Population growth is making headlines for the wrong reason or with a biased perspective. It's too easy to draw erroneous conclusions about dropping fertility rates around the world. A surge of news stories from NPR compels us to offer both praise and criticism. Population growth appears to be coming to an end, and that's getting all the oxygen, not the fact that we have an overpopulation crisis. In fact, the word "overpopulation" is not heard even once in the 16 stories we analyzed.

Because the subject is brushed under the rug, reported infrequently or inaccurately, widespread misunderstandings among the public and policymakers persist. So, we decided 16 stories about "smaller families," "low birth rates," "depopulation," and "population decline" in 4 months from National Public Radio offered a good opportunity for us to do some analysis and offer suggestions. Our hope is that reporting might improve if journalists listen to this episode.

We specifically mention NPR's Scott Simon, Brian Mann, Sarah McCammon, and Michel Martin. We also mention Wellesley College economist Phillip Levine, and offer some praise for The Rewilding Institute's John Davis. And we hear briefly from the U.N.'s Vladimira Kantorova in one of the stories. The work of these journalists also appeared in the NPR series: John Ruwitch, Jasmine Ling, Kristin Wright, Marisa Peñaloza, Hanna Merzbach, Christina Cala, Dalia Mortada, Michelle Jokisch Polo, Clara Hulet, Anthony Kuhn, Ayman Oghanna, and Code Switch podcast hosts Gene Demby and B.A. Parker.

NOTE: The image representing this episode was AI generated.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Population Shift: How Smaller Families are Changing the World (NPR series): https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-94348/population-shift

Seven of Nine Planetary Boundaries Now Breached: https://www.stockholmresilience.org/news--events/general-news/2025-09-24-seven-of-nine-planetary-boundaries-now-breached.html

Fair Start Movement: https://fairstartmovement.org/model/

World Population Day: Rights of Children Eclipse What Parents "Want" – by Dave Gardner: https://medium.com/ending-overshoot/world-population-day-rights-of-children-eclipse-what-parents-want-e737d7b60d1b

World Scientists Warnings: https://scientistswarning.org/warnings/

The Racial History of the 'Overpopulation Time Bomb' and 'Pronatalism' MovementsHeard on Morning Edition, reported by Gene Demby and Michel Martinhttps://www.npr.org/2025/10/28/nx-s1-5551128/the-racial-history-of-the-overpopulation-time-bomb-and-pronatalism-movements

How Elon Musk and JD Vance Plan to 'Save Civilization' With More Babies – episode of Code Switch podcast, with Christina Cala, Dalia Mortada, Gene Demby and B.A. Parkerhttps://www.npr.org/2025/10/29/nx-s1-5588605/how-elon-musk-and-jd-vance-plan-to-save-civilization-with-more-babies

Busting Only-Child Myths – episode of Overshoot podcast: https://www.populationbalance.org/podcast/lauren-sandler

The Only Child: Debunking the Myths – Time magazine story by Lauren Sandler: http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2002530,00.html

One and Only: The Freedom of Having an Only Child, and The Joy of Being One – book by Lauren Sandlerhttps://www.laurenosandler.com/the-book

Insist That Public Policy Respects the Rights of Children and Women – by Dave Gardnerhttps://fairstartmovement.org/insist-that-public-policy-respects-the-rights-of-children-and-women/

Economic Wisdom from the Natural World: The Serviceberry - episode 92 of the GrowthBusters podcast: https://www.growthbusters.org/serviceberry/

Book Club Choice:Abundant Earth Offers a Positive Vision for the Future – review of Abundant Earth, by Eileen Crist: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/animal-emotions/201904/abundant-earth-offers-positive-vision-the-future

In Memory of Jane Goodall, Outspoken on Overpopulation – by Dave Gardnerhttps://davetheplanet.substack.com/p/in-memory-of-jane-goodall-outspoken

Dave the Planet - Dave's Substack Column: https://davetheplanet.substack.com/

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The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones. https://www.fadermusicandsound.com/ https://carlosjones.com/

On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society's growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture's obsession with, and pursuit of, growth.

Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared "could be the most important film ever made." Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy.

Join the GrowthBusters online community https://growthbusters.groups.io/

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Just say "NO." Some approaches to "abundance" are healthy, but one brand of abundance that's been capturing the cultural moment lately is a recipe for a dead planet. Dave and Stephanie assess key points made by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson in their book, Abundance. The result, a sound thrashing. The authors believe "America needs to build and invent more of the things it needs." They advocate eliminating regulatory barriers that are keeping us from getting more, faster. Conservation and environmental stewardship are not on the agenda.

Klein is a columnist for The New York Times and host of The Ezra Klein Show. Derek is a writer at The Atlantic and host of the Plain English podcast. They lean left, so many are suggesting the Democratic party should adopt "the abundance agenda" as it remakes itself in the wake of 2024 electoral defeat. In this episode, we make the case against that. We're not alone. Among the links we provide below are some additional thoughtful and articulate critiques of the book and agenda.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Economic Wisdom from the Natural World: The Serviceberry – episode 92 of the GrowthBusters podcasthttps://www.growthbusters.org/serviceberry/

Abundance – by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompsonhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/176444106-abundance

The Elite's Fixation with Low Birth Rates – Overshoot podcast episode with Samuel Miller McDonaldhttps://www.populationbalance.org/podcast/samuel-miller-mcdonald

An Abundance of Concrete – by Ben Goldfarbhttps://defector.com/an-abundance-of-concrete

Colorado Matters episode with Ben Goldfarbhttps://www.cpr.org/2025/06/27/interview-ben-goldfarb-state-of-conservation/

Bezos: We're Going to Need Another Planet – episode 89 of the GrowthBusters podcasthttps://www.growthbusters.org/bezos-need-another-planet/

On Abundance - by The Last Farmhttps://www.resilience.org/stories/2025-07-16/on-abundance (Note: a good critique of "abundance" but a narrow solution. It's a good part of the solution, but not complete.)

Give Us Feedback:

• Record a voice message for us to play on the podcast: 719-402-1400
• Send an email to podcast at growthbusters.org

The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones. https://www.fadermusicandsound.com/ https://carlosjones.com/

On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society's growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture's obsession with, and pursuit of, growth.

Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared "could be the most important film ever made." Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy.

Join the GrowthBusters online community https://growthbusters.groups.io/

GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth – free on YouTube https://youtu.be/_w0LiBsVFBo

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In this trial run for the "GrowthBusters Book Club," we discuss The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World - by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Cannibal economies, gift economies, reciprocity, and doughnut economics all come up.

Sally Gillespie in her Substack column, Psyche's Nest wrote this about Kimmerer's book:

"As disruptions and destructions reach our communities in all manner of ways, acts of kindness and generosity are already challenging modernity's stories of 'never enough' and 'you're on your own'. Often led by those on the margins, we are remembering how to pool resources and gather for action and care as we tend to losses, connections, breakthroughs, emergencies and emergence. It seems to me that no one word is sufficient to describe this devolving and evolving process we are now in. What we need more than a word or a phrase are stories bearing ancient roots and seeds of possibility for the future."

We also talk briefly about President Trump's "big, beautiful bill" beautifully illustrating how policymakers – cheered on by Jeff Bezos – frequently rely on the crutch of economic growth rather than a sharp pencil in balancing the budget. The increased tax revenue never ends up covering costs – because costs skyrocket, too, in a growing economy.

The hard budget-balancing work is looking at the detail, doing the math, ferreting out REAL waste, and setting and following priorities. Interestingly, Robin Wall Kimmerer wrote about this phenomenon:

"An economy based on the impossibility of ever-expanding growth leads us into nightmare scenarios. I cringe when I hear economic reports celebrating the accelerating pace of economic growth, as if that were a good thing. It might be good for the Darrens, for the short term, but it is a dead end for others – it is an engine of extinction."

