World Population Day 2013 is coming up later this week (July 11), so we’re counting down the Top 10 Reasons to Choose a Small Family. Reason #4 is: Have You Ever Seen a Quiet Kid in a Movie Theater, Restaurant or Airplane? We actually love kids. That’s why we’re working hard to ensure we leave our children a planet worth inheriting.

It’s good to have a sense of humor even while saving the planet. Today’s reason for choosing a small family reminded me of this fun commercial from Belgium:

We know the scale of human activity on Earth passed into overshoot several decades ago. The coming crises are so severe we must make drastic changes in both our consumption and our reproductive behavior. We can humanely and voluntarily get world population back to a sustainable level within a century, if we are genuinely committed to it. What is required is that every couple be aware of the ramifications of their decisions about family size. We all want good lives for our children.

The current population level and state of overshoot are two very good reasons to choose to have no children, or perhaps just one. Even stopping at two will help. Adoption is a good option for those who desire more.

Please share this thought with your friends and children. Subscribe to our updates to get the rest of the Top 10 Reasons to Choose a Small Family!

Dave Gardner
Director of the documentary
GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth