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Courtney Seto

Chis

Period 4

23 March 2010

Effects of Overpopulation

In 1925 Gore Vidal wrote, “Think of the earth as a living organism that is being attacked

by billions of bacteria whose numbers double every forty years. Either the host dies, or the virus

dies, or both die.” Humans are the destroying bacteria and our effect on the earth is already

visible. If we don’t control our population a more dangerous and drastic impact will take effect

on the world. More babies are born than can be controlled by natural selection. In forty years

the world human population has increased from 3.7 billion to 6.9 billion. The population will

only continue to grow. While some scientists believe that decreasing the population will only

endanger the human race, the world can greatly benefit from a fall in birth rates. If in fact the

population persists to multiply in such large quantities, the world will change severely. We

humans are taking over the world as we continue to grow in number, and the world can’t handle

it for an infinite time. The world is overpopulated and it will alter the way our children and our

grandchildren’s children will live. Overpopulation will have a major negative impact on our

future generations of the world because of its effect on our economy, resources, and

environment.

As a result of overpopulation there will be a shortage of jobs in countries all over the

world. Knowledge of technology and science are growing, and as they become more advanced

less humans are needed to carry out jobs. For example, “As to the issue of labor all over the

world there are fewer workers needed to drive the wheels of the economies” (Moss 1). Even if
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the number of jobs available weren’t decreasing, there would still be a higher unemployment

percentage. As the population expands at a fast rate, the number of jobs would still be less than

the number of able workers in need of work. With such a large percentage of unemployed

people that are unable to earn a salary, there will less money to cycle through the economy. As

well as a higher unemployment rate, the number of homeless people will increase.

As the population increases, the number of homes that need to be built is increased. The

communities become more crowded and land is in greater demand for residential development.

At the rate the population is developing, it is nearly impossible to construct enough homes to

sustain every family. For example, an article states, “However, the growth rate of dwelling

construction had been less than the average of the past 50 years, while the population was

increasing at is fastest pace ever the same period” (Gold Coast Bulletin 1). At the same time the

world is heading towards its highest peak of population increase, it is going through a drop in

housing construction and it will only continue to worsen. If the quantity of houses can’t

maintain the population then the people have to live in crowded homes or no home at all.

Overpopulation will change the living conditions of the next generations of the world. Money

will become an even bigger issue. People won’t be able to afford housing, because of the job

shortages, even if there were enough houses to account for the population. The economy of our

upcoming generations will be transformed by overpopulation.

Our resources, such as food and energy supply, are limited and as the number of people

that need to be provided for increase, the resources diminish. Our life today wouldn’t be the

same without any of our resources; it would be much more difficult and less luxurious. That’s

how our future generations would live if our source of provisions were to expire. Fossil fuels,

which are non-renewable, are needed for energy to generate electricity and heating, as well as for
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transportation. Food is an obvious necessity that is highly taken advantage of, but can also run

low. Fossil fuels are already in high demand and our supply of it can only last for so long. As

the population grows more and more of it is used and because fossil fuels are not renewable, they

will eventually it run out. If our future generations don’t have fossil fuels, they would have to

find alternate means of transportation, such as walking or riding a bicycle. They would also have

to find a renewable and abundant source for energy. Wind and solar power would be a plentiful

source, but it would come with time and distance limitations. They would have fewer

indulgences than we do. Crops would be harder to harvest and plant without fuel for tractors and

machinery, so their food supply would dwindle terribly.

Our pollution from CO2 emissions and improperly discarded waste is contaminating our

resources and when the next generation comes, the results will be highly visible. An article

reads, “There was abundant food, land, and resources for the Native Americans. Look how we

have deforested the country, fouled the water, dirtied the air…” (Craig 1). Our resources are

already running low and if more and more people continue to pollute our resources and the

population grows, there won’t be enough to sustain the future population. There are more people

than there are available resources. Without resources there will be no future generation, let alone

an overpopulated one. Because of overpopulation, there will be lack of resources and America’s

future generations will have to make-do with the little they will have.

