Overpopulation
As the world population gradually increases, so does the demand for natural resources. The limited supply of these resources will become scarce if this matter continues to be a problem. According to the United States Census Bureau, the current total U.S. population is at 313,507,975 people, while the world population is at a stunning 7,012,110,562 people (U.S. & World Population Clocks). In only a decade, the world population has increased by approximately one billion people. Unless drastic measures are put into action, the longevity of the human race may be in jeopardy. Organizations and programs, such as World Population Awareness, that are currently devoting their work to promote population control and to prevent overpopulation play an enormous role in solving the issue of overpopulation. Furthermore, Public awareness is a crucial approach to the answer toward the problem. Surmounting this matter will not be an easy task, but as long as people are willing to learn about this issue at hand, overpopulation may not be as large a problem for the foreseeable future.
If people ignore the problems and consequences that may arise from this issue, the future of the world may be at stake. Publisher of World Population Awareness, Karen Gaia, believes that, “the less we do about overpopulation, the more the problem will be solved in a terrible way: starvation, conflict, and weather extremes” (Gaia). Eventually, the nature will solve the issue by itself; however it will be detrimental toward the sake of humanity. The effects of overpopulation not only pertain to just humans, but also the environment and the organisms that are dependent on it to flourish in the world. According to author Nasif Nahle, “Overpopulation is a term that refers to a condition by which the population density enlarges to a limit that provokes the environmental deterioration, a remarkable decline in the quality of life, or a population collapse” (Nahle). Uncontrolled population will lead to disastrous consequences that affect the organisms living within that environment. Nahle notes that, “the impact of human populations on the environment has been severe. Some animal species have been extinguished or forced to live in inhospitable regions by the advance of urban areas; pollution is a problem that is increasing gradually because we are using more cars. The human overpopulation has been credited to diverse factors, as the increment in life-span, the absence of natural enemies, the improvement in the quality of life, and the accessibility to get better goods”. (Nahle)
The increasing consumption of natural resources leads to the destruction of environments and animal habitats. Some of these resources are then depleted in the development of the industry which, in turn, causes pollution, affecting the existing vegetation and organisms in the region. Although many people may not see overpopulation as an important issue or even a realistic problem, population control is a serious matter. The rates of population growth in the world have never been higher and will continue to grow into the future.
Works Cited
Gaia, Karen. “Why ‘Overpopulation’?”. World Population Awareness. (2011). Web. 30 Nov 2012.
Nahle, Nasif. “Overpopulation”. Biology Cabinet Organization. (2003). Web. 30 Nov 2012.
“U.S. & World Population Clocks”. United States Census Bureau. United States. Web.
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