World population to hit 7 billion

[MikeyC]

As predicted here, the population will hit 7 billion on October 31st. It also shows some other interesting facts about the world (some good, some bad).

Personally, the world is vastly overpopulated and is struggling to support all of us. We're living on a fragile planet. And it's the only one we have!

What do you think about sharing the world with 6,999,999,999 others? What do you think of that linked site, too? Comments, thoughts, opinions, nastiness...all welcomed.

 

[Pyrophosphate]

Personally, the world is vastly overpopulated and is struggling to support all of us.

I hear people say that all the time, but I really just don't see any evidence for it.

 

[superfluouslyme]

Interesting site. 7 billion is a scary number. Obviously we are taxing the Earth's resources to the max. But I don't have any answers.

 

[superfluouslyme]

Population Media Center – Population

As a result, the Earth is attempting to impose its own checks on human population. We can witness these “checks” in the form of widespread disease and the emergence of new disease strains, food and water shortages, poor harvests and violent and destructive weather caused by climate change. While it should be obvious that the Earth is a finite sphere and cannot endure infinite growth by any single species, we should also remember that Earth’s current web-of-life is the result of billions of years of complex evolution. It is irreplaceable.

 

[coyote]

when we all die,

and the planet is left a barren rock,

the cycle will start anew

if not here, then somewhere else

maybe the next time the "intelligent species" will have purple tentacles

there's no way to know really

you can't hold onto your little piece of ground forever

something to let go of

 

[Pyrophosphate]

(Quoting someone else)We can witness these “checks” in the form of widespread disease and the emergence of new disease strains, food and water shortages, poor harvests and violent and destructive weather caused by climate change.

There's another set of things for which I have seen no evidence.

 

[vj288]

I hear people say that all the time, but I really just don't see any evidence for it.

May it have something to do with living in a first world country with lots of resources? I mean the distribution of wealth in the world is not equal at all, the gdp per capita for Burundi for example is $300 as opposed to the the US's $45,000. The effects of overpopulation really doesn't hit us at full force, we can get the things we need as long as we need them (and the world revolves around money). If the resources of the world were evenly distributed we'd see it more clearly, and the concern would be greater for the for the citizens of the current elites of the world.

In most of the world the problem of overpopulation isn't like that of china, where they are running out of places to put people. The world only has so many resources, and as that number stays the same (or rather decreases) and the number of people increases some people have to go with less or without. And it's not us in the 1st world who feel the full effect, boo-hoo gas prices are rising but food and water aren't an issue because there's not enough or it's too expensive (supply and demand, rich people/countries win). Overpopulation won't effect us dramatically in out lifetimes, but it will of people from other countries.

 

[Pyrophosphate]

May it have something to do with living in a first world country with lots of resources? I mean the distribution of wealth in the world is not equal at all, the gdp per capita for Burundi for example is $300 as opposed to the the US's $45,000. The effects of overpopulation really doesn't hit us at full force, we can get the things we need as long as we need them (and the world revolves around money). If the resources of the world were evenly distributed we'd see it more clearly, and the concern would be greater for the for the citizens of the current elites of the world.

In most of the world the problem of overpopulation isn't like that of china, where they are running out of places to put people. The world only has so many resources, and as that number stays the same (or rather decreases) and the number of people increases some people have to go with less or without. And it's not us in the 1st world who feel the full effect, boo-hoo gas prices are rising but food and water aren't an issue because there's not enough or it's too expensive (supply and demand, rich people/countries win). Overpopulation won't effect us dramatically in out lifetimes, but it will of people from other countries.

I'm not saying that overpopulation doesn't exist, it's just that it's not the Earth that's overpopulated. Society is overpopulated. People in a lot of the world don't have enough food because genetically modified crops that can grow damn near anywhere are illegal to sell in a lot of countries, mostly because of religious or naturalist objection. It's the illegality that keeps this technology from spreading.

Also, there are trade tariffs, wars, and a general lack of concern for people in other countries. It's governments drawing imaginary lines and dividing people that causes overpopulation problems.

 

[deleted #89]

I agree with PYRO. There is no evidence and plus it will never directly affect us here people in America/North America.

 

[WeirdyMcGee]

boooooo!
Too many people.
Then again... I can't handle being in a room or out in the open with more than 2 people at a time without getting sick and vomiting... so, really... a population of 4 would be too much in my mind.
haha

Now... I may not be very smart but I do think that this qualifies as overpopulation.
Genetically modified crops are wonderful... but if we can't sustain ourselves with whatever comes out of the ground naturally, it seems like we've got too many mouths to feed in the first place.
I'd gladly disappear if it meant one less child in the world has to starve to death; but things don't work that way, unfortunately.

Science has become our most interesting friend as well as a very sneaky foe.
We are alive longer, we can make babies long past our prime, we can cure ourselves of illnesses but we destroy our own mother, kill each-other in extravagant ways and hide behind a monitor to bully eachother.
It's no longer survival of the fittest; but survival of the moron with the most money in his pocket.
Such a shame.
'Suppose that's just how we've managed to evolve up to this point.

 

[Blabla..]

I agree that the planet is overpopulated for the way we live , we are just destroying everything around us so fast , if humans could live the way it's meant to be , there would be plenty of space , but that's just never gonna happen , humans are greedy , selfish , hungry , always more

 

[superfluouslyme]

More people = need for more food, water, medicine, housing, etc. We can't even give those things to all of the people on Earth right now. Yes, humans have always had problems with these issues. But the number of people just keeps growing and we can't keep up with the increase.

There's another set of things for which I have seen no evidence.