Also, a note about how "record Memorial Day travel" also means record carbon emissions.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Beyond collapse: Carrying Stories of Care – by Sallie Gillespie in Psyche's Nest on Substack: https://sallygillespie.substack.com/p/beyond-collapse-carrying-stories

The Serviceberry: An Economy of Abundance - by Robin Wall KimmererOriginal essay in Emergence Magazine: https://emergencemagazine.org/essay/the-serviceberry/

A Resolution for 2021: Be a Better Ancestor (review of The Good Ancestor): https://grist.org/climate/a-resolution-for-2021-be-a-better-ancestor/

The Good Ancestor: Following the Intergenerational Golden Rule – episode 54 of the GrowthBusters podcast featuring philosopher Roman Krznarik, author of The Good Ancestor: A Radical Prescription for Long-Term Thinking: https://www.growthbusters.org/good-ancestor/

What Doughnut Economics Can Learn From History – Roman Krznaric & Kate Raworth: https://youtu.be/FfUOs4ZJ1wM?si=dAIJjeYBUt6Amr3C

Flipping Economics on Its Head: Kate Raworth – episode 219 of Conversation Earth: http://www.conversationearth.org/flipping-economics-head-kate-raworth-219/

Thriving Economy: Not Rocket Science – Kate Raworth – episode 220 of Conversation Earth: http://www.conversationearth.org/thriving-economy-not-rocket-science-kate-raworth-220/

Kate Raworth – Exploring Doughnut Economics: https://www.kateraworth.com/

Doughnut Economics Action Lab: https://doughnuteconomics.org/

End of Ponzi Economy: Jerry Mander – episode 203 of Conversation Earth: http://www.conversationearth.org/end-ponzi-economy-jerry-mander-203/

Bright Future Project: https://brightfutureproject.us

We've been unable to find Bob Banner's essay, Why Relocalization? – A Return to the Local, so in its place:

Relocalization: A Strategic Response to Climate Change and Peak Oil – by Jason Bradford (2007, but still very relevant and informative): http://theoildrum.com/node/2598

Sustainability: Radical Solutions Inspiring Hope – edited by Bob Banner: https://www.amazon.com/Sustainability-Radical-Solutions-Inspiring-Hope/dp/0980230802

Give Us Feedback:

• Record a voice message for us to play on the podcast: 719-402-1400
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The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones. https://www.fadermusicandsound.com/ https://carlosjones.com/

On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society's growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture's obsession with, and pursuit of, growth.

Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared "could be the most important film ever made." Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy.

Join the GrowthBusters online community https://growthbusters.groups.io/

GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth – free on YouTube https://youtu.be/_w0LiBsVFBo

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Prolific river protector Gary Wockner gives us the straight scoop on the state of the Colorado River (and others), and the growth obsession that keeps southwest states and cities from responding rationally to increasingly scarce water resources. TODAY, nearly half the world's population experiences severe water shortages at least part of the year. So far, fresh water issues in the American Southwest amount – mostly - to first world problems – like "I can't water my lawn whenever I want," "it's hard to keep the golf course lush and green with less water," or "How can I develop my next residential project if there's no water?" But the future could be grim, if we can't get the cities and states into a 12-step program to break the growth addiction habit.

Our guest, Gary Wockner, works globally as an advocate and consultant for protection of rivers. He founded and directs:

• Save the Colorado
• Save the Poudre
• Colorado River chapter of CASSE

He also cofounded Tell the Dam Truth, a nonprofit that supports river-protection groups by engaging with federal and state agencies to make sure that the greenhouse gas emissions caused by dams and reservoirs are counted, reported, and then considered during policy making, rulemaking, and legislation.

