Greenhouse

• Natural habitats are being decimated, the world is growing hotter, and scientists fear we are experiencing the sixth mass extinction event in Earth’s history.
• Under such circumstances, is it reasonable to bring a child into the world?
• Recently, my work has explored questions where these two fields intersect, such as how climate change should affect decision-making about having a family.

A lifelong footprint

• Many people who care about the environment believe they are obligated to try to reduce their impact: driving fuel-efficient vehicles, recycling and purchasing food locally, for example.
• So, if you think you are obligated to do other activities to reduce your impact on the environment, you should limit your family size, too.
• In response, however, some people may argue that adding a single person to a planet of 8 billion cannot make a meaningful difference.

Crunching the numbers

• For example, statistician Paul Murtaugh and scientist Michael Schlax attempted to estimate the “carbon legacy” tied to a couple’s choice to procreate.
• They estimated the total lifetime emissions of individuals living in the world’s most populous 11 countries.

• Driving a more fuel-efficient car, on the other hand – getting 10 more miles to the gallon – would save only 148 metric tons of CO2-equivalent.
• He found that the average American contributes roughly one two-billionth of the total greenhouse gases that cause climate change.

Collective toll

• One common thought in ethics is that people should avoid participating in enterprises that involve collective wrongdoing.
• Suppose someone considers making a small donation to an organization that they learn is engaged in immoral activities, such as polluting a local river.
• We could reason the same way about procreation: Overpopulation is a collective problem that is degrading the environment and causing harm, so individuals should reduce their contribution to it when they can.

Moral gray zone

But perhaps having children warrants an exception. Parenthood is often a crucial part of people’s life plans and makes their lives far more meaningful, even if it does come at a cost to the planet. Some people believe reproductive freedom is so important that no one should feel moral pressure to restrict the size of their family.

• Is there a way to balance the varied and competing moral considerations in play here?
• I believe this allows a couple an appropriate amount of reproductive freedom while also recognizing the moral significance of the environmental problems linked to population growth.
• It is also possible, as ethicist Kalle Grill has argued, that none of these positions gets the moral calculus exactly right.
• Regardless, it is clear that prospective parents should reflect on the moral dimensions of procreation and its importance to their life plans.

Trevor Hedberg does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

• BOSTON, Feb. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Handbags made of mushroom leather and biodegradable foodware are two examples of how white biotechnology can produce functional products that look good.
• With the right input feedstock, such as biomass or gases, and the right fermentation processes, the outputs of white biotechnology processes can be utilized in textiles, chemicals, and fuels.
• Source IDTechEx
  Large mats made from the mycelium roots of mushrooms are a versatile material used for leather-alternative clothes and accessories.
• White biotechnology can also offer purpose to the gases accumulated by carbon capture, as scientists can put them to good use in making useable and eco-friendly chemicals and materials.

• TORONTO, Feb. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- “We are happy to see recent technological developments that bode well for ecological health, human health, food security, and compassion for animals,” says Barry MacKay, Animal Protection Party’s General Manager.
• It was announced on February 5th that Health Canada has sent a “letter of no objection” to Remilk, a company specializing in food technology.
• While able to produce cheese, yogurt, milk, and ice cream indistinguishable from that derived from lactating cows, the new product does not require cattle.
• Adaptation is not merely the key to species survival, it is the only means by which survival can occur.

• The production of cultured meat, also known as cultivated meat, is significantly more sustainable than traditional farming.
• Vow are pioneers in this novel industry, developing methods to grow meat directly from animal cells.
• "We are excited to bring this innovative, novel food product for this milestone tasting event here in Iceland, showcasing that not only is cultivated meat a more sustainable alternative to traditional meat – but that it is also a delicious one.
• That is why we are so excited to partner with ORF to announce today that Icelanders will be the first to taste an entirely new food in Europe's first ever official cultured meat tasting."