Voluntary Human Extinction Movement facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Voluntary Human Extinction Movement

Formation	1991
Type	NGO
Founder	Les U. Knight

The Voluntary Human Extinction Movement (VHEMT) is an environmental movement. It suggests that all people choose to not have children. The goal is for the human population to slowly and voluntarily become extinct.

VHEMT believes this would help protect the environment. They say it would stop a lot of problems caused by humans. For example, they point to how humans use up resources and cause other animals to become extinct. They believe this shows the harm from too many people on Earth.

Les U. Knight started VHEMT in 1991. He is an American activist who became interested in environmental issues in the 1970s. Knight concluded that humans choosing to stop having children was the best way to solve Earth's problems. He writes the group's newsletter and speaks for them. VHEMT uses its website and media coverage to share its message.

Some people think VHEMT's idea is too extreme. However, they might agree that reducing how many children are born could be helpful. Others argue that humans can learn to live in ways that don't harm the Earth. They also believe that people will always want to have children.

How the Movement Started

Les U. Knight founded the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement. He was a substitute teacher in Portland, Oregon. In the 1970s, he became involved in the environmental movement. He felt that too many people on Earth caused most of the planet's dangers.

Knight believed that humans choosing to become extinct was the best way to solve Earth's environmental problems. He thought this idea might have been around for a long time.

In 1991, Knight started a newsletter for VHEMT called These Exit Times. In it, he asked readers to help human extinction by not having children. VHEMT also made cartoons. One comic strip, Bonobo Baby, showed a woman choosing to adopt a bonobo instead of having a child.

A cartoon for the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement by Nina Paley.

In 1996, Knight created a website for VHEMT. By 2010, the website was available in 11 languages. VHEMT's logo shows the letter "V" for voluntary. It also has a picture of the Earth with the North Pole at the bottom.

How VHEMT Works

VHEMT is not a strict organization. It's more like a loose group of people. They do not keep a list of members. Les U. Knight says that anyone who agrees with his ideas is part of the movement. He believes this includes "millions of people."

Knight is the main spokesperson for VHEMT. He goes to environmental meetings and events. There, he shares information about population growth. However, VHEMT's ideas have mostly spread through news reports and other media.

VHEMT sells items like buttons and T-shirts. They also have bumper stickers that say "Thank you for not breeding."

What VHEMT Believes

Knight argues that there are too many people on Earth for the planet to handle. He believes that the best thing for Earth's environment is for humans to voluntarily stop having children. He says that humans are "not good for the environment." He thinks that human life causes environmental damage. This damage could eventually lead to the extinction of humans and other living things.

Knight believes that most human societies have not lived in ways that protect the environment. He thinks that even if people try to live green lifestyles, human existence has still harmed Earth and its non-human creatures.

Voluntary human extinction is promoted to prevent human suffering. It is also meant to stop other species from dying out. Knight says that many species are in danger because the human population is growing.

James Ormrod, a psychologist, studied the group. He noted that VHEMT's main belief is that "human beings should stop reproducing." Knight believes that even if humans become more environmentally friendly, they could go back to harmful ways. So, he thinks humans should choose to end their population. He feels that people in richer countries have the most responsibility to change. This is because they use the most resources.

Knight believes that Earth's non-human living things are more important than human achievements like art. He says, "The plays of Shakespeare and the work of Einstein can't hold a candle to a tiger." He also thinks that animals lower on the food chain are more important than those higher up. His ideas come partly from deep ecology. He sometimes calls Earth "Gaia." He notes that human extinction will happen anyway. He thinks it's better for it to happen soon to save other animals. He also mentions that it would allow other organisms to evolve.

Knight sees choosing not to have children as an unselfish act. He believes it would prevent future human suffering. He points to problems like a lack of resources for a growing population. Knight thinks that if people stopped having children, they would use their energy for other things. He suggests adoption and foster care for those who want to care for children.

VHEMT does not support governments forcing people to control population. They believe in voluntary population reduction. Knight says that forced methods are unlikely to work long-term. He notes that humanity has survived many disasters.

A survey of VHEMT members in 1995 found that most felt a strong duty to protect Earth. They did not trust political systems to prevent environmental harm. They were willing to give up some rights for their cause. Members who strongly believed that "Civilization [is] headed for collapse" were most likely to hold these views. However, VHEMT does not take strong political stands.

VHEMT's ideas are more extreme than groups that just want to reduce population. However, their platform is seen as serious.

See also

In Spanish: Movimiento por la Extinción Humana Voluntaria para niños