Over Population 2 Essay, Research Paper

OVER POPULATION

Environmental catastrophes such as climate change, flooding, ozone depletion, water pollution, famines, disease, energy crises etc, are all born from the same human induced phenomenon: over population. Stated simply, the more inhabitants of the earth, the greater the need for more of everything.

When we put increasing strain on the resources that sustain us, those resources fail to cope with the burgeoning demand and are at risk of long-term detrimental affects. This in turn manifests in varying forms throughout all facts of our world. Inevitably, injustices arise and our society flounders in a state of chaos. Arguably, this constrains us as a people from achieving our potential and moving our society forward.

The current global ecological crises results primarily from the workings of the capitalist world economy which links the worlds peoples, nation states and environment in a single process of combined and uneven development, ensuring an ever increasing number of people use natural resources in unsustainable ways.

If we are to continue to have relatively good living conditions, we must ensure that resources are not harvested faster than they can be renewed and that waste is not discharged faster than what can be absorbed. Current population levels and forecast growth rates show we are off to a bad start. It’s evident from the existing range of global environmental problems over use of natural resources is compromising their future availability.

Our current trends show little or no regard for the implications of future generations. “Imagine a bleak world of barren landscapes like a dala painting…. Void of life and spirit, transformed long ago from fertile and biodiverse productive land into a wasteland.”

We are heading toward this scenario, that is we will overwhelm the earth with our demands and the natural system will shut down.

And what of our beloved oceans? Devoid of diversity sea life, heavily populated uninspiring and dangerous to enter. Then what? The surfing population could not cope with a reduction of surf breaks. Would only geographically remote places be surfable? And what of the rest of the surfing population? Wave pools?

How do we remedy the situation? Do we continue to rest our hopes on the possibility that technology will save our collective ass, or should we “embody the philosophies of the precautionary principle of substantial development and exercise caution” when planning and making decisions? The former decision reeks of apathy but will probably be favoured arrowing the world as it is basically a do nothing solution. The later option however implies real work and sacrifice, but it is the only option that will bring about the changes that will benefit this and future societies.

Population policies should provide family planning and fertility control services. Education especially for girls should play a major role in any such policy. Similarly, the provision of good primary health care services and efforts to obliterate poverty and raise living standards this also plays a role in reducing population growth. Until such policies are implemented and this issue has a serious place on the global political agenda, the earths and societies wounds will only worsen

The fact remains that the destruction of environment and its resources cannot be stemmed unless population growth is stemmed. Population growth rates are still too high to allow adequate protection of our environment.

OVER POPULATION MUST BE STOPPED.