Population
Human population is a key factor in sustainable living. Humans all have an impact on their environment; consuming energy, occupying space, utilizing resources, producing waste. While the planet could physically fit many times the current population, the corresponding quality of life would be unbearable -- overcrowded, undernourished, ravaged by disease -- problems we already see today in developing nations. In order to maintain a sustainable future for everyone, population growth must be managed.
The world human population is more than 6 billion people. It took all of human history, about 3.5 million years, to reach a population of one billion in about 1860. It took only 136 more years to add five billion more. Many experts predict that the world population could reach 12-15 billion or more before leveling off.
Current Population Data
World
population reached 6.1 billion in mid-2000 and is currently growing at an
annual rate of 1.2 per cent, or 77 million people per year. By 2050, world
population is expected to be between 7.9 billion (low variant) and 10.9
billion (high variant), with the medium variant producing 9.3 billion.
[World
Population Prospects, The 2000 Revision, Highlights;
February 2001; Population Division, Department of Economic and Social
Affairs, United Nations]
Nobody really knows what population is sustainable. It depends on population distribution, area carrying capacity, resource depletion, and the quality of life we deem acceptable. China is supporting over a billion people, but perhaps not with the quality of life most Americans would consider acceptable.
Check out these links for population data and educational materials...
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U.S. Census Bureau Population Clocks (U.S. & World) - The United States' resident population on Census Day, April 1, 2000 was 281,421,906, a 13.2% increase over the 248,709,873 counted in the 1990 census.
- Detailed World Population Information (US Census Bureau)
- Population Education courtesy of Population Connection
Learn more about Population in the Temperate Forest Foundation's Eco-Link, Population
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Population and Sustainability
There are several factors involved in considering the sustainability of population growth: Carrying capacity of the land and the degree of impact-number of people, lifestyle, consumption, environmental impact. Population and per capita consumption drive the demand for natural resources and raw materials such as wood, metal, cement, and fossil fuels. Basically, all our material needs are met through the conversion of raw materials into useful products. We are adding to the population at the rate of 95 million people (the population of Mexico), per year. Even if we reduce population growth we must still reduce resource consumption (or find alternative resources) in order to live sustainably.
Clearly, we will have to produce more from less, with less waste and pollution. A green technology revolution is underway. Our growing population cannot be supported with today's fossil fuel driven technology.
In general, people do not like to acknowledge their impact, responsibility, and accountability as consumers. Many of us who live in the Northern Hemisphere tend to point our fingers at people in the Southern Hemisphere, encouraging them to have fewer children. We must remember that a person born in the United States has 60 times the environmental impact of a person born in India.
As consumers we are constantly choosing between renewable and non-renewable resources sourced at home or abroad. To live sustainably we must use renewables whenever possible while reducing, reusing, and recycling. Sustainable development means meeting our needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The most critical social, economic, and ecological issue on the planet is population growth.
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Affecting population growth...
There are numerous factors that affect population growth. Most options for slowing population growth are considered undesirable or even repulsive. Famine, drought, disease, and war have all historically kept population in check but are less common in the modern industrial world. The fertility rate is falling in developed countries, but 95% of the population growth is in developing countries.
Here is a list of things that would tend to bring the population under control:
- War
- Drought
- Famine
- Disease
- Pestilence
- Accidents
- Natural Disasters
- Birth Control
- Sustainable Development
One universally acceptable way to slow population growth is economic development. As people become more affluent, they have fewer children. It is in everyone's best interest to see human development which improves per capita income, education, and yes, even life expectancy. Making education available for everyone, especially women, is the key. People who live in poverty are not overly concerned with the environment or the welfare of future generations. They are just trying to survive.
We chose sustainable development from the list because it is something we can all be for. Sustainable development is economic development which is biologically sustainable and socially acceptable. As countries develop economically, large families become a liability rather than an asset.
Maslow's
Hierarchy of NeedAs human populations expand, other life forms are pushed out of their habitats. This makes a good case for increasing population densities in cities. However, the technology explosion, computers and availability of the Internet may allow people to disburse across the landscape. Growth management is already one of our most difficult challenges.
The factor which may finally set the limits on population growth is water. People can only live a few days without this critical resource. Many desert areas are populated well beyond their normal carrying capacity by importing water long distances or tapping deep into aquifers.
U.N. figures covering 1990-1995 show a population growth rate of 1.48% a year worldwide, significantly lower than the 1.57% projected by the previous report in 1994. In this period, fertility dropped to 2.96 children per woman down from the 3.1 projected in the last report.
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Population Facts
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Over four million babies are born each year in the United States.
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The U.S. population is growing by about 2.5 million people each year. Of that, immigration contributes over one million people to the U.S. population annually.
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The U.S. fertility rate is currently 2.0 births per woman, an increase from 1.8 in 1988.
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The United States has one of the highest natural growth rates (0.7%) of any industrialized country in the world. For comparison, the United Kingdom's natural increase is one quarter the rate of the U.S. at 0.2%, while Germany's natural increase is 0.
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Using the Census Bureau's medium projections, U.S. population will grow to 394 million by the year 2050.
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Eight states have population growth rates over 2.0%, which means their population will double in less than 35 years.
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Along our coasts, where nearly half the population lives, the U.S. is among the more densely populated countries in the world. The Northeast averages 767 people per square mile, while Haiti, for comparison, has 580.
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By 2010, when California's population reaches 50 million, population densities in coastal California will reach 1,050 people per square mile.
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46% of the U.S. population lives in coastal regions where ecosystems are the most fragile.
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California, Florida and Texas account for one-quarter of the U.S. population and were responsible for 38% of all U.S. population growth between 1940 and 1990.
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Florida's population has grown from 1.9 million in 1940 to 15 million today. That is over a 600% increase in just 50 years.
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