SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt., June 25, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A provocative new environmental book, Overdevelopment, Overpopulation, Overshoot (OVER) has become an international media sensation. Featuring over 200 heart-wrenching images, the powerful book brings stark attention to the growing crises posed by overdevelopment and human population size and growth.
Advanced copies of the large format coffee-table photo-thriller were released in February, 2015 and the book was commercially launched in March, 2015. Since that time, media outlets in 41 countries have produced over 230 unique articles about OVER, most of them featuring photographs directly from the book. The combined total circulation of these media outlets are over 1 billion people.
Examples of media sources that have reported on OVER include Salon.com, News.com (Australia), MSN Germany, Yahoo India, the China Daily News, BBC Mundo, The Daily Mail Online (UK), Washington Post (online and print), Folha de S.Paulo (Brazil), San Francisco Chronicle and Mashable.com.
On April 1st, 2015, The Guardian Global Professional Development Network ran a photo spread ("Overpopulation, overconsumption – in pictures") which resulted in over 3 million page views, 650,000+ Facebook shares, and over 8,700 Tweets and re-Tweets.
Tom Butler, editor of OVER, appeared on the BBC show Impact for a live 5-minute interview on April 6th.
Ashton Kutcher, the American actor, producer and investor posted Speak Out content on his Facebook page on April 16th, which resulted in over 31,000 likes, 8,000+ shares and 1,300 comments.
The book is the featured advocacy tool of the Global Population Speak Out campaign – an international network of environmental, human health and human rights activists advocating for global population stabilization as a contributing solution to many of today's most pressing ecological and social challenges.
Speak Out is using a crowd-sourced distribution strategy to increase activism. Interested individuals and organizations can submit requests for one or more free books to help boost their population and sustainability activism and public engagement. The book distribution form on the Speak Out website can be found at the url: https://populationspeakout.org/the-campaign/get-involved/book-champion/
As of mid June, Speak Out had received approximately 2,000 book distribution proposals from all over the world and had awarded approximately 3,000 books. Recipients have included grassroots activists, major and minor NGOs, faith-based communities, student groups and a very large proportion of secondary and post-secondary educators desiring to permanently incorporate OVER into their curriculums.
Citizens and Organizations Step Up on Speak Out
While the media attention has been robust, Speak Out organizers believe where OVER can really effect change is with the citizens and organizations speaking out and sharing their passions for saving the planet and creating a better world for all.
In Europe, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability is displaying OVER at an annual congress on climate change adaptation and resilience, thereby "allowing congress participants to peruse the magnificent photos during breaks and have the photos spur thoughts and conversations."
A library consultant at a prominent international health organization reports that "Word is getting around!" The group has been sharing OVER in their campus library, which has resulted in requests for copies to be taken to country offices in Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, and Uganda.
An activist in Mexico told how he is sharing the message from OVER: "The book has a permanent place on the counter in our restaurant and many friends/customers/associates have already entered and began to read with awe."
Down in New Zealand, a conservationist shares that "This will be a great opportunity for us to further promote the impact of increasing human populations on our fragile ecosystems and on the future of the planet's biodiversity."
Many of those requesting copies of OVER are high school teachers and college professors. One teacher from the UK emailed us, saying "It is a really exciting and inspiring resource for future planning of activities within the Department, and in doing so, raising awareness with young people."
Another educator in the U.S. said, "the images are outstanding. I can use examples of your images to assist in my teaching."
The goal is to spread the issues and ideas of Speak Out and OVER far and wide, to young and old, to increase awareness on the problems we confront today and to build on solutions that promote human rights -- and the rights of all species on Earth. Whether one is working to mitigate the effects of climate change, end child marriage, protect endangered species, or advocating for women's rights, the Global Population Speak Out can help strengthen activist voices -- so all our interconnected concerns are heard.
ABOUT GLOBAL POPULATION SPEAK OUT (SPEAK OUT):
Global Population Speak Out (Speak Out) unites world-class scientists, academicians, opinion-leaders – and thousands of lay environmentalists and concerned citizens – to help bring international attention to the crises posed by overdevelopment and human population size and growth. Speak Out is jointly administered by Population Media Center and Population Institute. www.populationspeakout.org
Photos accompanying this release are available at:
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=34069
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=34070
