December 2004
Dear BALANCE Supporter,
Greetings from the Board and Staff of Population-Environment
Balance! This has been a busy, eventful year. BALANCE
has made significant alliances and taken some important
strides forward.
Our educational efforts for population stabilization
and preservation of the environment continue to expand,
and we helped generate pressure against various bills
that would have provided amnesty to illegal immigrants.
We hope the holiday season will be a time of rejuvenation
for all of us, because in January we will have to take
a deep breath, roll up our sleeves, and begin again
- - more determined than ever. Everything points to
an intensive 2005, a year in which we will need to grapple
with the idea of rapid U.S. population growth as the
Bigfoot of the World. A candid admission of U.S. population
growth's outsized contributions to environmental problems
is the first step in seeing clearly how vital population
stabilization is to achieving the economic and environment
balance we desire for ourselves, our children, and our
grandchildren.
BALANCE at Work
Pushing for a moratorium on immigration that exceeds
100,000 per year, BALANCE came out swinging against
the Bush Administration's sweeping amnesty proposal.
The outcry against the amnesty, which we and our ASAP!
Coalition allies helped produce, was so overwhelming
that the proposal was eventually sidelined for the 2003-2004
session of Congress. BALANCE strongly opposed all "open
border" proposals put forth in 2004, and is ready to
do it again. Playing defense is the work we have to
do while generating support for real progress.
BALANCE continued to work on building support for Congressman
Tom Tancredo's immigration moratorium bill, H.R. 946,
"The Mass Immigration Reduction Act of 2003." This is
the only bill that would move America toward population
stabilization.
We attempted to secure bi-partisan support for a moratorium
through targeted outreach. This outreach will continue
and intensify as we push for an immigration moratorium
in 2005. Even if we don't get a moratorium bill in 2005,
pushing for it will help pass "good" immigration reduction
bills as well as re-enforce the rationale - the goal
of population stabilization - for defeating bad ones.
Population stabilization is essential to the national
goals of economic and environmental sustainability.
BALANCE is proud to be a leader in reporting on crucially
important sustainability issues that are not reported
in the Big Media.
BALANCE also has stressed the importance of immigration
reduction for national security reasons. An upsurge
in the number of illegal aliens from countries other
than Mexico (including countries with terrorist connections)
has alerted authorities that terrorists are using the
borders between Mexico and the United States to enter
the United States. The security threat increases with
each illegal entry.
In 2004, BALANCE published a series of Alerts! to educate
and mobilize members, and the public at large. One Alert,
"Mass Immigration: Taking American Jobs," clearly refutes
the lie that mass immigration improves U.S. economic
success. The fact is that mass immigration, if left
unchecked, will be our downfall. Mass immigration costs
workers $200 billion through depressed and lost wages,
according to Harvard Professor George Borjas.
Another Alert, "Fossil Foolery" spelled out the consequences
of the population growth generated by mass immigration
for fossil fuels. The United States already imports
60% of its oil and, according to some credible authorities,
faces a world situation of "peak" oil production that
will drive rapidly increasing prices. The larger the
population size, the more vulnerable our country.
A BALANCE Solutions paper, "Mass Immigration Puts U.S.
Ecology at Risk," details the impact of mass immigration
on the environment, making a compelling argument for
an immigration moratorium NOW! Also in 2004, back by
popular demand, BALANCE published a revised and graph-filled
version of "Know the Facts," one of our more comprehensive
publications for people in search of the truth.
In 2004, BALANCE carried out a variety of public and
congressional efforts, including a direct mail campaign.
As part of our media education campaign, members of
the Board and staff appeared in various media including
The Washington Post. Media appearances by BALANCE Board
and Staff also include the "Lou Dobbs Show" and E Magazine.
"Reform Lite" and "Dim Lite" again became a troublesome
issue, as certain groups pushed for immigration management,
as opposed to reduction. BALANCE continues to expose
the crucial difference between these goals. Only immigration
reduction can lead to population stabilization and ecological
balance.
Our Alliance for Stabilizing America's Population (ASAP!
Coalition) now has more than 50 member organizations
involved in pressing for a moratorium on legal immigration,
and supporting all immigration reduction bills. This
broad-based coalition makes use of a winning strategy:
push for a moratorium on legal immigration, and support
other "good" reduction bills. ASAP! Coalition continues
to move forward in support of a moratorium on the national
level and environmentally and fiscally sound legislation
locally.
Immigration and Population Growth
It's easy to get caught up in the intricacies of immigration
issues and forget why strict limits on immigration are
so crucial. The reason is simple - - mass immigration
is responsible for 90% (ninety percent!) of the population
growth in the United States. The ninety percent includes
the annual flow of immigrants and births to all recent
immigrants.
One of the highlights of 2004 was the publication of
a BALANCE study projecting that the population of the
United States would reach 527 million in 2050 if current
trends continue. This study was distributed with "A
Synopsis: Limits to Growth, The 30-Year Update,"
which draws the connection between continued population
expansion and environmental overload.
Bottom Line: The United States, now at 294 million,
is on track to grow to more than 500 million by 2050,
if current trends continue. We have the fastest population
growth rate in the industrialized world. All other nations,
including Canada, are tightening immigration law. Can
they all be wrong?
U.S. Population Growth as Bigfoot: The Impact of
Population Growth
BALANCE continued in 2004 to emphasize the impact of
population growth on environmental resources, living
standards, and quality of life. America's "ecological
footprint," a way of measuring its use of environmental
resources, is huge. U.S. population growth is the Bigfoot
of the world, both in terms of resource consumption
and pollution production. One example of this may be
found in our use of petroleum resources. The United
States contains about 5% of the world's population but
uses 26% of the annual petroleum production.
-
Water - Every additional person means, on
average, the annual consumption of about half a
million gallons, 2.5 times the global average. We
are using this most vital of all resources in an
unsustainable way. The other major threat to the
maintenance of the integrity of fresh water resources
is pollution by people and industry.
-
Energy - Estimates vary, but it is likely
that petroleum production has reached, or will soon
reach its peak. Our current economy is dependent
on "cheap" oil. In the near future, we can count
on only a limited amount of help from renewable
energy sources such as wind, water, and solar power,
but gains in these areas will be quickly negated
if present trends in population growth continue.
Similarly, if we make a transition to a hydrogen-based
fuel economy (if that technology is economically
feasible) the promise of this technology will not
be fulfilled if population continues to grow at
current rates. The steady increase in population
and steady decline in "per capita energy production"
is turning the U.S. into an overpopulated, resource-poor
third-world country. We must stabilize the population
in the U.S. in order to sustain quality of life.
-
Food Production - Grain production rose
steadily in the 1960s and 1970s, leveled off in
the 1980s, and stagnated after the mid-1990s. Fisheries
also enjoyed a rapid increase in catch in the latter
half of the 20th century, but peaked at the beginning
of the 1990s. With arable land declining and fertilizers
and chemical pesticides no longer providing increases
in yield, the United States will increasingly have
to cut into its surplus (presently we export $40
billion in food products annually) to feed its growing
population. There will be no surplus in 40 years
if the U.S. population continues to grow.
-
Greenhouse Gases - With about 5 percent
of the world's population, the United States is
the world's leader in the production of CO2, a principal
contributor to global warming. We produce over 5
billion tons of CO2 annually, more than 20% of the
global total.
What we cannot anticipate is the possibility that pushing
up against the natural limits of the environment will
cause the environment to reach a crashing point. Without
population stabilization and concentrated effort to
establish a sustainable approach to the economy, we
will witness unpredictable watershed events in the next
few decades, sudden, dramatic shifts in environmental
conditions that will result in a much reduced standard
of living.
Most people are peripherally aware of the effect of
overpopulation in their daily lives - - giving the problem
a thought when they are in traffic that is not moving,
for example. Only a brave few will talk, much less do
anything, about the main cause: mass immigration. The
30th Anniversary Edition of Limits to Growth
is apt in its warning: if current trends continue, "The
collapse will come very suddenly, much to everyone's
surprise".
Ahead for BALANCE in 2005
Priority #1 - Lobby Congress for a five-year
moratorium on all legal immigration in excess of 100,000
per year. Even if we do not get the moratorium, pushing
for it will help pass immigration reduction bills.
Priority #2 - Oppose all attempts to offer amnesty
to illegal immigrants.
Priority #3 - Lobby for enforcement of existing
immigration law, including sanctions against employers
of illegal aliens and expedited deportation proceedings.
Priority #4 - Support BALANCE, the ASAP! Coalition,
and other grassroots activist efforts to limit legal
immigration, and work toward population stabilization.
Priority #5 - Work to inform the American public
about the crucial importance of limiting immigration
and achieving population stabilization.
The year ahead offers many challenges. The second Bush
administration will most likely present legislation
offering amnesty to a large number of illegal immigrants,
recognizing Matricula I.D. cards, and extending social
security benefits to illegal aliens. The administration
will possibly recommend legislation increasing the already
extremely high level of legal immigrants. BALANCE will
keep you informed of legislation we oppose while working
to support a moratorium on immigration as a necessary
step to population stabilization and sustainable use
of resources. The year ahead also offers opportunities
for success.
BALANCE needs your help in supporting a moratorium
on immigration. You are not alone in your opinions.
More than one out of every two people in America
favor legal immigration levels less than 300,000 a year.
New Year's Resolutions for 2005:
-
Write, email, or FAX your congressman requesting
support for a moratorium on immigration and other
legislation that will limit immigration, and opposition
to legislation that offers amnesties and open borders
-
Sign up for Balance e-alerts by sending us your
email address
-
Request the information package for local activists
-
Offer a membership in BALANCE as a gift or encourage
one or more friends to join
-
Renew your membership in BALANCE and give tax-deductible
donations
Thank you for your hard work and support in 2004. The
Board and Staff of BALANCE wish you and your family
a happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year!
In Memoriam
Michelle A. Fehler
1979-2004
Population-Environment Balance has lost a dear friend
and valuable employee and the nation has lost an avid
environmentalist and proponent for population stabilization.
Michelle Anne Fehler lost her battle with leukemia on
November 26, 2004.
Michelle lived her life with much the same vigor as
she approached her work. Her dedication to the cause
of finding an ecologically sound approach to national
population pressures is evident in every publication,
Action Alert, and E-mail that she wrote and every media
appearance that she made. Michelles tireless outreach
work is still coming to fruition in the form of foundation
grants and member donations. Even after her passing,
we continue to receive communications from members praising
Michelle for her work as well as requests for comments
and media appearances.
Michelles courage and enthusiasm were an inspiration,
and her warm and cheerful personality endeared her to
everyone she met. Her passing comes as a shock to many
and she will be missed by all, especially the Board
and staff of Population-Environment Balance.
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