provoked," featuring Aishwarya Rai in one of her most powerful roles. The film portrays the true story of Kiranjit Ahluwalia, an Indian woman who endures years of domestic abuse before fighting back and reshaping the British legal system. We explore Rai’s po...2024-06-2807 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceThe Myth of “Development” | Ashish Kothari“Development” is destroying the planet and erasing cultural wisdom. Ashish Kothari, environmentalist and author, joins us. Highlights include: How the Western model of development in India, combined with colonialism and globalization, led to incalculable social injustice and ecological destruction; How the elite class within countries reinforces neoliberal and neo-colonial models, exacerbating existing inequalities such as gender and caste; The concept of radical ecological democracy, as expressed through the Flower of Transformation, the Global Tapestry of Alternatives, Vikalp Sangam (Alternatives Confluence), all of which highlight and connect local community-led radical alternatives of social transformation, ecol...2024-06-251h 03
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceSocial Ecological Economics | Clive SpashThe global economy is failing socially and ecologically. Clive Spash, an ecological economist and pioneer of social ecological economics, joins us. Highlights include: A critique of mainstream economics for failing to consider not only ecological and biophysical realities, but also pro-social human behavior and relationships, as well as power hierarchies; How economists who have completed multiple degrees in economics are found to be particularly closed-minded and resistant to alternative perspectives; How major environmental NGOs, including The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, and World Wildlife Fund, have been taken over by corporate and...2024-06-111h 17
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceConfronting the Population Taboo | Riane EislerWe need to shift from systems of domination - rooted in control, hierarchy, and violence - to systems of partnership grounded in mutual respect, equity, and care for all life. Riane Eisler, a social systems scientist, futurist, cultural historian and author of The Chalice and the Blade and The Real Wealth of Nations, joins us. Highlights include: Riane’s childhood experiences of being a Holocaust survivor and living as a refugee in Cuba, which informed her study of contrasting societal models of dominator versus partnership; How domination systems enforce violence through rigid rankings, while partnership sys...2024-05-2856 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceAnimals in the Anthropocene | Jo-Anne McArthurThe suffering of animals trapped within human systems of exploitation and oppression is hidden in plain sight. Jo-Anne McArthur, animal photojournalist and founder of We Animals Media, joins us. Highlights include: How, motivated by the power of photography to catalyze social change and to raise awareness about animal exploitation, Jo-Anne created a new genre of photojournalism, namely Animal Photo Journalism (APJ); APJ’s mission to capture, memorialize, and expose the experiences of animals who are caught within the complex human-dominated systems and whom we fail to see - animals within the industrial food systems, animals us...2024-05-141h 01
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceHighway to Hell: The Dystopian Fantasies of Tech Billionaires | Émile P. TorresThe dystopian visions of ecologically blind tech billionaires are shaping our future in alarming ways. Émile P. Torres, philosopher and historian, joins us. Highlights include: how transhumanism is built on the idea of creating God-like AI to reengineer humanity to achieve immortality, sustain capitalist growth, and colonize space; how the effective altruism’s utilitarian approach to philanthropy is not only blind to systemic change, social inequalities, and moral integrity, but it also perpetuates neoliberal ideology that further contributes to inequality and exploitation, e.g. Sam Bankman-Fried’s ‘Earn to Give’ fraud; the intersection of capita...2024-04-301h 06
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceCountdown: Our Last, Best Hope for a Future on Earth? | Alan WeismanHow many humans can the planet support without capsizing? Alan Weisman, journalist and author of Countdown: Our Last, Best Hope for a Future on Earth?, joins us. Highlights include: How growth-biased cultures, religions, nationalities, tribes, and political systems are collectively undermining our ability to live within planetary limits; How both the intended and unintended consequences of the Green Revolution helped push us beyond Earth’s carrying capacity, while devastating natural ecosytems; The ethnic, religious, and political complexities and history of the Israel-Palestine conflict and how pronatalism and ecological overshoot factor into it; How Iran, Thailand, and Costa Rica deve...2024-04-161h 06
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceThe Childfree Choice More Prevalent than Reported | Jennifer Watling Neal and Zachary NealChildfree adults make up a significant portion of the population, yet they remain largely invisible in policymaking and demographic surveys. Zachary Neal and Jennifer Watling Neal, psychologists and childfree researchers, join us. Highlights include: A discussion of how childfree adults make up a significant portion of the population, yet they remain largely invisible in policymaking and demographic surveys; Zak and Jenna's attempt to create a consistent definition of “childfree” by including specific questions about people’s desire for children rather than their biological capability for having children; Among people without children, being voluntarily childfree is significantly more prevalent than be...2024-04-021h 03
