A great invention: laser mosquito zapper!

Originally posted by trev33
that's absurd. the human population is already growing beyond our means, the last thing we need is to completely destroy a certain species, while potentially harming others to further enhance the need to use our precious resources. especially for a completely preventable disease like malaria... if a government can't adequately prevent the spread of malaria what chance do they have of feeding the extra mouths?

And its even more absurd to suggest that we allow disease to be a form of population control (isn't that what you are advocating?).

The truth is that population growth is largely a result of poverty, poor education and high infant mortality all of which can be reduced by eliminating the mosquito (and thus malaria).

The human population is still quite far from 'growing beyond our means'. It may be well on its way to growing beyond its ability for all to live in the lifestyle desired by the rich in first world nations, but there is still plenty of room for more poor people. But thats another discussion entirely.

I still maintain that unless the elimination of the mosquito is catastrophic, if it is the most economically viable way to eliminate malaria, then it should be done. And I must further point out that the technique has been used by richer nations and it being attempted in Africa, though outright extinction may not be the aim.

Originally posted by twhitehead
And its even more absurd to suggest that we allow disease to be a form of population control (isn't that what you are advocating?).

The truth is that population growth is largely a result of poverty, poor education and high infant mortality all of which can be reduced by eliminating the mosquito (and thus malaria).

The human population is still quit ...[text shortened]... cher nations and it being attempted in Africa, though outright extinction may not be the aim.

well all i'm saying is if a government can't protect its' citizens from preventable diseases then what hope does it have of feeding them all? if you look around the world the two seem to go together. if disease doesn't kill them then starvation/lack of sanitary conditions possibly would do.

i read somewhere once that the world can hold around 40 billion people maximum... as long as they all live as a hunter gather type, only taking from the land what is needed. on the other hand i think it was a max of around 100 million living the high life... apparently we're at about the ideal ratio of hunter gather/high life type at the moment. so no the earth wouldn't be able to support another couple of billion than might be the outcome of killing the mosquito. honestly i think we're over populated as it is at the moment.

btw do you really expect the rich to stop living their life just to save the planet for future generations? i don't see it happening. we have a limited time on this earth the way we're living at the moment.

humans have intervened on nature enough during the years, look where it has got us.