Overpopulation already impacts our environment and it will only continue to affect our

climate. Overpopulation is the main cause of global warming. For example an article states,

“Overpopulation means we are putting more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than we

should…” (SUNY College 1). The more people there are, the more fossil fuels are used to

comply with the needs of the population, and the more emissions are given off. Carbon dioxide
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emissions trap heat rays from the sun so that the heat stays inside the atmosphere rather than the

atmosphere directing the heat back into space as it should. So because there are so many CO2

particles in the atmosphere, there are more heat waves on the earth than there should be and the

earth is overheated. Because of the increase of population, the climate is modified when it

shouldn’t be.

The environment will also be effected by overpopulation because there are many species

going extinct. For example, “According to the Sierra Club, the tortoise was once widely

distributed through the Mojave, Colorado, and Sonoran deserts, but its seen only sporadically in

the historic range today” (Mortavalli 2). The world is made up of many food chains and webs

where every animal or organism is dependent on at least one other. If one species disappears or

lessens, the whole chain can collapse or at the very least, falter. The more humans there are, the

more in demand resources and land become. Animals have to compete with us, as well as other

animals, for food and shelter to survive. As the top of the world food chain, animals can’t stand

up against humans, so they either have to find alternatives for their needs and adapt or they go

extinct. Species extinction and global warming are some of the many effects overpopulation will

have on the environment of our future generations.

Some people argue that depopulation, rather than excess population, is the main threat.

An article explains that Japan’s economy is crashing and their unemployment percentage has

gone up drastically as their population continues to age. The majority of their population

consists of higher aged citizens because their fertility rates are so low. Because the median age

of the population is so high and because there are few new citizens coming into the country, the

total population is going down. Their economy is crashing with so few able workers. While it is

true that there is a terribly low birth rate in Japan, the rest of the world’s excess population
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growth makes up for the fall in additional numbers. Japan’s lack of immigration is another

major factor in the fall of Japan’s economy, and not just fertility rates. With so few people

entering Japan and more immigrants going out, the economy was sure to begin crashing.

Our generations to come will live with a different economy, resources, and environment

because of our overpopulation planet. If we do lower our birth rates and control our populations

at a safe number, our lives and our children’s lives will be much easier and luxurious. If not, our

world will continue to change and fall apart, until it is eventually so alien that it is unrecognized

by any present human. And if the world is destroyed, so is the human race. We can change the

future if we want. The future is coming and whether that future is something to look forward to,

or not, is up to us, as the human race.

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Bliss, Patrick, Ralph Craig, and Joe Walker. "Overpopulation is Bigger Threat Than

Depopulation." USA Today 27 Mar. 2009: 6a. Web. 26 Mar. 2010.

Hugh, Edward. "Japan Badly Needs One New Year's Resolution." Japan Inc Communications 7

Jan 2009: n. pag. Web. 26 Mar 2010.

Moss, Doug. "What Birth Dearth?." E-The Environmental Magazine Nov/Dec 2008: 6. Web. 19

Mar 2010.

Mortavalli, Jim. "The gold crush." E-The Environmental Magazine 01 Nov 2001: 26. Web. 23

Feb 2010.

O'Hara, Eamon. "Focus on carbon ‘missing the point’." news.bbs.co.uk. . Viewpoint, 30 july

2007. Web. 26 Mar 2010.

Scanlon, Matthew. "The new population bomb: an interview with Michael Tobias.

(professor/author)(Interview)." Mother Earth News. eLibrary, 18 Aug 1997. Web. 23 Feb

2010.
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SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, . "Worst Environmental Problem?

Overpopulation, Experts Say." ScienceDaily. N.p., 20 April 2009. Web. 7 Apr 2010.

<http://www.sciencedaily.com¬ /releases/2009/04/090418075752.htm>.

Weart, Spencer. "The Discovery of Global Warming." Geophysical Research Letters 36.

American Geophysical Union, 01 Dec 2009. Web. 25 Mar 2010.

Westing, Arthur H,. "Overpopulation and climate change." New York Times Feb 17 2010: n. pag.

Web. 26 Mar 2010.

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