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceCatastrophe Ethics | Travis RiederModern life is filled with confusing and often terrifying problems, leaving many of us struggling with how to make morally decent choices. Travis N. Rieder, bioethicist and moral philosopher and author of Catastrophe Ethics, joins us. Highlights include: Why modern life can be both morally exhausting and puzzling and individual action can often seem insignificant within the context of the massive and complex systems that surround our daily lives; How we can overcome this sense of 'moral dumbfounding' to better align our actions with our values; Why the decision to have a biological child is an example of...2024-03-191h 01
Let Me Sum UpCould Rewiring Humanity Be Easier Than Rewiring The Nation?Support us on Patreon... Tennant, Luke and Frankie are calling all Summerupperers to come join the expanded LMSU universe and support our Patreon! Sign up for access to covetous BoCo like bonus episodes, our notes on papers read, custom memes and climate mash ups of 70s soul hits! Head on over to https://www.patreon.com/LetMeSumUp.—We get the ball rolling with some crystal ball gazing this week. Speculation is rife on just how ambitious Australia’s 2035 national emissions target will be and your intrepid hosts are far from immune to a spot of prog...2024-03-071h 08
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceBreaking Out of the Baby Matrix | Laura CarrollPronatalism shapes how we think about parenthood and reproduction, often in ways we don’t even notice. Laura Carroll, an expert on pronatalism, the childfree choice, and author of The Baby Matrix, joins us. Highlights include: Highlighted stories of women from Laura's latest book, A Special Sisterhood: 100 Fascinating Women From History Who Never had Children; A discussion of the various pronatalist assumptions that people have to navigate while deciding whether or not to have children, and the effects of those decisions on people and planet; Laura offers alternative perspectives that elevate reproductive autonomy — such that parenthood and non-parenthood are e...2024-03-051h 01
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceThe Megamachine and Green Growth Delusions | Christopher KetchamTechno-industrial extractivism is driving environmental destruction, and the media is complicit in upholding the growth model that sustains it. Christopher Ketcham, author of This Land: How Cowboys, Capitalism, and Corruption Are Ruining the American West, joins us. Highlights include: How techno-industrial extractivism plagues modern societies and the media is complicity in failing to challenge the growth model on which it is based; How environmental destruction in the U.S. West has been aided and abetted by corrupt federal land management agencies that have been captured by the livestock, forestry, and mining interests they're supposed to be regulating; The...2024-02-2052 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceHow Men Came to Rule | Angela SainiPatriarchy has shaped societies across the globe, but how did it take root? Angela Saini, science journalist and author of The Patriarchs: How Men Came to Rule, joins us. Highlights include: How gendered roles, pronatalism, and militarism – key features of patriarchies – are very recent phenomena within the long span of human history, emerging with the rise of early states and empires and their pressures on women to have many children for the state for the sake of greater economic and military power; The diversity of human arrangements, including the prevalence of egalitarian and matrilineal societies around the world – past an...2024-02-061h 03
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceHow Population Became a Dirty Word | Diana CooleWhen and why did population become a dirty word? Diana Coole, political theorist and feminist scholar, joins us. Highlights include: Why population shaming is the main barrier to open conversations about overpopulation - an major contributor to mounting social and ecological catastrophes, including climate change, biodiversity destruction, resource scarcity, and conflict; How population shaming pushed overpopulation from a central environmental issue in the 1970s to a near-taboo topic today; How fears of neo-colonialism in the Global South made population issues politically untouchable; How associations with past eugenics programs silenced overpopulation discourse in the Global North; Why neoliberalism and...2024-01-231h 05
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceWelcome to the Great Unraveling | Asher Miller & Rob DietzEnvironmental and social breakdown from intersecting crises is accelerating, but how can we navigate it? Asher Miller and Rob Dietz of the Post Carbon Institute join us to discuss their latest report, Welcome to the Great Unraveling. Highlights include: Why human supremacy and ecological overshoot are the root causes of the unfolding 'great unraveling'; How global suffering could increase with the threat of rising polarization, techno-solutionism, and conflict; Why embracing complexity, uncertainty, and competing priorities is key to maintaining social cohesion and international peace; How seeking wisdom and knowledge from communities who have experienced collapse and suffering can h...2024-01-091h 00
