I always enjoy Thomas Friedman’s columns, however, the ecotourism solution offered in the July 31 column, which was about Madagascar, missed the whole point. The root of the problems of environmental degradation, climate change, starvation and unemployment is overpopulation. No politicians will talk about this, largely because it is an economic issue: The more demand, the more money is made, the more temporary prosperity is created. Leaders are not willing to risk their political careers at the expense of the quality of life for future generations.

Friedman mentioned the problem but offered no real solution. The only possible remedy for this is free contraceptives and major promotions by governments for limited families. Overpopulation is the problem worldwide and unless this is controlled, it is impossible to keep up with or overcome the problems. We’re treading water and getting farther and farther behind. Resources would much better be put into population control than into feeding people, curing illness, or propping up failing governments and economies. These are mere insufficient Band-Aids. If you don’t deal with the overpopulation problem first, then even more babies will be born to try to feed and cure, and those babies will have babies and those babies will have babies. It’s not rocket science.

Marcelle Borgers

Durango