"Why do most First World environmentalists and even ecologists, not live one earth lifestyles consistent with what we believe is going to be necessary in the future?" he asks. "We've underpaid for the main input to our economies for a century and that has given us perverse behavior and incentive." He says if we did have higher prices on non-renewable inputs and subsidized humans, might be one angle.
On this episode, we meet with Professor Emeritus of Population Studies at Stanford University and author of The Population Bomb, Paul Ehrlich.
Ehrlich discusses what has happened with the human population situation in the decades since he published The Population Bomb. Why has humanity not responded to our long-term sustainability challenges? How would Ehrlich frame contemporary discussions about population?
In a wide-ranging conversation spanning stories about his appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson to how the environmental movement merged with corporate greenwashing, Ehrlich provides colorful and interesting commentary on the human predicament.
About Paul Ehrlich
Paul Ehrlich is the Bing Professor Emeritus of Population Studies at Stanford University and author of many books, including The Population Bomb.
For Show Notes and Transcript visit: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/09-paul-ehrlich