Why is a discussion of birth control so taboo? Is it because talking about birth control means talking about sex? Or could it be because some people think birth control is code for abortion? Could it possibly be because birth control is a reminder that women can now have control of their sexual lives? Any, or a combination of, these reasons could be why birth control discussions are taboo and controversial but we cant afford to not talk about birth control any longer. Now, birth control is pertinent to the surival of our planet. With exponential population growth, humans, like any other species are reaching our environment’s carrying capacity. A host of different environmental issues are either caused or exacerbated by the ever increasing human population. Above, I have used the phrase birth control interchangeably with the term “family planning.” Family planning (which can employ birth control mechanisms as a strategy) allows humans to choose when, where, and how many children a woman has. However, the majority of women in the world have no access to family planning strategies, resources, and medications. With envrinmental issues so exacerbated by population growth why dont people around the world have access to safe, affordable contraceptions and family planning? Fewer babies means fewer grown ups. And fewer grown ups means fewer demands on our planet, and fewer environmental issues.