Our Choices: Population Control or Colonize the Moon

Something needs to be done. The population of our planet is growing out of control.

The human population, that is. Most experts agree the human saturation point of Earth somewhere around 10 billion people. We're currently at 6.5 billion. This is roughly 50% more than during the 1970's. If we continue down this path, we can expect to reach the projected saturation point in about 25 years.

This is why population control is so important. Without population control, mankind can expect to suffer the fate of other animals that have overpopulated their living spaces: starvation, disease, violence, and, in some cases, cannibalism.

The challenge, obviously, is how to get everybody - and I mean EVERYBODY - on board with the concept of population control.

Basic instinct. Population control, unfortunately, runs afoul with our basic instincts. All animals - humans included - are programmed to procreate. We're designed to make more humans. The urge to participate in sexual reproduction is so strong, in fact, that entire industries have been created to aid in the process. Even non-sexual products are marketed with sexual innuendos. It is very difficult to fight our need to breed individually - and almost impossible to mandate through governmental proclamation.

Governmental solutions. Some countries have attempted population control. Japan, for instance, has in the past implemented penalties on those couples who had more than one or two children. This worked well for law-abiding citizens, but many couples began hiding their additional children. Therein lies a basic problem: there will always be those who will ignore governmental population control mandates.

Other population control ideas. There are some experts who have pushed their population control agendas, as well. For awhile, the concept of "Zero Population Growth" (wherein a couple would replace themselves, but create no additional children) was pushed. Others have suggested testing as a means of population control. They reason that since licenses are necessary to drive and even to fish, then licenses to have children - a far greater responsibility - should be required. Some have suggested intelligence tests. Some have suggested comprehensive lifestyle tests.

Issues with population control. Many feel they have the right to have as many children as they want and are able to have. And, as mentioned above, we're programmed to procreate. Population control standards from governing bodies prove only marginally successful. Add to that the potential for violating human rights - and even causing slow-motion genocide - and licensing and testing aren't viable solutions.

Look to the sky. It may sound like science fiction, but colonizing the moon (to start) and eventually other planets may be our best option. There are obvious technological hurdles, of course, and our nearest celestial body would hold a fraction of Earth's population. But the moon would - and should - be used to work the bugs out of technology. To be sure, there will be casualties - but far fewer than if mankind does nothing. We have (at most) a quarter century to develop the technology and skills, and set this plan in motion.

If we, the human race, fail to act now, then we will over-saturate our planet. We will, in fact, be an infestation. A plague. We will likely face starvation, disease and violence. We have two options to avert this fate; one goes against our nature, the other challenges our intellect. We can either implement planet-wide population control or colonize our solar system.