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceAnimal and Human Liberation | Hope FerdowsianOppression, exploitation, and domination harm both humans and nonhumans, but how can we dismantle these systems? Hope Ferdowsian, president of Phoenix Zones Initiative and a public health physician, joins us. Highlights include: Why the exploitation of animals in food production and research is linked to broader global violence and conflict; How powerful corporate interests fuel issues like hunger, climate change, extinction, and pandemics through institutionalized animal exploitation; What ethics-based policy changes in academia, public health, and global institutions can do to transform harmful systems; How the “phoenix effect” in survivors of trauma reveals pathways to healing, resilience, and just...2023-12-221h 00
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceConfronting Overshoot | William ReesHow has blind faith in human exceptionalism, neoliberal economics, and technological optimism led us into a state of ecological overshoot? Bill Rees, population ecologist and co-creator of the ecological footprint analysis, joins us. Highlights include: How human exceptionalism, techno-optimism, and neoliberal economics have blinded us to ecological limits and fueled ecological overshoot; How cheap and abundant energy enabled the transformation of nature into human artifacts and the exploitation of poorer nations by richer ones; Why continuing the same path of economic growth obsession in the form of "green growth" will still lead to ecological collapse; Why nothing short...2023-12-051h 30
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundancePopulation Growth, Modern Slavery, and Ecocide | Kevin BalesModern-day slavery persists as a global tragedy, violating fundamental human rights and causing widespread ecological destruction. Kevin Bales, Professor of Contemporary Slavery and Research Director of the Rights Lab at the University of Nottingham, UK and an expert on modern day slavery, joins us. Highlights include: How population growth, pronatalism, religion, economic systems, and war have sustained slavery in the past and present; Why modern slavery is often difficult to identify due to cultural practices and laws such debt bondage, forced marriage, and labor exploitation that are provided cultural and legal camouflage; How modern slavery contributes disproportionately to en...2023-11-131h 05
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceJapan's Baby-Making Propaganda | Isabel FassbenderHow has Japan’s slightly declining population given rise to a toxic mix of patriarchy, biomedical capitalism, and nationalism? Isabel Fassbender, a Japan-based feminist scholar and author of Active Pursuit of Pregnancy: Neoliberalism, Postfeminism and the Politics of Reproduction in Contemporary Japan, joins us. Highlights include: How Japan’s panicked response to a slight population decline reflects a troubling blend of patriarchy, nationalism, and biomedical capitalism; Why a country with an ecological overshoot and chronic overwork crisis should welcome population decline but instead promotes pronatalist alarm; What exploitative tactics Japanese policymakers and media use to pressure women into repr...2023-10-241h 02
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundancePopulation: A Threat Multiplier | Camilo MoraHuman activity is driving climate change, biodiversity loss, resource scarcity, and pandemics, creating compounding crises that demand urgent attention. Camilo Mora, professor and researcher, joins us. Highlights include: Why moving past population denial is critical for addressing our multiple ecological challenges; How population pressures have impacted life in his native Columbia - including the loss of biodiversity, worsening of poverty, and the erasure of traditional cultural wisdom. Why small, disconnected "protected areas" are a failed strategy of biodiversity conservation, especially in the Global South; How he's witnessed the devastation of ocean life biodiversity in the relatively short span...2023-09-281h 00
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceOverpopulation and the Ethics of Procreation | Trevor HedbergWhat are the ethical implications of bringing new life into existence, both for the child and the planet? Trevor Hedberg, environmental and procreative ethicist and author of The Environmental Impact of Overpopulation: The Ethics of Procreation, joins us. Highlights include: How pronatalism influences procreative decision-making; Why the right to found a family must be balanced with the rights of others to not be harmed; Why Trevor rejects both antinatalism and misanthropy; Why population reduction is a moral imperative in order to reduce unnecessary suffering to people and other species; How rights-based policy strategies can be used to ethically...2023-09-131h 07
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceRewilding Nature and Ourselves | Suprabha SeshanWhat happens when we renounce our ego and allow nature to become our teacher? Subrabha Seshan, rainforest conservationist and educator, joins us. Highlights include: What the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary in Kerala, India is doing to serve as an ecological “ark” amid the flood of human expansion; How Subrapha's work combines traditional knowledge and scientific practices to protect endangered plants of the Western Ghats biome; Why understanding plant interdependence is essential for restoring forest ecosystems and supporting biodiversity; How rewilding efforts at the sanctuary provide refuge for both nonhuman life and human spirit in a time of ecological destruction; What...2023-08-231h 02
