In what is probably the best news for the baby-poop scoop bag industry in years, the US birthrate hit a 45 year high in 2006 -- I guess it took statisticians a year to put all the numbers together? In 2006, a total of 4.3 million babies were born in the US, a number that reflects a rising population, shifts in culture, and a sign that Americans are not slowing down their baby-making -- despite recommendations by environmental think tanks.On the whole, Americans seem to have a more baby-friendly attitude than other industrialized nations, with a higher fertility rate that Australia, Canada, Japan or any nation in Europe. The bulk of the change seems to be coming from a cultural shift. The increase in the Latino presence in the US has been a major contributor; the fertility rate among Latinos is 3 children per woman. Experts also attribute the "boomlet" to a drop in the use of contraceptives, reproductive education, and access to abortion.
Is the trend good or bad? According to economists, it's great -- the ideal birthrate is 2.1, the rate necessary to stabilize the current population. Of course, that's not necessarily adjusted for immigration. Environmentally, Americans have the largest carbon footprint, so a rise in population signifies a greater challenge to lowering our environmental impact as a nation.
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