OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward Abundance

Pronatalism 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 passage into adulthood. But how personal, really, is our decision to have a child? This podcast episode features audio from the World Population Day webinar hosted by World Population Balance on 7 July, 2021: Pronatalism and Overpopulation: Challenging the Social Pressures to Procreate. You can view the video of the webinar at: https://www.populationbalance.org/our-webinars Moderator: Nandita Bajaj, Executive Director of World Population Balance Panelists: Laura Carroll - Internationally recognized expert on the childfree choice - Author, The Baby Matrix: Why Freeing Our Minds from Outmoded Thinking about Parenthood & Reproduction Will Create a Better World - Co-Author, Man Swarm: How Overpopulation is Killing the Wild World - Contributor, Voluntary and Involuntary Childlessness: The Joys of Otherhood? - Author, Families of Two: Interviews with Happily Married Couples without Children by Choice Elisabeth Dimitras - Freelance researcher based in Greece for international anti-speciesist NGOs - Creator of educational online platform, Ethos & Empathy Orna Donath - Israeli sociologist, lecturer, writer and feminist activist - Author, Regretting Motherhood - Teaches at Tel Aviv University, Ben Gurion University, and the Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yafo Dr. Amrita Nandy - New Delhi-based researcher and writer whose work on gender, rights and culture has been published in national and international books, journals - Author, Motherhood and Choice: Uncommon Mothers, Childfree Women See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/podcast/pronatalism-and-overpopulation 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 balance with all life on Earth. With expert guests from wide-ranging disciplines, we examine the forces underlying overshoot: from patriarchal pronatalism that is fueling overpopulation, to growth-biased economic systems that lead to consumerism and social injustice, to the dominant worldview of human supremacy that subjugates animals and nature. Our vision of shrinking toward abundance inspires us to seek pathways of transformation that go beyond technological fixes toward a new humanity that honors our interconnectedness with all beings. Hosted by Nandita Bajaj and Alan Ware. Brought to you by Population Balance. *Episodes from 2016-2021 were hosted by former executive director Dave Gardner and later with co-host Erika Arias, and then with co-host Nandita Bajaj. Learn more at populationbalance.org Copyright 2025 Population Balance

"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 this point in the year, we've already demanded a year's worth of the Earth's sustainable regenerative capacity. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/podcast/william-rees 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 balance with all life on Earth. With expert guests from wide-ranging disciplines, we examine the forces underlying overshoot: from patriarchal pronatalism that is fueling overpopulation, to growth-biased economic systems that lead to consumerism and social injustice, to the dominant worldview of human supremacy that subjugates animals and nature. Our vision of shrinking toward abundance inspires us to seek pathways of transformation that go beyond technological fixes toward a new humanity that honors our interconnectedness with all beings. Hosted by Nandita Bajaj and Alan Ware. Brought to you by Population Balance. *Episodes from 2016-2021 were hosted by former executive director Dave Gardner and later with co-host Erika Arias, and then with co-host Nandita Bajaj. Learn more at populationbalance.org Copyright 2025 Population Balance

Great 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 greater diversity of opportunities, and fewer unintended and fewer teen pregnancies. We all agree the response to dropping birth rates – an emphasis on bumping up birth rates – is demeaning, reducing the role of women to manufacturers of future workers, consumers and taxpayers. Also on the agenda: the history of the "population taboo," the continuing need to improve overpopulation literacy, and the real possibility of seeing an end to population growth this century. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/podcast/kathleen-mogelgaard 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 balance with all life on Earth. With expert guests from wide-ranging disciplines, we examine the forces underlying overshoot: from patriarchal pronatalism that is fueling overpopulation, to growth-biased economic systems that lead to consumerism and social injustice, to the dominant worldview of human supremacy that subjugates animals and nature. Our vision of shrinking toward abundance inspires us to seek pathways of transformation that go beyond technological fixes toward a new humanity that honors our interconnectedness with all beings. Hosted by Nandita Bajaj and Alan Ware. Brought to you by Population Balance. *Episodes from 2016-2021 were hosted by former executive director Dave Gardner and later with co-host Erika Arias, and then with co-host Nandita Bajaj. Learn more at populationbalance.org Copyright 2025 Population Balance

It'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 letters to newspapers like the Los Angeles Times and The New York Times. Also on the table: baby bust hysteria, veganism and animal rights, over 20 arrests, overconsumption, and our obsession with economic growth. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/podcast/alexandra-paul 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 balance with all life on Earth. With expert guests from wide-ranging disciplines, we examine the forces underlying overshoot: from patriarchal pronatalism that is fueling overpopulation, to growth-biased economic systems that lead to consumerism and social injustice, to the dominant worldview of human supremacy that subjugates animals and nature. Our vision of shrinking toward abundance inspires us to seek pathways of transformation that go beyond technological fixes toward a new humanity that honors our interconnectedness with all beings. Hosted by Nandita Bajaj and Alan Ware. Brought to you by Population Balance. *Episodes from 2016-2021 were hosted by former executive director Dave Gardner and later with co-host Erika Arias, and then with co-host Nandita Bajaj. Learn more at populationbalance.org Copyright 2025 Population Balance

New 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 of living simply in communion with all life on our planet. Dave and Nandita also share their excitement about continuing as the co-hosts of the podcast. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/podcast/nandita-bajaj2 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 balance with all life on Earth. With expert guests from wide-ranging disciplines, we examine the forces underlying overshoot: from patriarchal pronatalism that is fueling overpopulation, to growth-biased economic systems that lead to consumerism and social injustice, to the dominant worldview of human supremacy that subjugates animals and nature. Our vision of shrinking toward abundance inspires us to seek pathways of transformation that go beyond technological fixes toward a new humanity that honors our interconnectedness with all beings. Hosted by Nandita Bajaj and Alan Ware. Brought to you by Population Balance. *Episodes from 2016-2021 were hosted by former executive director Dave Gardner and later with co-host Erika Arias, and then with co-host Nandita Bajaj. Learn more at populationbalance.org Copyright 2025 Population Balance

Podcast 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 up for the rights of future generations to live in a world worth inheriting. Gardner reflects on the state of the issue, and what progress has been made. He also shares his assessment of some of the obstacles to our work – including news media, economists, the population taboo, overpopulation denial, myths, misassumptions, and baby bust alarmism. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/podcast/dave-gardner 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 balance with all life on Earth. With expert guests from wide-ranging disciplines, we examine the forces underlying overshoot: from patriarchal pronatalism that is fueling overpopulation, to growth-biased economic systems that lead to consumerism and social injustice, to the dominant worldview of human supremacy that subjugates animals and nature. Our vision of shrinking toward abundance inspires us to seek pathways of transformation that go beyond technological fixes toward a new humanity that honors our interconnectedness with all beings. Hosted by Nandita Bajaj and Alan Ware. Brought to you by Population Balance. *Episodes from 2016-2021 were hosted by former executive director Dave Gardner and later with co-host Erika Arias, and then with co-host Nandita Bajaj. Learn more at populationbalance.org Copyright 2025 Population Balance

