Civilizations come and go. Unsustainable population growth eventually results in famine and population decline. Fifty years ago zero population growth (ZPG) was an emerging movement. My wife and I decided to have only one child while many other young couples limited their families to two children. Some over populated countries implemented mandatory limits on family size. As food production in the U.S. became more automated and the U.S. increased the export of food to other countries interest in ZPG decreased.

Due to medical advances and increased access to medical care people are living longer but not typically working longer. Now there is concern about declining birth rates because of pyramid scheme funded social welfare programs.

I suggest that we resume ZPG emphasis and determine and implement an economic and social structure that can maintain it. In 1962 when I read Carl Sandburg’s 1920s poem Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind it had a sobering effect. However, it seemed unlikely that such a tragedy could happen in my lifetime. But now there are indicators that it could. We live in a society where the ultra-wealthy adorn their furnishings with “strips of gold”. There are “golden girls” on the streets, in the night clubs and casinos. Our “greatest cities” that once were shining examples for visitors from all over the world are now infested with rats feeding on the garbage waste of the homeless. The people of our “greatest nation” are confronting each other in the streets with weapons and armor. If we don’t do something soon, eventually there may only remain “rats, lizards and crows”.