He most recently led opposition to the Northern Integrated Supply Project. He filed a lawsuit to stop it, and recently settled the suit. He shares about the settlement in this episode. Gary is also author of numerous books, including:

• River Warrior: Fighting to Protect the World's Rivers
• Comeback Wolves
• Pulse of the River

LINKS: News stories, opinion pieces, books and more related to Gary Wockner's work: https://garywockner.com/all-garys-writing-advocacy/ Disaster Capitalism on the Colorado River - Column by Gary Wockner: https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2016/03/27/colorado-river-drought-destruction-interior-moonshot-disaster-capitalism-column/80468488/ Save the Colorado: https://savethecolorado.org/ Save the Poudre: https://www.savethepoudre.org/ Tell the Dam Truth: https://tellthedamtruth.com/

Colorado River Chapter of CASSE (Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy): https://steadystate.org/meet/chapters/ Colorado River Basin Climate and Hydrology: State of the Science: https://wwa.colorado.edu/resources/colorado-river-resources/CRBreport Colorado River States Still Have No Unified Long-Term Management Plan and 'Are Just About Out of Time,' Experts Warn – May 31, 2025 Denver Post story: https://www.denverpost.com/2025/05/31/colorado-river-negotiations-2026-deadline/ Water Supply Uncertainty Could Slow Growth in Colorado Springs – May 2024 news story KRDO13 Colorado Springs: https://youtu.be/rvGGqZHwHdM?si=bimFT2BSWlCq_c5C Officials Fear 'Complete Doomsday Scenario' for Drought-Stricken Colorado River - The Washington Post, December 1, 2022: https://www.yahoo.com/news/officials-fear-complete-doomsday-scenario-202316932.html?guccounter=1

Give Us Feedback:

• Record a voice message for us to play on the podcast: 719-402-1400
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The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones. https://www.fadermusicandsound.com/ https://carlosjones.com/

On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society's growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture's obsession with, and pursuit of, growth.

Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared "could be the most important film ever made." Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy.

Join the GrowthBusters online community https://growthbusters.groups.io/

GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth – free on YouTube https://youtu.be/_w0LiBsVFBo

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Learn about a new think tank that's doing some of the most important thinking on the planet. Matt Orsagh is co-founder of the Arketa Institute for Post-Growth Finance and co-author of a just-published white paper, By Disaster Or Design: How Finance Can Evolve to Avoid the Worst of the Ecological Challenges We Face and Enable the Transition to a Better Economic Model.

That paper, and this episode, offer an introduction to degrowth, the rational response for a society in ecological overshoot. Degrowth is "an equitable downscaling of production and consumption that increases human well-being and enhances ecological conditions at the local and global level, in the short and long term." We also explore how the financial industry needs to evolve as we transition to a post-growth economy.

Matt is also author of the Substack column, Degrowth is the Answer. The Arketa Institute is working to "normalize the conversation around ecological economics and degrowth in the financial world." Steve Rocco and Anastasia Linn are co-founders with Matt Orsagh. The white paper was written by the three of them, and edited by Nicholas Harland.

Some upcoming events of note:

• April 29: Webinar to discuss the paper 'By Disaster or Design'. Register here: https://eu.bigin.online/org20104687142/forms/by-disaster-or-design-webinar
• May 7-9: Matt, Anastasia and Steve will attend and present at the in-person gathering of the Barcelona Action Circle of Financial Leaders. This is the culmination of a months-long engagement organized by the world-renowned team at Research & Degrowth: https://degrowth.org/
• May 13-15: Matt will attend the Finance Montreal Sustainable Finance Summit in Montreal, Canada: https://www.sommet-financedurable.com/en/home
• July 26-29: Matt will speak at the Degrowth Institute's inaugural DeSchool event in Chicago: https://www.degrowthinstitute.org/events/deschool-2025
• Fall 2025: Arketa Institute will survey global financial professionals on their understanding of ecological economics and post-growth ideas to inform a report to be published by the end of 2025.

LINKS:

By Disaster or Design: How Finance Can Evolve to Avoid the Worst of the Ecological Challenges We Face and Enable the Transition to a Better Economic Modelhttps://www.arketa-institute.org/resources/by-disaster-or-design

What We're Doing Isn't Working: It's Time for a New Approach – Episode 9 of Dave the Planet podcasthttps://davetheplanet.substack.com/p/what-were-doing-isnt-working

Behavior Change to Provide a Bright Future – Episode 15 of Dave the Planet podcasthttps://davetheplanet.substack.com/p/behavior-change-to-provide-a-bright

Planetary Boundaries – Stockholm Universityhttps://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.html

The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World - by Robin Wall Kimmerer (author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants)https://www.robinwallkimmerer.com/books

FURTHER READING:

Post-Growth: The Science of Wellbeing Within Planetary Boundarieshttps://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(24)00310-3/fulltext

This Isn't Capitalism — It's Growthism, and It's Bad for Usby Umair Haque, Harbard Business Review, October 28, 2013https://hbr.org/2013/10/this-isnt-capitalism-its-growthism-and-its-bad-for-us

Growthism: Its Ecological, Economic and Ethical Limits - by Herman Dalyhttps://www.paecon.net/PAEReview/issue87/Daly87.pdf https://www.pelicanweb.org/solisustv15n04page15.html

Essays Against Growthism, by Herman Daly, published by World Economics Association Books. Pdf or ebook https://www.worldeconomicsassociation.org/files/Essays-Against-Growthism-Herman-Daly-PDF.pdf https://www.worldeconomicsassociation.org/library/essays-against-growthism/

The Entropy Law and the Economic Processhttps://content.csbs.utah.edu/~lozada/Adv_Resource_Econ/En_Law_Econ_Proc_Cropped_Optimized_Clearscan.pdf

Quantity of Metals Required to Manufacture One Generation of Renewable Technology Units to Phase Out Fossil Fuelshttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/367682085_Quantity_of_Metals_Required_to_Manufacture_One_Generation_of_Renewable_Technology_Units_to_Phase_Out_Fossil_Fuels

Give Us Feedback:

• Record a voice message for us to play on the podcast: 719-402-1400
• Send an email to podcast at growthbusters.org

The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones. https://www.fadermusicandsound.com/ https://carlosjones.com/

On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society's growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture's obsession with, and pursuit of, growth.

Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared "could be the most important film ever made." Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy.

Join the GrowthBusters online community https://growthbusters.groups.io/

GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth – free on YouTube https://youtu.be/_w0LiBsVFBo

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Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos thinks the U.S. can grow its way out of a massive deficit. He says we need a "growth mindset." Stephanie and Dave call it a "suicide economic model," and note that growth addiction is exactly what afflicts most policymakers around the world. The dynamic duo discuss the little-understood fact that a shrinking economy can be healthy – when it accompanies a contracting population. Bezos also proposes that we plunder the universe in order to protect Earth "we've sent robotic probes to all of the planets in this solar system. This is the good one.")

Also:

The Congressional Budget Office lowers U.S. population projections, further stoking the fires of depopulation panic – the result of a lack of overpopulation literacy

Isaac Asimov's "metaphor of the bathroom," about the need for more regulation as our population grows (we dug up great video of Asimov; see link below)

The parable of the Mexican fisherman

A great poem, Rather Than by Sandy Trust. Featured in an episode of one of our favorite podcasts, Planet Critical (see link below)

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Congressional Budget Office Lowers U.S. Population Projectionshttps://www.cbo.gov/publication/61164#_idTextAnchor003

Immigrants Fill the Birth Dearth: U.S. Population Will Crater Without NewcomersNew York Daily News editorialhttps://www.nydailynews.com/2025/01/17/immigrants-fill-the-birth-dearth-u-s-population-will-crater-without-newcomers/

The Interview: From Amazon to Space — Jeff Bezos Talks Innovation, Progress and What's Next – 2024 New York Times DealBook Summit, with Andrew Ross Sorkinhttps://youtu.be/s71nJQqzYRQ?si=uTMCtPVaXw8WnDeD

