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Explore how overpopulation environmental problems intertwine with wildlife habitat destruction and conservation discussions.

Written byKeith Kloor
| 1 min read
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Goes to this post at Green Inc. And quoting a well-known American environmentalist, there's this catch-all reasoning, which only die-hard greens will embrace and which will alienate most everyone else:

Overpopulation is the driving force behind virtually all environmental problems "” air pollution, water pollution, the extinction crisis, global warming , yet it is rarely ever addressed by conservation groups. They are really afraid of touching the issue and appearing anti-human.

That's from Kierán Suckling, the executive director of the Arizona-based Center for Biological Diversity. I've covered endangered species issues in the West for many years. Overpopulation is not the problem--not by a long shot. Mostly, it's the sprawl of residential and commercial development that has chewed up wildlife habitat. Not teeming hordes of people. Just their wasteful, highly consumptive habits. There's a number of good reasons why overpopulation (and its toxic surrogate, immigration) is the third rail of American environmental discourse. Just ask the Sierra club.

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