The 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 how the solution to human overpopulation can play out. Tucker explains that we have no choice; we absolutely must figure out how to run a prosperous global economy under continuous population decline. "If we just make the moral choice, and be bold, I have no doubt in my mind we can bend the curve early, and save our planet and our species from annihilation." Christopher Tucker is chairman of the American Geographical Society, and strategic advisor to the US national security community. He holds a BA, MA, and PhD from Columbia University. Chris serves on a number of boards including the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation and the Open Geospatial Consortium. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/podcast/christopher-tucker2 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 balance with all life on Earth. With expert guests from wide-ranging disciplines, we examine the forces underlying overshoot: from patriarchal pronatalism that is fueling overpopulation, to growth-biased economic systems that lead to consumerism and social injustice, to the dominant worldview of human supremacy that subjugates animals and nature. Our vision of shrinking toward abundance inspires us to seek pathways of transformation that go beyond technological fixes toward a new humanity that honors our interconnectedness with all beings. Hosted by Nandita Bajaj and Alan Ware. Brought to you by Population Balance. *Episodes from 2016-2021 were hosted by former executive director Dave Gardner and later with co-host Erika Arias, and then with co-host Nandita Bajaj. Learn more at populationbalance.org Copyright 2025 Population Balance

What 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 with an "optimistic" answer of 3 billion. This episode features the first half of an insightful conversation we recently had with Tucker. Our discussion includes why he avoids using the term "overpopulation" (and why we DO use it), how and why the taboo on discussion of this topic came about, and the beautiful way we can bend the curve of human population numbers. How does achieving a global average fertility rate of 1.5 by 2030 sound? Is that really so crazy? Tucker points out this is just accelerating a norm shift that's already underway. Christopher Tucker is chairman of the American Geographical Society, and strategic advisor to the US national security community. He holds a BA, MA, and PhD from Columbia University. Chris serves on a number of boards including the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation and the Open Geospatial Consortium. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/podcast/christopher-tucker1 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 balance with all life on Earth. With expert guests from wide-ranging disciplines, we examine the forces underlying overshoot: from patriarchal pronatalism that is fueling overpopulation, to growth-biased economic systems that lead to consumerism and social injustice, to the dominant worldview of human supremacy that subjugates animals and nature. Our vision of shrinking toward abundance inspires us to seek pathways of transformation that go beyond technological fixes toward a new humanity that honors our interconnectedness with all beings. Hosted by Nandita Bajaj and Alan Ware. Brought to you by Population Balance. *Episodes from 2016-2021 were hosted by former executive director Dave Gardner and later with co-host Erika Arias, and then with co-host Nandita Bajaj. Learn more at populationbalance.org Copyright 2025 Population Balance

Are 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 vastly exaggerated or ill-founded. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/podcasts/jane-osullivan 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 balance with all life on Earth. With expert guests from wide-ranging disciplines, we examine the forces underlying overshoot: from patriarchal pronatalism that is fueling overpopulation, to growth-biased economic systems that lead to consumerism and social injustice, to the dominant worldview of human supremacy that subjugates animals and nature. Our vision of shrinking toward abundance inspires us to seek pathways of transformation that go beyond technological fixes toward a new humanity that honors our interconnectedness with all beings. Hosted by Nandita Bajaj and Alan Ware. Brought to you by Population Balance. *Episodes from 2016-2021 were hosted by former executive director Dave Gardner and later with co-host Erika Arias, and then with co-host Nandita Bajaj. Learn more at populationbalance.org Copyright 2025 Population Balance

A 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 notion that there is a contest between overpopulation and overconsumption for biggest worry. We invite her to join us on a future episode if she'd like to discuss this with us. We need journalists to be up to speed on the human overpopulation issue. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/podcast/nandita-bajaj1 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 balance with all life on Earth. With expert guests from wide-ranging disciplines, we examine the forces underlying overshoot: from patriarchal pronatalism that is fueling overpopulation, to growth-biased economic systems that lead to consumerism and social injustice, to the dominant worldview of human supremacy that subjugates animals and nature. Our vision of shrinking toward abundance inspires us to seek pathways of transformation that go beyond technological fixes toward a new humanity that honors our interconnectedness with all beings. Hosted by Nandita Bajaj and Alan Ware. Brought to you by Population Balance. *Episodes from 2016-2021 were hosted by former executive director Dave Gardner and later with co-host Erika Arias, and then with co-host Nandita Bajaj. Learn more at populationbalance.org Copyright 2025 Population Balance