One woman has gone to extreme lengths to save the planet.
Whether it’s more recycling, less single-use plastics, or encouraging veganism, the conversation about looking after our environment is louder than ever. For one woman, her desire to save the planet has meant she’s taken even more drastic action… she’s decided to never have children – so much so, she opted to be sterilized at just 31 years old.
Gwynn Mackellen, who is from San Francisco, has given an explanation of how she has made the brave choice to not have any children. She has said that this is the best thing she can do to help save the planet.
The recycling consultant spoke on This Morning and said that she would probably “feel bad” if she ever had children because of the “negative impact” it will have on the planet. Viewers, however, called her “crazy” and one of them even said that she was using environmental issues as an “excuse” and that she is just “not motherly”.
The Daily Mail reported that when talking about her decision to be sterilized, Mackellen said:
“I would feel bad bringing another person in the world. All the other choices that you can make [to help the environment] are very small in comparison. Once you have that person they have impact, and they could have offspring.”
Mackellen went on to say:
“I think there are a lot of ways you can have children in your life that don’t necessarily involve creating a child.” She suggested adopting or fostering a child, or even babysitting or becoming close with family members’ children instead.
Mackellen identifies as an antinatalist, who believe that it’s cruel to bring sentient lives, doomed to suffering and to causing suffering, into the world. “Or at least I think our culture is very pro-natalist and it’s to our detriment. I would like to see us voluntarily reduce our population.” But cultural pressures, she says, drive people to have children by celebrating childbearing without acknowledging the consequences for themselves and the planet.
Suffice it to say, Mackellen had really riled up these Morning viewers with her controversial statements.
“Wow – I bet this woman is a barrel of laughs at parties…,” one commented.
“What a load of horse s***,” another snapped.
A third tweeted: “Sterilised to save the planet!? That’s ridiculous but each to their own.”
And a fourth viewer raged: “Get this idiot off my TV! She’s a nut case.”
Watch the video below for more details: