Leavening

I've been thinking about sourdough,
a bubbling, acidic mess of airborne yeast
that we nurture into rich tangy loaves.
Gold prospectors trekked Alaska with bags of sourdough
in their shirts,
keeping the precious leavening alive with the heat of their bodies.

In fall I'll bring home a cup of starter,
and in our new house we'll have sourdough biscuits
and pain au levain.

Last night in your sleep you pulled me closer against you,
and my dreaming brain registered
You
as a baker
Me
a bowl of sourdough
Clasped against your warmth,
Rising

Question

This is still theoretical for some years yet. But, given that:

- the environment is being degraded by a growing human population, and giving birth to another human increases that trend

- I'm not so arrogant as to believe that a human Jeff and I raise will be superior to anybody else's child

- adopting healthy children from America is fairly difficult and expensive

- I'm terrified of being stuck at home for years with a child who isn't physically or developmentally able to be alone

- If we adopt a child from the third world, we're vastly multiplying the child's effect on the environment

- If we adopt a child from the third world, we're vastly improving the child's standard of living

- I give virtually all my income to international development

- If I'm raising children in the first world, a lot of my income will go to them, leaving a lot less to help people in the third world


Is it ethical for me/us to have children?