Mission

Population Connection, formerly known as Zero Population Growth or ZPG, was founded in 1968 as the national grassroots population organization that educates young people and advocates for progressive policies that will stabilize world population at a level that can be sustained by Earth's resources. The Population Education ("PopEd") program trains teachers, nonformal educators, and student-teachers in workshops instructing them on the importance and relevance of population trends. The "trainees" return to their K-12 classrooms, and educate their students about the impact of rapid population growth on the environment and on human quality of life. PopEd produces original population lesson plans and activities linked to state and national standards; materials include graphics, maps, videos, and any ideas that will attract students. PopEd has received excellent evaluations for many years (evaluations are available for viewing). The National Field Team trains college students and others who are interested in calling for policies that will ultimately achieve a sustainable balance between people and the planet. The Field Program raises the visibility of the negative impacts of rapid population growth, and advocates to protect and increase funding for international and domestic family planning programs by holding seminars, group discussions, virtual talks, and in other ways. We also educate and engage the 40,000 members and supporters of Population Connection living around the US (and other countries). We produce and distribute a full color, quarterly magazine with articles on population and its many connected issues. The magazine also contains policy and legislative reports; program reports on current activities; and updates from our "Global Partner Program," a 3-year old inititiative that distributes midsize grants and donations to approx. 20 small, grassroots NGOs in countries in Africa and Latin America working on issues that impact population. We also hold free virtual events for our members and others who are interested. These events are held monthly, and feature anything from a Global Partner representative talking about their program; a speaker from an environmental or rights based nonprofit; an author of a recent relevant book, etc. PopEd raises the visiblity of population issues by training teachers, and, by proxy, their students, about the interconnectedness of population, the environment, and quality of life, while Field raises the visibility by training college/university students to call for policies that empower women, and protect the environment.