# Will having children solve climate change? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 27, 2019, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598 "2019-03-27T10:33:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598/21 "2019-03-27T16:58:10Z")
On the other hand, “Republicans, go fuck yourselves” is a sentiment I can get behind. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598/22 "2019-03-27T18:49:40Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Senator Mike Lee is a reminder that democratic means are utterly insufficient to the scope of the problem we’re faced with… ^ Here is the problem. There are a lot of people who can’t, wont, don’t acknowledge the problem, and therefore can’t, wont, don’t treat it seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598/23 "2019-03-27T19:04:14Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > ^ Here is the problem. There are a lot of people who can’t, wont, don’t acknowledge the problem, and therefore can’t, wont, don’t treat it seriously. And those people need to be disempowered. We’re out of time to fuck around on this. Mike Lee needs to go. James Inhofe needs to go. And if democratic means are insufficient, we need to find other means. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598/24 "2019-03-27T19:11:45Z")
It’s not the having children that will solve the problem, it is the having of \*American \*children, because only Americans can solve world problems. That’s what Lee was saying. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598/25 "2019-03-27T19:11:57Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Direct action - taking whatever steps necessary, **legal or not** , to remove people like Mike Lee, James Inhofe, and Mitch McConnell from positions of power - is necessary. Calling for illegal actions, especially actions of violence, is a violation of the Registration agreement. This is a Warning to avoid this behavior in the future. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598/26 "2019-03-27T19:15:59Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > It’s not the having children that will solve the problem, it is the having of \*American \*children, because only Americans can solve world problems. That’s what Lee was saying. You know he hated having to include some non-white babies in his baby poster. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598/27 "2019-03-27T19:16:13Z")
Since the average human exhales about 2.3 pounds of carbon dioxide on an average day, which is in the neighborhood of 60,000 pounds in a lifetime. Having kids will only spike the population and make matters worse, not better. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598/28 "2019-03-27T20:25:44Z")
I’ve never liked the idea of “I care for the environment and there are way too many humans so I’m going to do my part and not have children”. What good are you doing? ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598/29 "2019-03-27T20:32:10Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > I’ve never liked the idea of “I care for the environment and there are way too many humans so I’m going to do my part and not have children”. > > What good are you doing? So you believe having lots of children is the best way to solve issues related to climate change? And the more they are from the USA, the better? How do more US children = a solution to climate change? ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598/30 "2019-03-27T21:02:45Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > I’ve never liked the idea of “I care for the environment and there are way too many humans so I’m going to do my part and not have children”. > > What good are you doing? Killing off the human species would presumably be good for the planet, and everyone voluntarily choosing not to reproduce is probably the politest way to wipe us all out. Plus in a few years there would be no more small children making noise in movie theaters, so that’s a plus. Of course, the logic fails if it’s only the smart people doing it, allowing the idiots to swarm the earth. The part of the earth not underwater anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Crap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.crap/32/3131_2.png) [@Dr.Crap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Crap)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598/31 "2019-03-27T21:17:05Z")
You’re going to have so much egg on your face when I’ve loved my way to a carbon-eating, heat-resistant, amphibious mutant child who I breed relentlessly in a controlled setting over the course of my life. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598/32 "2019-03-27T21:36:28Z")
> [@Dr.Crap](#): > > You’re going to have so much egg on your face when I’ve loved my way to a carbon-eating, heat-resistant, amphibious mutant child who I breed relentlessly in a controlled setting over the course of my life. The secret breeding progam of the LDS Church is finally revealed. Are Utah voters not upset that their senior senator does not have any better way to represent them than engaging in _Shadowrun_-themed fantastical storytelling in front of Congress? I don’t mean to shame anyone for their private fantasies and RPG hobbies, but I would think that a senator would have more pressing things to do than geeking out about his personal take on cross-genre Reagan hero worship on the job. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598/33 "2019-03-27T21:43:15Z")
> [@l0k1](#): > > Babies are probably not the best way to sequester carbon, even if you immediately land fill them. You owe one (1) keyboard, standard, PC, for to use with. You are also going to Hell, Heck, Hades AND Hel. Wanna carpool ? ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598/34 "2019-03-27T22:25:06Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > I’ve never liked the idea of “I care for the environment and there are way too many humans so I’m going to do my part and not have children”. > > What good are you doing? You know what I think? People who don’t want kids shouldn’t have kids. I guess your argument is that everyone should start cranking out kids, because maybe one of those kids is going to be a genius who solves climate change, and if people have fewer kids it’s less likely that our supergenius savior will be born. The more kids, the better. Of course we don’t wanna spend money on schools or healthcare for these kids, that would be ridiculous socialism. The future supergenius savior of humanity isn’t going to need a government school to save us all, Christian homeschooling is a great way to educate the future scientists and engineers America needs. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598/35 "2019-03-27T22:37:13Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > You know what I think? People who don’t want kids shouldn’t have kids. > > I guess your argument is that everyone should start cranking out kids, because maybe one of those kids is going to be a genius who solves climate change, and if people have fewer kids it’s less likely that our supergenius savior will be born. The more kids, the better. > > Of course we don’t wanna spend money on schools or healthcare for these kids, that would be ridiculous socialism. The future supergenius savior of humanity isn’t going to need a government school to save us all, Christian homeschooling is a great way to educate the future scientists and engineers America needs. It sounds almost like Jesus v2. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598/36 "2019-03-27T23:15:14Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > … Since this is in GD, I guess I’m obligated to start the debate. I think Lee and the other Gopsters are wrong — why will having kids stop climate change? — but don’t understand his argument well enough to argue in detail. > > There are Republican Dopers. Can any help flesh out Lee’s argument? I’m a Republican, and one of Senator Lee’s constituents. I’ll let him flesh out his own argument: > [@](#): > > … > > So let’s be really clear, Mr. President. Climate change is no joke. But the Green New Deal is a joke. > > It is the legislative equivalent of Austin Powers’s “Dr. Evil” demanding “sharks with frickin’ lasers on their heads.” > > The Green New Deal is not the solution to climate change. It’s not even part of the solution. It’s part of the problem. > > The solution to climate change won’t be found in political posturing or virtue signaling like this. > > It won’t be found in the federal government at all. > > You know where the solution can be found? In churches, wedding chapels, and maternity wards across the country and around the world. > > This, Mr. President, is the real solution to climate change: babies. > > \*\*Climate change is an engineering problem – not social engineering, but the real kind. > It’s a challenge of creativity, ingenuity, and technological invention. > > And problems of human imagination are not solved by more laws, but by more humans! > > More people mean bigger markets for innovation. > > More babies mean more forward-looking adults – the sort we need to tackle long-term, large scale problems. > > American babies, in particular, are likely going to be wealthier, better educated, and more conservation-minded than children raised in still-industrializing regions. > > As economist Tyler Cowen recently wrote on this very point, “by having more children, you are making your nation more populous – thus boosting its capacity to solve [climate change].”\*\* > > Finally, Mr. President, children are a mark of the kind of personal, communal, and societal optimism that is the true pre-requisite for meeting national and global challenges together. > > The courage needed to solve climate change is nothing compared with the courage needed to start a family. > > The true heroes of this story aren’t politicians or social media activists. > > They are moms and dads, and the little boys and girls they are, at this moment, putting down for naps… helping with their homework… building tree houses… and teaching how to tie their shoes. > > The planet does not need us to “think globally, and act locally” so much as it needs us to think family, and act personally. > > The solution to climate change is not this unserious resolution, but the serious business of human flourishing – the solution to so many of our problems, at all times and in all places: fall in love, get married, and have some kids. > > I yield the floor. (emphasis mine) source: [https://www.lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/speeches?ID=2271BAF4-7F34-4BE8-81C5-B621E9BAF878](https://www.lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/speeches?ID=2271BAF4-7F34-4BE8-81C5-B621E9BAF878) ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598/37 "2019-03-27T23:21:34Z")
So the argument is that 1. America doesn’t have very many people in it at the moment, so we need to make up the shortage. 2. Once we get have enough americans for some of these people to be smart (two or three hundred americans, minimum), then we will surely listen to these people, and not call their smart ideas jokes. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598/38 "2019-03-27T23:21:42Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > The secret breeding progam of the LDS Church is finally revealed. … It’s not a secret. > [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > … Are Utah voters not upset that their senior senator does not have any better way to represent them than engaging in _Shadowrun_-themed fantastical storytelling in front of Congress? I don’t mean to shame anyone for their private fantasies and RPG hobbies, but I would think that a senator would have more pressing things to do than geeking out about his personal take on cross-genre Reagan hero worship on the job. > > Stranger I think his speech was generally well-received by his constituents here (just having listened to some local talk radio and read some commentary on the matter). Conservatives were glad to see him poking fun at the Green New Deal and liberals were upset by it, about what you’d expect. Compared to his Senate colleagues, his [approval ratings seem to fall in about the middle of the pack](https://morningconsult.com/2018/10/10/americas-most-and-least-popular-senators-10-10/). ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598/39 "2019-03-27T23:22:50Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > So the argument is that > > 1. America doesn’t have very many people in it at the moment, so we need to make up the shortage. > > 2. Once we get have enough americans for some of these people to be smart (two or three hundred americans, minimum), then we will surely listen to these people, and not call their smart ideas jokes. Maybe try watching the video. It can be found at the link I posted previously. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598/40 "2019-03-27T23:24:01Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > It’s not a secret. The secret part is that they’re\* breeding so much in the hopes of making mutants, rather than to fill our their membership rolls as is usually assumed. \*and “they” includes my parents, so I guess that makes me a mutant. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-having-children-solve-climate-change/831598.md?page=3)