This is the Doctors for the Environment (DEA) population and health poster. It has been prepared for display in doctor’s waiting rooms right across the country.
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Proponents of growth make assertions based on assumptions rather than evidence. The main assumption is that there are no biological or social limits to growth. Others include belief in energy and water efficiency gains being able to offset population and consumption growth, yet evidence shows otherwise.
This poster exposes another assumption, that of Australia being an ‘empty land’ waiting to be filled and ‘improved’ by human activity. Yet Australia has experienced high rates of biodiversity loss and species extinction. Australia is a mostly arid country with a narrow, fertile costal strip. Urban sprawl has consumed much productive farming land close to population centres.
Another focus of the poster is that rapid population growth produces losers as well as winners. Proponents of growth want larger markets for their products, yet people face rising house prices, longer commutes, rapid social change, pressure on hospital waiting lists and congestion on roads and beaches. Building infrastructure to maintain essential services for a growing population helps, but in turn has environmental impacts and increased costs.
This poster questions whether human activity advancing over yet more of Australia is fair or desirable. A larger economy does not guarantee a better quality of life, nor a healthier one. We already live unsustainably in this country –to achieve true sustainability with more people, we will all need to make do with a lot less for each of us.