{{Short description|US-American nonprofit organization for sustainability}} '''Population Balance''' (formerly World Population Balance) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the United States that raises awareness of the connections between pronatalism, human overpopulation, human supremacy, social inequalities, and ecological overshoot, and advocates pathways that address their combined impacts on the planet, people, and animals.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=ProPublica |date=1993-05-01 |title=World Population Balance |url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/411724149 |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Population Balance |url=https://www.populationbalance.org/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Population Balance |language=en-CA}}</ref>

== History and background == Population Balance was founded by David Paxson<ref>{{Cite news |last=PBS |date=2000-12-21 |title=Small World Discussion |url=https://www.pbs.org/video/small-world-discussion-9249/ |access-date=2024-04-23 |work=PBS: Newsnight Minnesota}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Wig |first=Andrew |date=2013-02-28 |title=Richfield man a lonely voice against overpopulation |url=https://www.hometownsource.com/sun_current/news/local/richfield-man-a-lonely-voice-against-overpopulation/article_fd80bca6-612c-53af-ab70-41d657c2683e.html |access-date=2024-04-23 |work=Sun Current}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=The Messenger |date=2013-04-25 |title=How to solve overpopulation |url=https://www.messengernews.net/news/local-news/2013/04/how-to-solve-overpopulation/ |access-date=2024-04-23 |work=The Messenger}}</ref> as World Population Balance in 1993.<ref name=":0" /> He was succeeded as the executive director in 2016 by Dave Gardner.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Foster |first=David |date=2020-03-22 |title=Birth Strike: Can going childless help the planet? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZlBVDAoa2c |access-date=2024-04-23 |work=TRT World Roundtable}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gemmell |first=Edmund |date=2020-11-12 |title=Why Population Cant be Ignored |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSUQVnIKzEA |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=Scientists Warning Europe}}</ref> In 2021 Nandita Bajaj<ref>{{Cite web |last=Balance|first=World Population|title=New Leader for Sustainable Population Advocacy Nonprofit|url=https://www.prlog.org/12868231-new-leader-for-sustainable-population-advocacy-nonprofit.html|access-date=2024-08-18|website=PRLog}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Shepherd|first=Tory|date=2024-08-17|title=Slow the growth, save the world? Why declining birth rates need not mean an end to prosperity|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/aug/18/slow-the-growth-save-the-world-why-declining-birth-rates-need-not-mean-an-end-to-prosperity|access-date=2024-08-18|work=The Guardian|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://msmagazine.com/2025/07/18/pronatalism-low-fertility-panic-women-babies/|title=‘Progressive Pronatalism’ Is an Oxymoron: How Arguments Buying Into the Low-Fertility Panic Fail Women|last=Bajaj|first=Nandita|date=2025-07-18|work=Ms. Magazine}}</ref> became executive director and the organization adopted its current name of Population Balance and a new vision, mission, and philosophy<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.populationbalance.org/values|title=Philosophy|date=2021-05-01|access-date=2025-11-28|website=Population Balance}}</ref>.

Notable past and present advisors include Nobel Peace Prize laureate Norman Borlaug, former Governor of Michigan William Milliken, originator of the "ecological footprint" concept William E. Rees, actress and activist Alexandra Paul, and physicist Albert Allen Bartlett.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Staff and Volunteers |url=https://www.populationbalance.org/our-team |access-date=2024-08-18 |website=Population Balance |language=en-CA}}</ref>

== Activities == Activities include two podcasts: OVERSHOOT | Shrink toward abundance<ref>{{Cite web |last=Apple Podcasts|date=2016-08-01|title=OVERSHOOT {{!}} Shrink Toward Abundance|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-overpopulation-podcast/id1038456636|access-date=2025-11-28|website=Apple Podcasts|language=en-US}}</ref> and Beyond Pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kids<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-pronatalism-finding-fulfillment-with-or-without/id1754855654|title=Beyond Pronatalism {{!}} Finding Fulfillment, With or Without Kids|date=2024-07-30|access-date=2025-11-28|website=Apple Podcasts|last=Apple Podcasts}}</ref>, classroom and conference presentations<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.populationbalance.org/presentations|title=Presentations|date=2021-05-01|access-date=2025-11-28|website=Population Balance}}</ref>, academic publications<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.populationbalance.org/research|title=Academic Research Articles|date=2023-01-01|access-date=2025-11-28|website=Population Balance}}</ref>, and media and podcast interviews.<ref>{{Cite web |last=|first=|date=2021-05-01|title=Media Appearances|url=https://www.populationbalance.org/media|access-date=2025-11-28|website=Population Balance|language=en}}</ref>

=== OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward Abundance (Podcast) === OVERSHOOT is released twice monthly and is ranked in the top 1.5% of podcasts globally.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Listen Notes|date=2016-08-01|title=OVERSHOOT {{!}} Shrink Toward Abundance|url=https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/overshoot-shrink-toward-abundance-Htfnz2-KdUB/|access-date=2024-11-28|website=Listen Notes|language=en}}</ref> The podcast hosts interview expert guests to explore the drivers and impacts of ecological overshoot as well as pathways forward. Notable guests have included William E. Rees, Alan Weisman, Mechai Viravaidya, Riane Eisler, Louie Psihoyos, Ingrid Newkirk, Carol Adams, Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Olivier De Schutter, Marc Bekoff, Paul Ehrlich, Naomi Oreskes, Angela Saini, Mathis Wackernagel, Partha Dasgupta, Carl Safina, Richard Heinberg, Orna Donath, Robert Jensen, Jo-Anne McArthur, Robert Engelman, Malcolm Potts, Alexandra Paul, Kevin Bales, Sally Armstrong, and Vegard Skirbekk.

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == *{{official|www.populationbalance.org}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Population Balance}} Category:Ecology organizations Category:Environmental organizations established in 1993 Category:Non-profit organizations based in the United States Category:Population concern organizations Category:Environmental organizations Category:Population concern advocacy groups Category:Sustainability organizations Category:Anti-consumerist groups Category:Minimalism Category:Reproductive rights organizations Category:Women's rights organizations based in the United States Category:Women's rights organizations Category:Degrowth Category:Abortion-rights organizations Category:Social justice organizations Category:Vegan organizations based in the United States Category:501(c)(3) organizations Category:Animal rights organizations based in the United States