Maybe I’m just claustrophobic, but I feel crowded. Visit Cairo, Japan or even California and you may agree that the planet seems to be running out of room. And with a growing population of more than 6 billion people, the Earth’s resources and habitats are being rapidly and irrevocably depleted.

Millions of people throughout the world are starving, struggling for shelter and subjected to polluted, unsanitary living conditions due partly to the Earth’s population boom. Strangely, no one seems willing to take the simplest step to counteract the expanding population and thus ensure the survival of the planet.

Obviously reproduction is the main cause of Earth’s expanding population. Consequently, the most effective way to curb rapid population growth would be for everyone to quit having sex.

However, I’m not naive enough to suggest such a solution. Though some individuals would give up sex for the sake of the planet, I know most of us are far too selfish to renounce this indulgence. Therefore, more people should utilize the most ancient form of birth control: homosexuality.

Often condemned as sinful and unhealthy, homosexuality has been an efficient form of sexual gratification for millennia. Unfortunately, I’m certain many people would also be too selfish to “”go gay”” to save the planet.

For those conceited enough to insist on engaging in heterosexual sex, I urge the use of every form of birth control available in order to prevent the reproduction of such egotistical DNA.

Some people, religious types mostly, argue against birth control. To these folks I stress that God must have created the person who invented condoms for a reason. Thus, not using condoms could be considered blasphemous.

Others will exclaim that having children is a wonderful experience and therefore reproduction should not be impeded. Yet in reality, parenthood is hard, expensive work, and most of us are too lazy, stupid or poor to be entrusted with such an important endeavor.

Therefore, we should do the world a favor and refrain from adding another poorly reared individual into society. Meanwhile, for those very few people suited for parenthood, I recommend adoption.

There is no shortage of children of all ages in need of homes. According to a 2004 UNICEF report, there were 143 million orphans throughout the developing world. This number is expected to grow as the HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to kill many parents.

However, one need not adopt from another country. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states that there are hundreds of thousands of children in the U.S. foster care system in need of homes as well.

Considering these figures, bringing new children into the world seems absurd and selfish. Yet, there will be a few twisted souls who scoff at adoption. They will say adoption deprives them of the joy of looking at their child’s face and seeing a reflection of themselves.

These people have such despicable values that it’s a pity they haven’t been rendered sterile by their superficiality. If someone wants a child, he or she should be more concerned about the child’s welfare than the child’s appearance and biological lineage.

Others will cite the exorbitant costs, strict guidelines and lengthy procedures of the adoption process as reasons against adopting. These people should also be excluded from parenthood.

Children are expensive regardless of whether they come from the womb or an orphanage. Those who don’t like costly ventures shouldn’t have children, period. Furthermore, anyone not willing to go through arduous work to get a child will probably not be very good at the arduous task of raising one.

Indeed, I lament that all people don’t have to undergo such rigorous examination before having children. Perhaps such restrictions would result in fewer and better parents.

With essentially every child brought into this world depriving an underprivileged child of the food, shelter and care they need, not only is adoption the loving option, it’s clearly the heroic option.

By adopting a child one can not only save a life, one can also perhaps save the world.

Jared Pflum is a religious studies senior. He can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu