In Wilson’s “Solution” chapter he explores various solutions to the environmental crisis. These include population control and help for developing countries.

Unfortunately, as with any solution, there are several difficulties with both of these. How is it possible to control population growth in all countries? China and India are both attempting, but what about countries like Afghanistan? Iraq? We could take a page out of Wilson’s book and make it economically viable, but how would it look for the US/UN/whoever to impose this on other countries. Let people starve? Start a war? Even if these aren’t choices to consider, they’re going to happen anyway.

So, we could help developing countries; educate them etc. We still run into this stumbling block of imposing regulations somewhere we really don’t have control. We could make the entire world democratic, but is a democratic government really the best way to go? What do we do with developing countries, not let them develop? Does development mean industrialization, and does that mean more problems?

I think it is also very important to consider the problem of eco-terrorism. What do we do with the people who are so fed up with the lack of environmental consideration that they are willing to kill for their cause? I think that Wilson’s solutions are all very good ones, but he makes everything sound so clear-cut and easy. Unfortunately that’s not how this problem can be solved.

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