they want, always at the expence of others. It is just not possible for us to stop as we mistakenly believe we can modify our enviroment, forever.Now it appears we have reached a precipice. Still we cant stop, and perhaps it is our turn for extinction. We would rather destroy everything than admit we cant have it all. Another human trait! SomeRealityInTheMatter : 23 Dec 2010 2:12:33pm There is considerable scientific evidence that Australia's current population is not sustainable. A very interesting and recent book you might want to read is titled "COLLAPSE- HOW SOCIETIES CHOOSE TO FAIL OR SURVIVE", by Jared Diamond, a professor of Geography and Environmental Health Studies at University of California Los Angeles. He has researched meticulously and scientifically, societies that have collapsed in the past - Easter Islanders, Anasazi, Mayan, Norse Greenlanders, and many others. He draws parallels with what is going on right now in the USA, Australia, and other countries. There is an entire chapter in this book on Australia. To quote Professor Diamond: "Ecologically, the Australian environment is exceptionally fragile, the most fragile of any First World country except perhaps Iceland." (page 379). His extensive, scientific, LOGICAL analyses shows that the sustainable population of Australia is about eight million. DocMercury : 23 Dec 2010 1:52:23pm In my opinion, the only difference between human civilisation (as it currently exists) and the colonial systems of hive insects like termites, ants, wasp and bees is that the insects are far better organised. frangipani : DocMercury