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceMen Confronting Patriarchy | Andrew KyamageroMale involvement in family planning is key to changing population dynamics and promoting gender equity in Uganda. Andrew Kyamagero, a Ugandan journalist and family-planning advocate, joins us. Highlights include: How patriarchal norms drive high fertility, child marriage, and low female education and workforce participation in Uganda; Why Western imperialism, both historical and ongoing, continues to challenge Uganda’s sovereignty; Why engaging boys and men in confronting patriarchy and pronatalism is essential for sustainable gender equality; How male advocacy complements the empowerment of girls and women to achieve true gender equality and ecological sustainbility in Uganda. See episode web...2023-08-011h 03
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceThe Right to Reproductive Autonomy | Robert EngelmanReproductive autonomy and empowering choice are key to both human rights and planetary health. Robert Engelman, researcher, writer, former newspaper reporter and author of More: Population, Nature, and What Women Want, joins us. Highlights include: How women have been controlling their fertility for thousands of years through various forms of contraception; What 10,000 years of history reveal about the link between the erosion of women’s reproductive rights, population growth, and environmental degradation; How women lost control over both the timing and frequency of their pregnancies as patriarchal cultural norms became more established; How fertility rates have declined alongside ga...2023-07-111h 04
GrowthBustersOverpopulation Think Tank – Part 2Are many vegans self-righteous, overbearing and insufferable in their efforts to recruit us? Would you believe “overpopulation” is still a taboo word? Or that human population numbers are still an “off-limits” topic at some conferences? This episode continues the conversation we began in episode 79 with five smart people: Nandita Bajaj, executive director of Population Balance Sarah Bexell, director of humane education at the Institute for Human Animal Connection at University of Denver Paul Sutton, professor of geography & the environment at DU Stephanie Gardner, co-host of the GrowthBusters podcast Dave Gardner, co-host of the GrowthBusters podcast MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Popul...2023-06-071h 10
Childfree MediaPronatalism (2022 Virtual Childfree Convention Replay)Childfree expert Laura Carroll and Nandita Bajaj-executive director of Population Balance are featured panel speakers of this live-stream replay from the 2022 Virtual Childfree Convention.
Panel Topic: Pronatalism (the policy or practice of encouraging the bearing of children, especially government support of a higher birthrate.)
Visit ChildfreeConvention.com for more details on this free annual event!
2023-05-2127 minChildfree MediaIs Childfree Good for the Planet? (2021)Nandita Bajaj, executive director of Population Balance, was our guest on a special live stream panel, hosted by Childfree Convention. A Humane Educator and a passionate advocate for planetary health, Nandita’s area of interest is the intimate links between pronatalism, anthropocentrism and overpopulation and their impacts on human rights, animal protection, and environmental preservation. As faculty with the Institute for Humane Education at Antioch University, Nandita teaches a graduate course that she has designed, "Pronatalism and Overpopulation. For more information, visit https://populationbalance.org
2023-05-011h 10GrowthBustersOverpopulation Think Tank – Part 1Five thought leaders break the silence on the role of human overpopulation in ecological overshoot –with an informed, engaging conversation about the subject. This is what intelligent discourse sounds like. For thirty years, many people – some well-intentioned – have been trying to silence discourse about human overpopulation. One of our goals on the GrowthBusters podcast is to break that silence, and this episode does that well by bringing together three great thinkers – actually five, educators and crusaders on the subject. The occasion was a visit to Colorado by Nandita Bajaj, executive director of Population Balance and co-host of The Over...2023-04-251h 05
Planet: CriticalHow Pronatalism Feeds The Economy | Nandita BajajWe’re in planetary overshoot. So why are governments coercing women into having children?Nandita Bajaj is the Executive Director of Population Balance, an organisation offering education and solutions to address the intersectional impacts of human overpopulation and over consumption on the planet, people and animals. Nandita also co-hosts The Overpopulation Podcast, and teaches at the Institute for humane education at Antioch university, where she researches prenatal ism and human supremacy and their impacts on reproductive ecological and intergenerational justice.This episode is about the dangers of pronatalism. Nandita reveals how the coercive pronatalist policies ar...2023-03-161h 26
