Al Bartlett - Arithmetic, Population, and Energy

"The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function"

Al Bartlett is an emeritus professor of physics at the University of Colorado.  Physics is not what Professor Bartlett is most famous for.  He is one of the world's foremost teachers of the basic natural laws governing human population growth and resource consumption..

Professor Al Bartlett

"Can you think of any problem in any area of human endeavor on any scale, from microscopic to global,  whose long term solution is in any demonstrable way, aided, assisted, or advanced by further increases in population, locally, nationally or globally."  Professor Al Bartlett


I first saw a video of Bartlett's compelling presentation on exponential growth, human doubling time,  and  the dire ramifications of  population growth about 20 years ago. 

Al Bartlett has spent the latter part of his life giving thousands of lectures and making educational videos that assertively present the dangerous consequences of unchecked human population growth.  I have to say that Al Bartlett had an impact on my life. He was one of the teachers who inspired me to become a population activist.  
 
The videos I co-wrote and produced on population, Jam Packed and The Cost of Cool, both came after I was exposed to Al Bartlett's no-nonsense presentation on Arithmetic, Population, and Energy.
 
I can't thank Dr. Bartlett enough for the inspiration and motivation he helped instill in me and my colleagues who have been active with me on the population issue.  I should mention my co-co-conspirators by name. They are Michael Tobias, Alexandra Paul, Greg Molina, Michelle Griffith, and Marc Griffith.
 
Al Bartlett's health has failed him recently. So, I wanted to write this piece and just recognize how much he meant to me and to the population cause he encouraged me and so many others to champion.
 
I wish you well, Al, and thank you for all that you have done to serve humanity and your planetary home.
 
Here is a link to the first segment of Al Bartlett's video lecture, Arithmetic, Population, and Energy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-QA2rkpBSY
 
Here is a link to Al Bartlett's webpage...http://www.albartlett.org/
 
 
 
 Addendum: Al Bartlett passed away  on September 9, 2013.  He was a warrior for the planet...