Population Balance

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Population Balance (formerly World Population Balance) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the United States that raises awareness of the connections between pronatalism, human overpopulation, human supremacy, social inequalities, and ecological overshoot, and advocates pathways that address their combined impacts on the planet, people, and animals. [1] [2]

Contents

History and background

Population Balance was founded by David Paxson [3] [4] [5] as World Population Balance in 1993. [1] He was succeeded as the executive director in 2016 by Dave Gardner. [6] [7] In 2021 Nandita Bajaj [8] [9] [10] became executive director and the organization adopted its current name of Population Balance and a new vision, mission, and philosophy [11] .

Notable past and present advisors include Nobel Peace Prize laureate Norman Borlaug, former Governor of Michigan William Milliken, originator of the "ecological footprint" concept William E. Rees, actress and activist Alexandra Paul, and physicist Albert Allen Bartlett. [12]

Activities

Activities include two podcasts: OVERSHOOT | Shrink toward abundance [13] and Beyond Pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kids [14] , classroom and conference presentations [15] , academic publications [16] , and media and podcast interviews. [17]

OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward Abundance (Podcast)

OVERSHOOT is released twice monthly and is ranked in the top 1.5% of podcasts globally. [18] The podcast hosts interview expert guests to explore the drivers and impacts of ecological overshoot as well as pathways forward. Notable guests have included William E. Rees, Alan Weisman, Mechai Viravaidya, Riane Eisler, Louie Psihoyos, Ingrid Newkirk, Carol Adams, Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Olivier De Schutter, Marc Bekoff, Paul Ehrlich, Naomi Oreskes, Angela Saini, Mathis Wackernagel, Partha Dasgupta, Carl Safina, Richard Heinberg, Orna Donath, Robert Jensen, Jo-Anne McArthur, Robert Engelman, Malcolm Potts, Alexandra Paul, Kevin Bales, Sally Armstrong, and Vegard Skirbekk.

References

  1. 1 2 ProPublica (1993-05-01). "World Population Balance". ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  2. "Population Balance". Population Balance. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  3. PBS (2000-12-21). "Small World Discussion". PBS: Newsnight Minnesota. Retrieved 2024-04-23.
  4. Wig, Andrew (2013-02-28). "Richfield man a lonely voice against overpopulation". Sun Current. Retrieved 2024-04-23.
  5. The Messenger (2013-04-25). "How to solve overpopulation". The Messenger. Retrieved 2024-04-23.
  6. Foster, David (2020-03-22). "Birth Strike: Can going childless help the planet?". TRT World Roundtable. Retrieved 2024-04-23.
  7. Gemmell, Edmund (2020-11-12). "Why Population Cant be Ignored". Scientists Warning Europe. Retrieved 2024-04-23.
  8. Balance, World Population. "New Leader for Sustainable Population Advocacy Nonprofit". PRLog. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  9. Shepherd, Tory (2024-08-17). "Slow the growth, save the world? Why declining birth rates need not mean an end to prosperity". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  10. Bajaj, Nandita (2025-07-18). "'Progressive Pronatalism' Is an Oxymoron: How Arguments Buying Into the Low-Fertility Panic Fail Women". Ms. Magazine.
  11. "Philosophy". Population Balance. 2021-05-01. Retrieved 2025-11-28.
  12. "Staff and Volunteers". Population Balance. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  13. Apple Podcasts (2016-08-01). "OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward Abundance". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2025-11-28.
  14. Apple Podcasts (2024-07-30). "Beyond Pronatalism | Finding Fulfillment, With or Without Kids". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2025-11-28.
  15. "Presentations". Population Balance. 2021-05-01. Retrieved 2025-11-28.
  16. "Academic Research Articles". Population Balance. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-11-28.
  17. "Media Appearances". Population Balance. 2021-05-01. Retrieved 2025-11-28.
  18. Listen Notes (2016-08-01). "OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward Abundance". Listen Notes. Retrieved 2024-11-28.