End of the line

Meet the women who won't have babies - because they're not eco friendly

"Having children is selfish. It's all about maintaining your genetic line at the expense of the planet," says Toni, 35. "Every person who is born uses more food, more water, more land, more fossil fuels, more trees and produces more rubbish, more pollution, more greenhouse gases, and adds to the problem of over-population." While most parents view their children as the ultimate miracle of nature, Toni seems to see them as a sinister threat to the future. Sarah Irving (above) said "I realised then that a baby would pollute the planet - and that never having a child was the most environmentally friendly thing I could do."

Good job your mother took a different view. Have you considered the ultimate environmentalist gesture - suicide? And let's hope you never need care and attention from someone else's son or daughter in the future. Of course, logically, they could legitimately have one child between them which wouldn't even be enough to replace them both. A 50% reduction! On second thoughts perhaps it's best if they don't breed.