The Four Hour Work Week - by Tim Ferrisshttps://fourhourworkweek.com/

The Story of the Mexican Fishermanhttps://bemorewithless.com/the-story-of-the-mexican-fisherman/ A blog post on the website of Courtney Carver, author of Soulful Simplicity: How Living with Less Can Lead to So Much More, and Gentle: Rest More, Stress Less, and Live the Life You Actually Want

Isaac Asimov on World of Ideas – 1988 Interview by Bill Moyershttps://youtu.be/CWovZtCQWfE?si=nnxiJJb8LmC026Q_

Planetary Solvency – Finding Our Balance With Nature – report by Institute and Faculty of Actuarieshttps://actuaries.org.uk/news-and-media-releases/news-articles/2025/jan/16-jan-25-planetary-solvency-finding-our-balance-with-nature/

Planetary Solvency: Sandy Trust – episode of Planet Critical with Rachel DonaldSandy Trust responds to one question with his poem, Rather Thanhttps://www.planetcritical.com/p/planetary-solvency-sandy-trust

Give Us Feedback:

• Record a voice message for us to play on the podcast: 719-402-1400
• Send an email to podcast at growthbusters.org

The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones. https://www.fadermusicandsound.com/ https://carlosjones.com/

On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society's growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture's obsession with, and pursuit of, growth.

Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared "could be the most important film ever made." Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy.

Join the GrowthBusters online community https://growthbusters.groups.io/

GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth – free on YouTube https://youtu.be/_w0LiBsVFBo

Join the conversation on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GrowthBustersPodcast/ Make a donation to support this non-profit project. https://www.growthbusters.org/donate/

Archive of GrowthBusters podcast episodes http://www.growthbusters.org/podcast/

Subscribe to GrowthBusters email updates https://lp.constantcontact.com/su/umptf6w/signup

Explore the issues at http://www.growthbusters.org

View the GrowthBusters channel on YouTube

Follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode:

Unplug from an overshoot economy serving a growth-obsessed oligarchy. On March 15, the multitudes will begin a general strike across the U.S. – starving our profit and growth obsessed system. The commoners will reclaim power taken by the elite. Learn about Shutdown315 as Stephanie and Dave discuss, and chat with two Shutdown315 movement organizers, Chet and Bones.

We're excited to share this with you, because Shutdown315 may be a great on-ramp to post-growth living. It starts March 15, 2025, and continues. We also launch the GrowthBusters book club – listen to learn our first book selection.

And we offer a few comments about actor Kieran Culkin's appeal to his wife to give him four kids in his Oscar acceptance speech, of note because the Earth cannot meet the needs of our current 8 billion population without damaging critical life-supporting ecosystems.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

GrowthBusters Survey – https://growthbusters.org/survey

Shutdown315 website – https://shutdown315.org

Will the Wealthy Consume Less? That would be helpful – by Matt Orsaghhttps://degrowthistheanswer.substack.com/p/will-the-wealthy-consume-less

What Is #Shutdown315? Nationwide Plan to Shut Down USA for 1 Day - Newsweekhttps://www.newsweek.com/what-shutdown315-nationwide-plan-shut-down-usa-one-day-2030742

Bright Future Project from Dave's Presidential Campaign - https://brightfutureproject.us

Shutdown315 Subreddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/shutdown315/

Shutdown315 Substack - https://substack.com/@theshutdown315movement

Donate - https://www.growthbusters.org/donate/

Small-Family Stickers - https://youtu.be/jz_wVCPKyVY?si=0jNikVEPyTMHtFCj

Donate and write to us at podcast at growthbusters.org to get yours

GrowthBusters Online Community - https://growthbusters.groups.io/

The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World - by Robin Wall Kimmererhttps://www.robinwallkimmerer.com/books

Give Us Feedback:

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The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones. https://www.fadermusicandsound.com/ https://carlosjones.com/

On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society's growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture's obsession with, and pursuit of, growth.

Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared "could be the most important film ever made." Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy.