Know More Know LessOverpopulation and planetary limits w/ Nandita Bajaj & Alan Ware (ep #15)This was one of my favourite conversations yet. No matter how many things I learn about climate change and the impact humanity is having on our ecosystem, there's always a 10-tonne elephant in the room that is never mentioned: Overpopulation! Thankfully Nandita Bajaj & Alan Ware from Population Balance are here to upgrade my knowledge... and scare the sh*t out of me (within the first 15min!) In this episode we discuss: - why nobody is discussing overpopulation? - what evidence exists that we are exceeding our ecological boundaries? - what role does human...2023-02-091h 45
Thrive SoloThe One Where I Talk To Nandita Bajaj & Kirsten Stade of Population BalanceSend us a textIn this week's episode, I talk to Executive Director and Communications Manager at Population Balance, Nandita Bajaj and Kirsten Stade. The organisation’s mission is to offer education and solutions to address the impacts of human overpopulation and overconsumption on the planet, people, and animals. It is the first and only organisation globally that draws the connections between pronatalism, anthropocentrism, and overpopulation, and their combined devastating impacts on social, reproductive, ecological, and intergenerational justice. In this episode, we talk about how the planet is in ‘ecological overshoot’; the many...2023-01-241h 12
Post-Growth Australia PodcastWomen for Conservation with Isabella Cortes LaraOn November 15 2022 the global population hit 8 billion. Despite the fact that half of all the world’s pregnancies are unplanned, any talk of global approach to family planning and reproductive health care in the global south remains controversial. So often, this is debated across the global north without including stakeholders who live in the global south and work with the issues first hand. PGAP aims to make amends for this oversight by inviting Isabella Cortes Lara to the podcast, Vice President of ‘Women for Conservation’, who work alongside rural communities in Colombia and Nepal. An incredible artist and storyteller, Isabel...2023-01-221h 03Childfree MediaBeing Childfree in Indian Culture (2021 Virtual Childfree Conference)Panellists Nandita Bajaj and Shweta Ramkumar share their insights on the Being Childfree in Indian Culture panel, a replay from the 2021 Virtual Childfree Conference. Moderated by LeNora Faye.
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2023-01-1132 minGrowthBusters8 Billion is Too Many: Don’t be a Twit About OverpopulationWhile Elon Musk erroneously claims population collapse is our biggest worry, world population is hitting 8 billion, adding the latest billion faster than any time in history. The UN has declared world population will surpass 8 billion on November 15, 2022. We persist in adding about 80 million people to the planet every year, despite overwhelming evidence we’ve outgrown our planet. Christopher Tucker, author of A Planet of 3 Billion: Mapping Humanity’s Long History of Ecological Destruction and Finding Our Way to a Resilient Future, joins Dave in a conversation intended to help cure the rampant overshoot illiteracy resulting from misguided sile...2022-11-091h 08
Rewilding EarthEpisode 93: An Eye-Opening Discussion On Practical Solutions To Human OverpopulationNote: This interview was recorded before the Supreme court decision to overturn Roe v Wade. Nonetheless, Nandita and Carter present a deep look into the driving cultural and political forces behind it. About Nandita Bajaj, Executive Director, Population Balance A Humane Educator and a passionate advocate for planetary health, Nandita’s area of interest is on […] Read full article: Episode 93: An Eye-Opening Discussion On Practical Solutions To Human Overpopulation2022-07-1842 min
Rewilding Earth PodcastEpisode 93: An Eye-Opening Discussion On Practical Solutions To Human OverpopulationNote: This interview was recorded before the Supreme court decision to overturn Roe v Wade. Nonetheless, Nandita and Carter present a deep look into the driving cultural and political forces behind it. About Nandita Bajaj, Executive Director, Population Balance A Humane Educator and a passionate advocate for planetary health, Nandita’s area of interest is on […]
Read full article: Episode 93: An Eye-Opening Discussion On Practical Solutions To Human Overpopulation2022-07-1842 min
Sentientism86: "There's not a huge difference between how we treat farmed animals & how we treat people - as resources" Nandita Bajaj of Population Balance - Sentientist ConversationNandita is the ED of Population Balance which works to address the impacts of human overpopulation & overconsumption on the planet, people & animals. As faculty with the Institute for Humane Education, Nandita teaches a course “Pronatalism & Overpopulation” about the pervasive pressure on women to have children & the impacts on them, families, non-human animals & the planet. Previously, Nandita worked as a high school physics & math teacher & an administrator in both the public & independent school systems as well as an engineer at Bombardier Aerospace. She has a B.Eng. (Aerospace Engineering) from Ryerson University, a B.Ed. from University of Toronto & an M.Ed...2021-11-301h 15
