Okay, so I really needed to write about this image I came across. I find it so very interesting. Firstly, it stems from the opinions of the Church of Euthanasia. They have one primary concern, or Commandment rather, which is "Thou shalt not procreate". They are a non profit foundation devoted to restoring balance between humans and the remaining species on Earth. They believe this can only be accomplished by a massive voluntary population reduction, which will require a leap in human consciousness to a new-species awareness. They also have four "pillars" or principles, which are Suicide, Abortion, Cannibalism and Sodomy. I must say that cannibalism is only required for those who insist on eating flesh, and is strictly limited to consumption of the already dead. I'm pretty sure this is illegal in most countries, so I'm not too sure where they're going with this. Also, sodomy is defined as any sexual act not intended for procreation e.g. fellatio, cunnilingus, anal sex etc. So basically you can still have great sex, in many other ways, but if you're more of a missionary man, make sure you're wearing a helmet. And, if you really want children, they advocate adopting. They're all for helping the children that are already on this Earth. Just not creating more.

I should let you guys know that the sign in the above picture can be a little misleading. It doesn't mean you have to kill yourself, although, if you do and you are a member of the Church you will automatically become a Saint. At the end of the day it's about self-sacrifice for the greater good. I personally think life is much too precious for suicide. What matters is what you do with the life you've been given. Be beautiful. Spread your love. Help people. Minimise your footprint as much as your can. And if you're willing, maybe consider a life with just you, your partner, and some rescued animals for the sake of the Earth.

I find this particularly beautiful because I am all for saving the Earth. I'm vegetarian. I recycle. I pick up litter. I go calico. I clean with eco-friendly products. I rescue animals as much as I can. I try to have shorter showers. I keep buckets in the shower and use them to water the plants when I'm finished. But is this really enough?

Every single extra person decreases Earth's ecological capacity to regenerate. For 2006, humanity's total ecological footprint was estimated at 1.4 planet Earths. In other words, humanity uses ecological services 1.4 times as fast as Earth can renew them. Simply put, if the Earth's bio-capacity was a bank account, we are withdrawing more money that we have in the bank each and every year.

I understand why some might find this proposal outrageous, a little hard to swallow, or even just plain ludicrous. But it is certainly food for thought. Yes, I'm advocating that people should not procreate. What I am not advocating is that anyone commit suicide. Do I think this post will piss people off? Yes. Especially people who have children/want children/love children? Absolutely. I'm just saying that we should stand back and look at the bigger picture. If we really want to reduce our ecological footprint, could this be the most selfless and noble answer?