Portland Man Atop Voluntary Human Extinction Group Explains His Philosophy

“Look what we did to this planet,” Les Knight tells The New York Times. “We’re not a good species.”

NO CHILDREN: Empty swings in Luuwit View Park. (Brian Burk)

As the world’s population reached the 8-billion mark, The New York Times sent a reporter to Portland to interview Les Knight, 75, who more than 25 years ago founded an unusual movement.

“Mr. Knight, 75, is the founder of the Voluntary Human Extinction movement, which is less a movement than a loose consortium of people who believe that the best thing humans can do to help the Earth is to stop having children,” the Times reports.

As WW reported earlier this year, another Portland group, Stop Having Kids, put up billboards with a similar message.

Related: Who’s Behind the Portland Billboards Demanding People Stop Having Kids?

Knight provided the Times with a simple explanation for his philosophy.

“Look what we did to this planet,” Mr. Knight said. “We’re not a good species.”


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