Overpopulation with Alexandra Paul

How on earth do we manage overpopulation? From David Attenborough to Thanos, it’s widely discussed, but rarely with solutions. It can feel taboo and dangerous to talk about, but it should be an important aspect of every environmental discussion. On the one hand, we know that overpopulation makes every environmental pressure that we put on the environment worse. On the other, we are inundated with messages that having children is the ultimate goal in life. 

 

In this episode, environmental activist and ex-baywatch actress Alexandra Paul joins me in talking about the overpopulation issue and what we can do about it. In it, we discuss why overpopulation is so difficult to talk about, why it is an issue, and what are some of the many solutions that can be done to empower people to manage, discuss and be mindful of overpopulation.

 

Because this can be an uncomfortable topic, we would love to hear your opinions on this and whether there are any follow up questions that I could put to Alexandra. Remember to write in at max@mahbonline.org!

Alexandra is an actress who has appeared in over 100 films and television shows. She is most known for her 5 year stint on the tv show Baywatch. Alexandra, however, has been an activist since she was very young. The United Nations honored Alexandra  in 1997 for her work on the human overpopulation issue. She was the ACLU of Southern California’s 2005 Activist of the Year  for her history of environmentalism, voter registration and peace advocacy.  Last Chance For Animals named her 2014 Vegan of the Year. Alexandra has been driving electric cars for over 30 years and was featured in the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? She has produced an award winning educational film on overpopulation,  and her TEDx talk on the benefits of small families has over 600,000 views.  Alexandra volunteered in Sierra Leone with Population Media Center and has spoken to over 6,000 California students, from middle school to university, on the human overpopulation issue. She believes that unless we reduce birth rates, the human race will not be able to successfully mitigate the effects of climate change.