After graduating with honors in 1925 from St. Stephens (now Bard) College, he was, among other things, an early opponent of marshland drainage for mosquito control and later assumed a series of positions that allowed him to further pursue his interests in birds and the environment.

These experiences formed the background to the perspective he later elaborated on in his Road to Survival (1948), a book motivated by his strong belief that then-current trends in fertility and economic growth were rapidly destroying the environment and undermining the quality of life of future generations.

Vogt's most significant contribution was to link environmental and perceived overpopulation problems, warning in no uncertain terms that current trends would deliver future wars, hunger, disease, and civilizational collapse.

This school of thought espouses the conviction that, unless humanity undergoes significant reductions in consumption and imposes limits on population growth, it will inflict irreversible damage upon the Earth's ecosystems.

Vogt effectively communicated this message through widely acclaimed books and compelling speeches, arguing that our affluence, rather than being a source of pride, constitutes our most pressing challenge.