Join the GrowthBusters online community https://growthbusters.groups.io/

GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth – free on YouTube https://youtu.be/_w0LiBsVFBo

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In the face of accelerated global warming and increasingly severe consequences of climate disruption, UN projections are outdated and understating the problem, and the U.S. is going to produce and burn fossil fuels like they're going out of business. Meanwhile Trump wants to be sure Gazans aren't using condoms to float bombs over the border, and to be sure condoms and other family planning resources are not available the world over.

On a positive note, a small town in Canada has adopted a "Limits to Growth" policy. Learn more about it in this episode.

Please take a short survey to help us do a better job of growthbusting! https://forms.gle/fFXMEVaGRwe92Aa97

MENTIONED:

Global Warming Has Accelerated: Are the United Nations and the Public Well-Informed? By James Hansen et al.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00139157.2025.2434494

ReproductiveRights.Gov Vanished, So We Brought It Backhttps://www.theskimm.com/news/reproductive-rights-gov

District of Tofino Council Adopts 'Limits to Growth' Policyhttps://www.westerlynews.ca/local-news/district-of-tofino-council-adopts-limits-to-growth-policy-7701330

Is optimism required in order to alert folks to our ecological overshoot emergency? Dave and Stephanie discuss the challenge of communicating the depth and urgency of overshoot without shutting people down.

Also:

• Dave shares how he and a group of local growthbusters projected a guerilla "pop-up" billboard on New Year's Eve – attempting to provide an honest reality check, but not put revelers off (or entice police or security personnel to stop them)
• The wisdom in U.S. President Jimmy Carter's "malaise" speech
• Congestion pricing results in kids walking, riding bikes, or taking public transit to school
• China wants to goose consumption in order to keep high GDP growth
• Rampant growthism in reporting on UK economic contraction
• Incoming Trump advisors count on economic growth to balance the budget
• The enormous carbon footprint of stadium concerts and sporting events
• A new book by Robin Wall Kimmerer: The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

President Jimmy Carter's "Malaise" Speechhttps://youtu.be/sXwZSzy9Ies?si=ekyAsmL0FokRvpCc

London Saw a Surprising Benefit to Fining High-Polluting Cars: More Active Kidshttps://grist.org/cities/london-fining-polluting-cars-more-active-kids/

How the Debt Could Topple Trump's Growth Agendahttps://www.politico.com/news/2024/12/16/trump-ceos-american-debt-plan-00194362

The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World - by Robin Wall Kimmererhttps://www.robinwallkimmerer.com/books

Give Us Feedback:

• Record a voice message for us to play on the podcast: 719-402-1400
• Send an email to podcast at growthbusters.org

The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones. https://www.fadermusicandsound.com/ https://carlosjones.com/

On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society's growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture's obsession with, and pursuit of, growth.

Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared "could be the most important film ever made." Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy.

Join the GrowthBusters online community https://growthbusters.groups.io/

GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth – free on YouTube https://youtu.be/_w0LiBsVFBo

Join the conversation on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GrowthBustersPodcast/ Make a donation to support this non-profit project. https://www.growthbusters.org/donate/

Archive of GrowthBusters podcast episodes http://www.growthbusters.org/podcast/

Subscribe to GrowthBusters email updates https://lp.constantcontact.com/su/umptf6w/signup

Explore the issues at http://www.growthbusters.org

View the GrowthBusters channel on YouTube

Follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode:

Dave and Stephanie dig into what caused voters to ignore Donald Trump's felony convictions, indecency, incompetence, narcissism, and dishonesty – and elect him president. This includes a review of the 50-year war waged by the mega-rich and corporations to undermine civility, compassion, equity and rule of law, to elevate the free enterprise system, rob the working class and enrich themselves. The Lewis Powell Memo kicked this into high gear 50 years ago.

They also propose theories about why Dave's campaign for president failed in its mission to alert the public, media and policymakers to the ecological overshoot emergency.

