While conventional wisdom often cites having kids (population growth) as a major factor impacting the earth in coming generations, the billions of people on an overpopulated planet won't matter as much as the lifestyles that those billions choose. The world's population, which will have doubled between 1980 and 2050, will be faced with stark choices in coming years, as scarcities in food, water, and resources impact the globe.

But in an article from The Atlantic, energy expert and author Sheril Kirshenbaum points out that so-called "breeders," (i.e. people who have children) aren't a pressing threat. There's enough for a sustainable future, if wise stewardship choices are embraced. For example, Kirshenbaum notes that on a per capita basis the average American consumes four times as much energy as the average person in the United Kingdom, and eight times as much energy as the average person in China.

Possible Preaching Angle:

Our choices really make a difference—for our children and for future generations. Will we choose to live with others in mind, or will we needlessly waste the resources of creation?