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceEndangered Species Condoms | Sarah Baillie and Kelley DenningsHuman reproductive decisions affect the biodiversity of all life on Earth. To discuss how they broach this sensitive topic within their work, Sarah Baillie and Kelley Dennings from The Center for Biological Diversity, join us. They share their exciting initiatives and advocacy work on destigmatizing sex, contraception, and reproductive decisions. They also share the state of the sex ed curriculum across the states in the US, as well as their important work on awareness campaigns relating to population and consumption pressures on biodiversity. Nandita Bajaj welcomes long-time staff member of Population Balance, Alan Ware, as...2021-10-2759 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceThe Perils of Population Denial | Sofia Pineda OchoaHuman overpopulation creates habitat destruction and species extinction. Physician turned documentarian Sofia Pineda Ochoa joins us to expose the harms of population denialism on other species and future generations. Sofia Pineda Ochoa explains why she is taking our society to task for ignoring the peril of human overpopulation. Habitat destruction, species extinction, and animal agriculture top the list of topics. Human numbers are the root of the problem. “Can’t we talk about something that’s so obvious and undeniable?” asks Ochoa. Co-host Nandita Bajaj also shares a name change and updated mission, plus a new tag...2021-09-2257 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundancePronatalism and Overpopulation | A PanelPronatalism and Overpopulation Webinar The decision to have children or not is largely regarded as an isolated personal decision, but how personal is it really? We are joined by four expert international panelists to unpack the pervasive and oppressive powers of pronatalism. Are our decisions about having children really made freely – without pressure from government, church, business, media, family and friends? The decision to have children or not is arguably one of the most important decisions we make in our lives. It’s largely regarded as an isolated personal decision and a natural rite of passa...2021-08-251h 09
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceOverdrafting Earth's Ecosystems | William Rees“The only way out of overshoot is less production and less consumption, so it means a much smaller economy and far fewer people.” William Rees, ecologist and co-creator of ecological footprint analysis, joins us. “Humankind is using up the biophysical basis of its own existence.” That’s the bottom line of this Earth Overshoot Day conversation with William Rees, the father of ecological footprint analysis. According to Rees, “the only way out of overshoot is less production and less consumption, so it means a much smaller economy and far fewer people.” Earth Overshoot Day in 2021 is July 29. At...2021-07-281h 04
Post-Growth Australia PodcastBeyond World Population Day: Nandita Bajaj from World Population BalanceWorld Population Day may now be a week behind us, but its legacy lives on! In this episode, host Michael Bayliss talks to the new Executive Director of World Population Balance, Nandita Bajaj. WPB is a North American organisation dedicated to tackling the overpopulation issue through education, campaigns and podcasts – they are the makers of the Overpopulation Podcast after all! Nandita and Michael discovered they have many shared values beyond population including minimalism, being childfree and, most excitingly for both of us, we are big on veganism and animal rights! Therefore, our conversation goes in many pithy directions and in...2021-07-1953 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceThe Unmet Need for Family Planning | Kathleen MogelgaardGreat strides have been made in advancing women’s reproductive autonomy, but there is still much to accomplish. Kathleen Mogelgaard, president of the Population Institute, joins us. Kathleen discusses the Population Institute’s work, including reducing the unmet need for family planning (affecting over 200 million women around the world) and an active effort to permanently repeal the global gag rule (which interferes with provision of important family planning services). Regarding the recent surge in baby-bust alarmism, Kathleen notes that the lower birth rate in the U.S. represents real progress – women taking advantage of a greate...2021-06-231h 07
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceUntucking Overpopulation | Alexandra PaulIt’s an insane world where speaking the scientific truth is an act of courage. Alexandra Paul, actor and outspoken advocate for sustainable population, animal rights, and the childfree choice, joins us. Alexandra Paul has been courageously educating people about human overpopulation for over thirty years. Her most notable effort is a TEDx Talk, Overpopulation Facts - The Problem No One Will Discuss. The questions we ask her about that TEDx experience reveals just how irrational our society is about discussing this subject. We also discuss other actions Alexandra takes as a sustainable population activist, including op-eds and...2021-06-021h 21
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceMeet our New Executive Director | Nandita BajajNew Executive Director and podcast co-host Nandita Bajaj shares her brief history and the evolving path that led her to becoming a sustainable population advocate. Former Executive Director Dave Gardner interviews Nandita her about her plans for World Population Balance and why she is dedicating her life to this cause. Nandita shares her perspectives of the tightly woven links between pronatalism, anthropocentrism, and human overpopulation and why our growing human enterprise is one of the most pressing planetary justice issues of our time. A passionate advocate for minimalism, veganism, and childfree living, Nandita speaks about the joy...2021-05-1150 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceReflections from our Former Executive Director | Dave GardnerPodcast co-host Dave Gardner reflects on the agony and the ecstasy of working to alert, educate, and inspire action to end our overpopulation crisis. Nandita Bajaj turns the table and interviews Gardner about his 6 years on the podcast and serving as executive director of World Population Balance. Who IS this guy? Why has he been working seven days a week for years to alert people about population overshoot and to “save the planet?” Don’t worry, Dave’s not leaving the podcast. But on May 1st he is stepping out of his position leading World Population Balance, the nonprofit standing...2021-04-2151 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceSex, Religion, Politics and Overpopulation | Chris TuckerThe solution to the human overpopulation crisis is quite beautiful. It means less childhood poverty, parents who aren’t exhausted, children receiving ample parental attention, families can afford nutritious food, health care and educational opportunities, and the planet can meet our needs long into the future. In part two of our conversation with Christopher Tucker, author of A Planet of 3 Billion, we continue exploring how to make the “uncomfortable” conversation about overpopulation more comfortable. One thing is certain: We’re keeping up the conversation, because the more we discuss it, the less uncomfortable the conversations. We also explore...2021-03-1648 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceA Planet of 3 Billion | Chris TuckerWhat is a sustainable human population? Chris Tucker, author of A Planet of 3 Billion, joins us. We’re asking the Earth to support 80 million more humans every year, and we add to the challenge by deleting some of the needed resources from the planet each year. Meanwhile, too few us ask the question, “What is a sustainable human population?” Christopher Tucker did ask the question, went to work on it, and wrote a book about it: A Planet of 3 Billion: Mapping Humanity’s Long History of Ecological Destruction and Finding Our Way to a Resilient Future. He came up w...2021-03-0344 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceEmbracing an Aging Population | Jane O’SullivanAre nations with low birth rates going to collapse due to a temporary bulge in the ranks of the elderly? Jane O’Sullivan, lead author of Silver Tsunami or Silver Lining? Why we should not fear an ageing population, joins us. Depopulation alarmists in numerous countries are pushing for baby bonuses or high immigration quotas in order to avoid getting into recovery from growth addiction. It’s all for the sake of maintaining perpetually increasing numbers of taxpayers, consumers and workers. This approach to demography is unsustainable and dangerous. Jane explains why the fears propagated by alarmists are v...2021-01-0549 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceAre There Too Many of Us? | Nandita BajajA recent report on Deutsche Welle’s Eco India environmental news magazine recently asked, “Are There Too Many of Us on Our Planet?” The report mysteriously arrived at the conclusion that, “It’s not the population element that’s going to be the problem.” Reporter Aditi Rajagopal advised our attention should be redirected to, “the more hidden and dangerous concerns of waste and overconsumption.” We applaud Rajagopal for covering this topic, but we’re compelled to go through her report and correct an array of instances of faulty logic. At the top of our list with our guest Nandita Bajaj: the mistaken...2020-12-1830 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceSeparating Sex from Conception | Malcolm Potts and Alisha GravesSex and conception are separated by contraception. Malcolm Potts and Alisha Graves, experts in reproductive health and sustainable population advocates, join us. As World Contraception Day (26 September) approaches, Dave and Erika pick the brains of two experts, Alisha Graves and Malcolm Potts. Potts is Professor at the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley, was the first chair in Population and Family Planning, and founded the Bixby Center for Population, Health & Sustainability. Graves is President of Venture Strategies for Health and Development, a non-profit organization aiming to help stabilize global population by securing women’s...2020-09-211h 01
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceBusting Only Child Myths | Lauren SandlerLonely, selfish and maladjusted? NOT. Careful consideration of all the ramifications of your family-size decision is smart. Perhaps you’re leaning toward having only one child; there are plenty of good reasons to stop there. But you’ve heard only children are spoiled and selfish, or can be peculiar. It turns out these are myths. Journalist Lauren Sandler did a lot digging, and in this episode she tells us there is “a lot of data supporting the one-child family as a healthy, important choice.” Lauren wrote a Time magazine cover story on the subject, The Only Child: Debunkin...2020-03-021h 04