Clips: Desi Lydic on The Daily Show on Comedy Central and Jimmy Kimmel on Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC.

Mentioned in this episode: Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Elon Musk, Steven Spielberg, Bill Gates, Chris Hedges, Thom Hartmann, William Kristol, Andrew Egger, Dan Lashoff of World Resources Institute, American Petroleum Institute, Guttmacher Institute, American Enterprise Institute, Hoover Institution, Cato Institute, Heritage Foundation, Mercatus Center, Warren Beatty, Jane Fonda, Terry Spahr, John McCain, Reagan, Bush, Grist.

We invite your feedback, including thoughts about the recent election, and promise to share some of your comments on the next episode. Call and leave a voice message (which we may play on that episode) by dialing +1-719-402-1400. Or send an email to podcast at growthbusters dot org.

LINKS:

Desi Lydic Reacts to Trump's Election Win & the Media's Blame Game | The Daily Showhttps://youtu.be/hPHH5trgC1w?si=vww-V3qoIRpLCgmH

Jimmy Kimmel Reacts to Donald Trump Winning the Presidential Electionhttps://youtu.be/5JxELubSgJg?si=v9LRIHd5FqDZCQLf

Strong Economy Begins With Shrinking Workforce - Episode 84 of the GrowthBusters podcasthttps://www.growthbusters.org/strong-economy-shrinking-workforce/

Dave the Planet – Dave's campaign Substack columnhttps://davetheplanet.substack.com

I'm Withdrawing from the Race for U.S. President - Episode 21 of the Dave the Planet podcasthttps://davetheplanet.substack.com/p/im-withdrawing-from-the-race-for

Welcome to Overshoot: Have a Nice Day – episode of the Conversation Earth podcasthttp://www.conversationearth.org/welcome-to-overshoot-2020/

Trump Wins, Planet Loses – by Tik Root on Gristhttps://grist.org/article/the-massive-consequences-trumps-re-election-could-have-on-climate-change/

If Trump Wins, Is It Game Over? – by David Todd McCarty on Mediumhttps://medium.com/rome-magazine/if-trump-wins-is-it-game-over-26f1cc296342

The Billionaires Won: The 50-Year War on Democracy That Built Trump's Oligarchy and Killed the American Dream – by Thom Hartmannhttps://hartmannreport.com/p/the-billionaires-won-the-50-year-841

The Lewis Powell Memo: A Corporate Blueprint to Dominate Democracyhttps://www.greenpeace.org/usa/democracy/the-lewis-powell-memo-a-corporate-blueprint-to-dominate-democracy/

Tentacles of Rage: The Republican Propaganda Mill, a Brief History – by Lewis Laphamhttps://msuweb.montclair.edu/~furrg/gned/laphamtentacles04.pdf

Dave the Planet Substack columnhttps://davetheplanet.substack.com/

Dave Gardner for Presidenthttps://davetheplanet2024.com

Give Us Feedback:

• Record a voice message for us to play on the podcast: 719-402-1400
• Send an email to podcast at growthbusters.org

The GrowthBusters theme song was written and produced by Jake Fader and sung by Carlos Jones. https://www.fadermusicandsound.com/ https://carlosjones.com/

On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program from our society's growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture's obsession with, and pursuit of, growth.

Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared "could be the most important film ever made." Co-host, and self-described "energy nerd," Stephanie Gardner has degrees in Environmental Studies and Environmental Law & Policy.

Join the GrowthBusters online community https://growthbusters.groups.io/

GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth – free on YouTube https://youtu.be/_w0LiBsVFBo

Join the conversation on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GrowthBustersPodcast/ Make a donation to support this non-profit project. https://www.growthbusters.org/donate/

Archive of GrowthBusters podcast episodes http://www.growthbusters.org/podcast/

Subscribe to GrowthBusters email updates https://lp.constantcontact.com/su/umptf6w/signup

Explore the issues at http://www.growthbusters.org

View the GrowthBusters channel on YouTube

Follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode: