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CCN's 5 Point Program
WHAT IS CARRYING CAPACITY?A common fallacy is to equate existing and seemingly open or "unused" spaces with the kind of resources and ecologically productive land needed to support human life under modern conditions. In fact, the criterion for determining whether a region is overpopulated is not land area, but carrying capacity. Carrying capacity refers to the number of individuals who can be supported in a given area within natural resource limits, and without degrading the natural social, cultural and economic environment for present and future generations. The carrying capacity for any given area is not fixed. It can be altered by improved technology, but mostly it is changed for the worse by pressures which accompany a population increase. As the environment is degraded, carrying capacity actually shrinks, leaving the environment no longer able to support even the number of people who could formerly have lived in the area on a sustainable basis. No population can live beyond the environment's carrying capacity for very long. The average American's "ecological footprint" (the demands an individual endowed with average amounts of resources, ie, land, water, food, fiber, waste assimilation and disposal, etc. puts on the environment) is about 12 acres, an area far greater than that taken up by one's residence and place of school or work and other places where he or she is. We must think in terms of "carrying capacity" not land area. The effects of unfettered population growth drastically reduce the carrying capacity in the United States. |
CARRYING CAPACITY NETWORK Real Solutions for America's ProblemsWelcome to the CCN Home Page! CCN is a national
non-profit advocacy group working to secure the sustainable future of
the United States. Here you'll find articles by some of the best contemporary
thinkers in the fields of population stabilization, national revitalization,
economic sustainabilty July 2010
Cultural Marxism — A Threat to the USA #3 Preserving the USA's cultural carrying capacity has been a central concern of Carrying Capacity Network since CCN's founding some twenty years ago. Staying within our cultural carrying capacity enables “National Unity,” the first Principle of CCN's 5-point program. Practices which impair or destroy fundamental cultural values impair the sustainability of a nation -- as the eminent Garrett Hardin asserted in his classic 1986 essay 'Cultural Carrying Capacity' -- just as overuse of not-easily replaceable resources is a transgression of long-term ecological carrying capacity.
CCN is a group of activists working to promote and conserve what's right with America and to eliminate what's wrong with America. Most of America's main problems - from traffic, to classroom crowding, to pollution, depletion, welfare dependency, increasing taxes, and cultural fragmentation, have deep roots in our unsustainable population growth. Because of that, CCN focuses on stabilizing our population. We are even willing to face the awkward demographic fact that immigration is the cause of most of our recent growth (at current rates, immigration will cause about 90% of our growth as we double in the next 60 years or so). CCN simply wants to conserve the best of America - before it's developed, overrun, consumed, and polluted by runaway population growth. It's not too late, and we hope that you will join us in this effort. Note: CCN is anti-mass immigration but NOT anti-immigrant. At NETWORK , we understand that immigration is a sensitive issue. While we hope to encourage debate on this topic and challenge the status quo, it is important to note that our battle is being waged for the future of the United States of America-- for preservation of quality of life, respect for law, national security and a sustainable population size and level of resource use. These goals do not threaten immigrants. Rather, established immigrants are quick to see that continuing, explosive growth in population size will recreate conditions in the United States that are similar to conditions in their countries of origin and from which they fled. No prejudice nor lack of compassion guides us. Rather, we desire a sustainable future for all. We push for the enactment of sensible policies and we demand enforcement of existing US law. At NETWORK we work as much for the well being of our immigrant Americans as that of native-born citizens. We were the founding sponsor of the Diversity Coalition for an Immigration Moratorium in order to help achieve a sensible immigration policy. We encourage everyone who cares about the future of America to join us. The CCN Editorial Policy: While Carrying Capacity Network endeavors to make sure that all materials contained in our publications are accurate, CCN is not responsible for the reliability of information submitted for publication. CCN does not sanction or endorse any views, policies, or activities of groups or individuals, including members of CCN, except as may be explicitly indicated. CCN will assume that when information is submitted, permission is thereby granted to edit and provide context before dissemination. Due to the volume of submissions, CCN cannot guarantee that any particular item will be included or that it will be included in its entirety. CCN will, however, always endeavor to properly credit sources. Contact CCN at
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