Overpopulation is not a topic which seems more important than climate change / global warming at the moment, although it is the root cause for many of the problems and especially global warming, we already are experienciong and will certainly face in the future. This accelerated population growth resulted from rapidly lowered death rates (particularly infant and child mortality rates), combined with sustained high birth rates. Success in reducing death rates is attributable to several factors: increases in food production and distribution, improvements in public health (water and sanitation) and in medical technology (vaccines and antibiotics), along with gains in education and standards of living within many developing nations. We face the prospect of a further doubling of the population within the next half century. Most of this growth will take place in developing countries. Soon enough the world's population will come to 7 billion human beings.

World Overpopulation Awareness making people aware of population, overpopulation and its impacts
Associated content Overpopulation is a more immediate problem for our planet than is the Global Warming scare.

Climate Change Congress University of Copenhagen - About the Congress
The University of Copenhagen is hosting an international scientific congress on climate change under the heading "Climate Change: Global Risks, Challenges and Decisions", 10-12 March 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The congress is organised in cooperation with nine other universities
in the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU). The congress will provide a synthesis of existing and emerging scientific knowledge necessary for application of mitigation and adapting strategies to avert climate change. All findings will be compiled in a book on climate change. An excecutive summary with the main findings will be handed over to policy makers at the COP15.

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Masdar city in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi will be the first city with a complete new urban model conserving energy and using new clean energy technology resources resulting in the very first metropolis with zero-emissions and waste, and being free of automobiles. The Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (ADFEC) is realized by the government of Abu Dhabi and leading the Masdar Initiative.

Sultan (his personal name, not the titile) Al Jaber is chief executive and has studied in the United States earning a degree in chemical engineering and a MBA from the university of California. Masdar (means the "source" in Arabic) will invest around $2 billion to develop a thin-film solar company. The first factory will be constructed in Germany supplying the demand in Europe.
A second plant will be in Abu Dhabi, being the first solar-energy manufacturing plant in the Persian Gulf region. Masdar is also investing in the two-wheel American built Segway vehicles.

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Attracting green customers (from Yahoo Green) Green entrepreneurs are seeking best ways attracting new customers. These customers come in a variety of rapidly changing consumer profiles. Green consumers range from committed being very progressive on environment and society, to the drifters who are not too concerned about environment. Yahoo Green found incremental changes with consumers, information hardly been considered before. Erin Carlson, director of Yahoo’s social responsibility department, went over a few.

1. Consumers don’t want doom and gloom. They want to hear about optimistic innovations, to hear about what’s possible. For example, a story on an air-powered car proved a powerful draw.

2.There’s a lot of skepticism about celebrities’ green endorsements. “People want to know if there’s been a back-room deal signed to promote that star’s image,” Carlson said. “Green and celebrities are not necessarily a good match.” Imagery of real people making a difference is
more effective.

3.Consumers love surprises. Some of last year’s biggest clickthroughs? A woman living in an 84-square-foot house and the Pope adding environmental degradation to list of sins. People want to drop these tidbits at the next cocktail party.

4.What’s in it for me? Consumers are interested in new gadgets that save money and products that offer health benefits.

5.There’s a shift from awareness to action. Top-searched environmental term in 2006? “Climate change.” Top-searched in 2007? “ Recycling.”

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The concept of sustainable tourism and Ecotourism emerged in response to concerns about traditional travel and tourism. Sustainable tourism should “make optimal use of environmental resources and respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities, providing socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders.”

Sustainable tourism has need to certify operators which is not easy to introduce in virtually every country in the world, also establishing standards and certification schemes which are accepted worldwide is quite a task.

Every individual’s travel choices add up to the total social and environmental impact of tourism. While things like over-used trails, emissions from cars and planes and the inefficient use of water and energy are fairly obvious. Other aspects, like cultural identity loss, economic dependency on foreigners/tourists or lack of economic benefits to local communities, are less transparent.

Tourism can be a valuable conservation tool, providing motivation and funds for conservation.
It also provides jobs and revenue for the surrounding communities. As anyone who has ever truly felt changed by travel can tell you, tourism can also impact the mindset of visitors, instilling us with environmental, social, and cultural awareness.

Heightened awareness of the environment has combined with increased income to make travel
to natural areas the fastest-growing sector of the tourist industry. Ecotourism and nature travel are estimated to constitute about 20% of current leisure travel, up from about 2% in the late '80s!

Ecotourism differs from sustainable tourism in that it focuses specifically on travel to natural areas, but it should still encompass principles of sustainability. Unfortunately, many operators simply adopt the word “ecotourism” to capitalize on its popularity, while ignoring its actual meaning. It is essential to look at practices of the company you choose. (from Newdream.org)

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