World Population

[SAJohn]

Global warming is now claimed to be the biggest threat to the human race. The real problem, the world's explosive population growth is mostly being ignored. Look at the charts of estimated world human population from 1000 AD to 1800, then extrapolate it to the present and the total would be less than 1 billion.

The industrial revolution beginning about 1800 started increasing growth. Another increase in about 1900 coincides with the end of the little ice age allowing for much increased food production. The death tolls of the two world wars had no noticeable effect on this growth. Then came the discovery of antibiotics in the 1940s and population growth went through the roof.

There are now over 7.3 billion people on this planet. Currently the increase is over 70 million people per year. That is enough to match the U.S. population in just over 3 years. Add to this the rapid industrialization now happening in the giant population regions of China and India.

 

[GunnyGene]

Global warming is now claimed to be the biggest threat to the human race. The real problem, the world's explosive population growth is mostly being ignored. Look at the charts of estimated world human population from 1000 AD to 1800, then extrapolate it to the present and the total would be less than 1 billion.

The industrial revolution beginning about 1800 started increasing growth. Another increase in about 1900 coincides with the end of the little ice age allowing for much increased food production. The death tolls of the two world wars had no noticeable effect on this growth. Then came the discovery of antibiotics in the 1940s and population growth went through the roof.

There are now over 7.3 billion people on this planet. Currently the increase is over 70 million people per year. That is enough to match the U.S. population in just over 3 years. Add to this the rapid industrialization now happening in the giant population regions of China and India.

Your point is?

 

[toysoldier]

[Your point is?

The point is, that level of population growth is unsustainable. Something will stop it---and it won't be pretty.

 

[Bob Wright]

[Your point is?

The point is, that level of population growth is unsustainable. Something will stop it---and it won't be pretty.

Depends on how you look at it.


Bob Wright

 

[GunnyGene]

[Your point is?

The point is, that level of population growth is unsustainable. Something will stop it---and it won't be pretty.

Hmmm. So what level of population/growth would you recommend?

 

[Paul B]

Do a google search for, "The Rat Syndrome". Should answer most of your questions when massive overpopulation occurs.
Paul B.

 

[Jeepnik]

[Your point is?

The point is, that level of population growth is unsustainable. Something will stop it---and it won't be pretty.

Well, we could move some folks off this rock. Right now all of our eggs are in one basket. A big one for sure but still some sort of ELE could result in our just disappearing and no one knowing we were ever here.

 

[SAJohn]

I think most you will agree that we are already seeing a decline in our standard of living (somewhat hidden by cheap imported products). Our cities and highways have become nightmare jams. Suburbs have become cities with their own suburbs. Our inner cities are a nightmare. Prime farmlands developed, food prices zooming up and quality down. Try to find a good campsite on a holiday weekend. Our energy problems, home prices, and inflation (hidden but real) are related to overpopulation.

All of this in our great nation which is vastly underpopulated in comparison to most other countries.

China wisely instituted a population reduction program which was then soundly criticized by the western nations yet they now have the second largest GNP in the world.

Any bets of coming famines in large parts of this planet?

 

[vito]

Nations with low reproduction rates are not finding it a benefit, but a nightmare. Japan is seeing its population age rapidly, with a diminishing number of younger workers supporting an ever growing number of senior citizens. Some European countries with a less than replacement rate of growth are seeing their culture deteriorate or change (your judgment) as they have to fill their working ranks with immigrants. Back in the 1970's there was a book that was a huge best-seller called the "Population Bomb" predicting chaos and destructin from a growing world population, using as a major premise the predicted inabiity to feed the growing numbers of people. Modern farming developments more than overcame this issue. I'm not saying that the earth can sustain an unlimited number of people, just that artificial restraints on population growth are draconian and can only be achieved through governmental force and coercion. Overall the world is getting richer, not poorer, and as incomes and quality of life rise, populations slow down their growth rates without outside forces making them do so (when your income is rising you no longer need 8 children around to try to ensure that you will be taken care of in your old age or need them now to be earners to support the poor family).

Personally, population growth is the least of my concerns about the future of this country, or of the world as a whole (that I am far less concerned about than about the USA). Illegal immigration combined with an overly generous legal immigration system is straining our economic system severely while also adversely affecting the unique culture that has been America's strength for the last 200 years or so. Islamic radicalism poses an immediate and long term threat to our future. Governmental growth and an entitlement mentality will bankrupt our once strong nation. These are the issues that I am concerned about. Population issues will take care of themselves.

 

[DeletedMember275]

Vito wrote: "Governmental growth and an entitlement mentality will bankrupt our once strong nation."

Governmental growth and an entitlement mentality have bankrupted our once strong nation (we just haven't admitted that fact yet).

Fixed it for you. I agree entirely with what you wrote other than this small correction.