According to a group of statisticians at Oregon State University, the best answer to reduce your carbon footprint is actually not buying a green car or utilizing reusable grocery totes. Instead, they suggest having fewer children. Consider that along with the estimated price for raising a child: about $291,000 (and that doesn’t even include college). It seems like a no-brainer. Why would anyone bother having kids anymore?

In fact, you could save the $200k, buy a sweet car, and have less of an impact on global warming altogether, thus assuaging your global conscience in both a fashionable and sporty way. Not to mention an oil change smells relatively better than a diaper change.

Something about this doesn’t quite add up to me, though. God’s first command to people was, “Be fruitful and multiply.” And yes, that was quite a while back when only two people were roaming around and we didn’t have ideas like global warming. But I don’t think God’s attitude on wanting more people has changed seeing as how we’re at 6 billion and counting. I’m thankful he didn’t change his mind in 1985 when I popped out. I’m thankful my mom didn’t change her mind, either.

It’s easy to look at numbers and get jumpy, but when I consider the immense value the Lord has placed on each human life and the fact that his grace increases exponentially with every human born, I can see why he would want more of us around. He outspends any parent by far considering a) all things are provided by him anyway, and b) he paid the ultimate price to have a close relationship with all of us.

Sources:
Save the Planet: Have Fewer Kids
Pricetag to Raise a Child in the US