Group items tagged

This site discusses the growing elderly population in the U.S. and around the world. It also describes why this is happening, and how gender and racial trends are related to an aging population.

This site does as its title suggests--provides statistics in real time. It includes current data on population, food and hunger, technology, information, and other topics relevant to seven revolutions.

This is a link to an excellent set of pieces from the LA Times looking at the implications of demographic changes in the 21st century. It includes photos, videos, maps, and more. I highly recommend it.

The United Nations expects it to reach 6.8 billion\nin July 2009.

* Running Time: 9:59 * Description: This program discusses the current problem of declining primate population around the world. This heart-wrenching program drives home the importance of the threat facing great apes and monkeys. * Rating: Very Good * 7-Revolutions Section: Resources.

This is a new periodical from Scientific American that is ideal for a 7 Revs class. It deals primarily with issues of our future planet including well-written articles on water, energy, green-technology, biodiversity, population and even conflict. The graphics, images and charts are easy to understand. Articles present scientific interpretations of problems, many with a future focus. Excellent for use in all course topics.

Banker to the Poor is an inspiring memoir of the birth of microcredit, written in a\nconversational tone that makes it both moving and enjoyable to read. The Grameen\nBank is now a $2.5 billion banking enterprise in Bangladesh, while the microcredit\nmodel has spread to over 50 countries worldwide, from the U.S. to Papua New Guinea,\nNorway to Nepal. Ever optimistic, Yunus travels the globe spreading the belief that\npoverty can be eliminated: "...the poor, once economically empowered, are the most\ndetermined fighters in the battle to solve the population problem; end illiteracy; and live\nhealthier, better lives. When policy makers finally realize that the poor are their\npartners, rather than bystanders or enemies, we will progress much faster that we do\ntoday." Dr. Yunus's efforts prove that hope is a global currency. (Reviewed by Shawn\nCarkonen)

In this sobering but optimistic manifesto, development economist Sachs (The End of\nPoverty) argues that the crises facing humanity are daunting-but solutions to them are\nreadily at hand. Sachs focuses on four challenges for the coming decades: heading off\nglobal warming and environmental destruction; stabilizing the world's population;\nending extreme poverty; and breaking the political logjams that hinder global\ncooperation on these issues. The author analyzes economic data, demographic trends\nand climate science to create a lucid, accessible and suitably grim exposition of looming\nproblems, but his forte is elaborating concrete, pragmatic, low-cost remedies complete\nwith benchmarks and budgets. Sachs's entire agenda would cost less than 3% of the\nworld's annual income, and he notes that a mere two days' worth of Pentagon spending\nwould fund a comprehensive anti-malaria program for Africa, saving countless lives.\nForthright government action is the key to avoiding catastrophe, the author contends,\nnot the unilateral, militarized approach to international problems that he claims is\npursued by the Bush administration. Combining trenchant analysis with a resounding\ncall to arms, Sachs's book is an important contribution to the debate over the world's\nfuture. (Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All\nrights reserved.)

* Released April, 2008 * Running time: 92 min * Description: In this documentary several of the world's experts on climate change and sustainability are interviewed including: former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, Cambridge physicist Stephen Hawking, progressive CEO Ray Anderson, and scientist and activist David Suzuki. It contains wonderful video footage and a very high production value. It is hosted by Leonardo DiCaprio and it appears to be intended for a younger, college-age, audience. In this documentary they discuss both the science and philosophy of the future of our planet. It starts off a bit depressing, but ends with some practical ways for individuals to enact change. * Rating: Excellent: Students rated The 11th Hour as their favorite video of the semester. * 7-Revolutions Section: Resources, Population, Technology