Is it normal to be alarmed at birthrates 'cos of my fears about overpopulation?

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5 Comments

I am in my late 20's and I've become increasingly alarmed in my country at the birth rates. It seems everytime I go onto facebook someone else has babies photos up/is pregnant etc. I speak to alot of women who tell me they plan to have 3 or more children. And I can't help but be alarmed and wonder how our world's resources can cater for this influx.

The world’s human population doubled from 1 to 2 billion between 1800 and 1930, and then doubled again by 1975. At the end of 2011, it went past 7 billion. This staggering increase and the massive consumption it drives are overwhelming the planet’s finite resources such as oil, which we're running out of fast and don't have a plan. We’ve already witnessed the devastating effects of overpopulation on biodiversity: Species abundant in North America two centuries ago — from the woodland bison of West Virginia and Arizona’s Merriam’s elk to the Rocky Mountain grasshopper and Puerto Rico’s Culebra parrot — have been wiped out by growing human numbers.

As the world’s population grows unsustainably, so do its unyielding demands for water, land, trees and fossil fuels — all of which come at a steep price for already endangered plants and animals. Most biologists agree we’re in the midst of the Earth’s sixth mass extinction event; species are disappearing about 1,000 times faster than is typical of the planet’s history. This time, though, it isn’t because of geologic or cosmic forces but unsustainable human population growth.

Today’s global human population is over 7 billion. Every day, the planet sees a net gain of roughly 250,000 people. If the pace continues, we’ll be on course to reach 8 billion by 2020 and 9 billion by 2050. I think the only solution now is to learn how to crowd surf!!

But seriously now by any ecological measure, we have exceeded our sustainable population size. Just a single human waste product — greenhouse gas — has drastically altered the chemistry of the planet’s atmosphere and oceans, causing global warming and ocean acidification.
So is it normal to no longer celebrate/feel positive about childbirth and pregnancy because of a growing concern about overpopulation?

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69% Normal
Based on 51 votes (35 yes)
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Comments ( 5 )
  • myweirdself16
    11 years ago

    It is completely normal to fear this. most of my extended family that's made up of girls want at least 3 or 4 babies(i don't personally want any). Personal space is going to become even more of an issue as the population grows, as well as every other species homes are going to be invaded by humans. The major problem i believe, is that there is no reversal or immediate solution to this problem not concerning going into outer space. spaaaaace.

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    • EbonyDark'nessDementiaRavenWay
      11 years ago

      Yep. And then we'll trash Mars or whatever planet we go to as well. We've already turned the area around Earth into a landfill with space junk.

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  • dappled
    11 years ago

    I live in the most densely populated large country in Europe. It can be annoying not to have space (I can't think of a time in the last two years where I was more than twenty feet from another human; not a single time when I was alone. Admittedly, I live in the heart of a city and don't drive).

    Unfortunately, humans adapt and we can live this way. There is no longer this barrier to overpopulation in the way there used to be.

    However, to answer your main point, yes, when I hear about a new birth, I do sometimes think, "Oh, look. Another one!"

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  • nightmare28
    11 years ago

    Overpopulation is a complicated issue, its not something global, rather it can be broken down into countries or individuals. The problem with insufficient food is mostly in the 3rd world countries, not in the developed world. And if the person can afford to have many children, then those children wont be starving or make someone else starve.

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    • kingsleycrowne
      11 years ago

      Thanks for your comment. It is global, I thought I provided sufficient facts to illustrate this. I'm going to have to disagree, because the western world as opposed to the third world consumes so much and we live very materialistically, so therefore this makes overpopulation an even greater issue in these areas. There's a great doco called "surviving progress" I would recommend. Also David Attenborough covered the issue in one of his documentaries also.

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