I agree we need to shrink our footprint and the number of footprints. You write this entire article and never question why we should even consider supporting 7.9 billion people. Imagine the world with 4 billion or better yet one billion people.

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A complement to planting trees, a global one child policy until we shrink our population to a manageable size (1 billion). Every person is granted 1/2 a child credit at birth. Team up with another person and use it, trade it or sell it. What intelligent beings would allow their population to grow unchecked well beyond a sustainable level? Beyond what their planet can reasonably sustain? Save the religious mumbo jumbo, I think God would understand and appreciate our stewardship of the planet. If you are one who is simply biding you time on earth waiting for the next life, then respectively you have no say.