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceTo Kid Or Not To Kid | Maxine TrumpIs motherhood an essential part of womanhood? Filmmaker Maxine Trump joins us to discuss the enduringly strong pronatalist pressures in her documentary film, To Kid or Not to Kid. It might surprise you how much societal pressure remains today for women to have children. Mothers hope for, and some pressure their children to give them) grandchildren. Friends ask newlyweds when they’re going to “start a family” (aren’t the newlyweds already a family?). Even the attitudes of some medical professionals can lack sophistication. Some couples make the decision to have children as an automatic default – just the next s...2019-11-1253 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceChild-Centric Family Planning | Sarah Bexell and Cat Graff-HugheyThe decision to have a child should include consideration of the rights of the child to be born into a supportive community and a healthy environment. Sarah Bexell and Catharina Graff-Hughey join us to discuss their paper, A Human Rights Approach to Planning Families. Today, family planning decisions tend to be all about the desires of parents, with little or no regard for the rights and living conditions of the prospective child and people who are already here. Do two adults have the right to bring a child into a world that’s a dystopian hell? Or do...2019-09-301h 01
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceEmbracing Fertility Decline| Philip CafaroAn aging and shrinking population is good for both humanity and the Earth. Philip Cafaro, philosopher and environmental ethicist, joins us. News reports and economists exhibit collective angst about declining birth rates and the resulting aging of populations in many nations. They worry about labor shortages, upside-down pension programs, rising health care burdens and stagnating GDP. A research team at The Overpopulation Project wondered if these challenges are outweighed by the ecological advantage of a population shrinking back to a level that won’t crush the Earth. In this episode World Population Balance Executive Director Da...2018-11-2739 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceChild-First Family Planning | Carter Dillard and Karin KuhlemannWe need to put our children first. Carter Dillard and Karin Kuhlemann of the non-profit, Having Kids, explain "child-first" family planning and how it will benefit our children and make human civilization more sustainable. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/podcast/dillard-kuhlemann ABOUT US OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward Abundance [Formerly The Overpopulation Podcast] OVERSHOOT tackles today’s interlocked social and ecological crises driven by humanity’s excessive population and consumption. The podcast explores needed narrative, behavioral, and system shifts for recreating human life in bal...2018-08-1445 min
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceSmall Families, Small Planet | Robin MaynardRobin Maynard has tremendous faith that the young people of the world have both tremendous power and growing awareness and interest in getting humanity back onto a sustainable path. Our guest, the director of Population Matters, shares his thinking about human overpopulation and talks about the organization's goals, strategies, and tactics. Like World Population Balance, his organization is working hard at "shifting those amplifiers in society who really could reach so many people and talk in a rational, humane and compassionate way about population." There is still a perplexing guilt, awkwardness and hesitation to talk about population...2018-02-031h 00
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceSmall Family Campaigns and Incentives | Colin Hickey and Jake EarlAre there ethical and moral ways for governments to accelerate the move to smaller families in order to contract population? Ethicists Colin Hickey and Jake Earl weigh in on why this should be done and how we might do it fairly. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/podcast/earl-hickey ABOUT US OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward Abundance [Formerly The Overpopulation Podcast] OVERSHOOT tackles today’s interlocked social and ecological crises driven by humanity’s excessive population and consumption. The podcast explores needed narrative, behavioral, and sy...2017-01-171h 07
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceToward a Small Family Ethic | Travis RiederEveryone should consider the ethics of having children on an overpopulated, climate-disrupted planet. Travis Rieder, bioethicist and author of Toward a Small Family Ethic: How Overpopulation and Climate Change are Affecting the Morality of Procreation, joins us. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/podcast/travis-rieder ABOUT US OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward Abundance [Formerly The Overpopulation Podcast] OVERSHOOT tackles today’s interlocked social and ecological crises driven by humanity’s excessive population and consumption. The podcast explores needed narrative, behavioral, and system shifts for recrea...2016-11-151h 05
OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward AbundanceChoosing Childfree | Laura CarrollFor over 20 years Laura Carroll has been researching the childfree choice and she’s interviewed thousands who’ve made this choice. We discuss the roots of our pronatal culture, where to get support for the childfree decision, myths about family size, the cost of raising children, and doing your part to solve overpopulation. Laura served as editor for the book, Man Swarm: How Overpopulation is Killing the Wild World by Dave Foreman, and is the author of The Baby Matrix: Why Freeing Our Minds From Outmoded Thinking About Parenthood & Reproduction Will Create a Better World, and Families of Tw...2016-08-0145 min