Huh? You can debate what is causing poor harvests, unpredictable weather, and all that other stuff, but, IMO, I don't see how you can deny that this stuff is happening. Diseases are becoming resistant to medicine because of overuse. The weather has been bat-**** crazy. (I had a freaking tornado go through my backyard last New Year's Eve, about a week after a 16 inch snowfall.) The crops in Illinois were horrible this year because we had zero rainfall. The farmers were harvesting in August. The county next to the one I live in is rationing water - you can't wash your car or water your plants. I know it's not like this all over. But every region, every country is having it's own issues.

I agree with PYRO. There is no evidence and plus it will never directly affect us here people in America/North America.

So that gives us the right to not care? Especially when we are some of the biggest users of resources on the planet?

 

[deleted #89]

More people = need for more food, water, medicine, housing, etc. We can't even give those things to all of the people on Earth right now. Yes, humans have always had problems with these issues. But the number of people just keeps growing and we can't keep up with the increase.



Huh? You can debate what is causing poor harvests, unpredictable weather, and all that other stuff, but, IMO, I don't see how you can deny that this stuff is happening. Diseases are becoming resistant to medicine because of overuse. The weather has been bat-**** crazy. (I had a freaking tornado go through my backyard last New Year's Eve, about a week after a 16 inch snowfall.) The crops in Illinois were horrible this year because we had zero rainfall. The farmers were harvesting in August. The county next to the one I live in is rationing water - you can't wash your car or water your plants. I know it's not like this all over. But every region, every country is having it's own issues.



So that gives us the right to not care? Especially when we are some of the biggest users of resources on the planet?

Ok you cant just throw the " global warming " issue in the mix. Its irreversible by the way....Who do you think does most of the damage on this earth. Big corporations !!!. Yes you can pick up your trash and stop wasting water but in the end its those big giants that call the shots and who make a real difference...Also we HAVE the resources to feed EVERYBODY in the world.The problem is that we lack organization and have poor distribution "efficiency" . Do you know how much food and funds are sent to Africa every year? They DO get help but the problem is WHO receives ( Steals) that money......

 

[Pyrophosphate]

Huh? You can debate what is causing poor harvests, unpredictable weather, and all that other stuff, but, IMO, I don't see how you can deny that this stuff is happening. Diseases are becoming resistant to medicine because of overuse. The weather has been bat-**** crazy. (I had a freaking tornado go through my backyard last New Year's Eve, about a week after a 16 inch snowfall.) The crops in Illinois were horrible this year because we had zero rainfall. The farmers were harvesting in August. The county next to the one I live in is rationing water - you can't wash your car or water your plants. I know it's not like this all over. But every region, every country is having it's own issues.

I'll try not to sound like I'm fighting with you on this, sorry if I do.

First, diseases growing resistant to medicines from overuse is not something I've heard of. You should tell me where you heard that from.

Second, tornadoes can happen anywhere on the planet at any time of year. They've always been that way, nothing has changed.

As for the crops, bad harvests happen. They've always happened. They aren't a new thing, some years are bad. Everywhere has always had issues.

 

[Pyrophosphate]

Ok if you cant just throw the " global warming " issue in the mix. Its irreversible by the way....Who do you think does most of the damage on this earth. Big corporations !!!. Yes you can pick up your trash and stop wasting water but in the end its those big giants that call the shots and who make a real difference...Also we HAVE the resources to feed EVERYBODY in the world.The problem is that we lack organization and have poor distribution "efficiency" . Do you know how much food and funds are sent to Africa every year? They do get help but the problem is WHO receives ( Steals) that money.....

Governments give "aid" (in the form of money) to other governments. They take money from the poor (taxes) and give that money to the rich people in poorer countries. That "aid" never makes it to the people who need it, and it never will. Africa is actually a very fertile continent, it's politics and wars (inevitable products of governments) that keep the people poor and hungry. It's not a lack of resources.

 

[superfluouslyme]

Ok if you cant just throw the " global warming " issue in the mix. Its irreversible by the way....Who do you think does most of the damage on this earth. Big corporations !!!. Yes you can pick up your trash and stop wasting water but in the end its those big giants that call the shots. We have the resources to feed EVERYBODY in the world...what we are lacking is organization and poor distribution. Do you know how much food and funds are sent to Africa every year? The real problem is how the whole system works.

I'm not arguing that the organization and distribution of goods isn't flawed, because it most certainly is. And I don't think we are doing all we could be doing to help. But we cannot force countries receiving our aid to distribute it properly. That means we would have to go over there ourselves and monitor it, and still there will be massive issues. It's got to be pretty unlikely that the whole world, with all of its different forms of government, are going to agree on one system to distribute needed supplies.

I'm starting to ramble here and I'm not really sure what I'm talking about at the moment. But I do know that we (we meaning everyone, not just one country, not just one government, not just one major corporation) are over-planting crop land, cutting down forests and jungles and backwoods at an alarming rate, dumping toxins in drinking water, and clearing land once owned by animals for another ****ing Super WalMart!!! (Sorry, I hate WalMart. That's another rant for another day. )

 

[-lonestar-]

This is one of the reasons I support Space exploration, in regards to finding other planets to live in. But I know there are other things we need to look at, such as working to share wealth with countries less fortunate and embrace all humanity.

Borders should not exist, and greed should not exist, I just see the governments trying to secretly ignore the poor to "kill" them off, and that has to stop, all weapons need to be destroyed. Its been long enough spilling blood of innocents, we need to expand together as one. Earth needs to return to the earthly ways, when we didn't rely on technologies that pollute it.

 

[superfluouslyme]

Governments give "aid" (in the form of money) to other governments. They take money from the poor (taxes) and give that money to the rich people in poorer countries. That "aid" never makes it to the people who need it, and it never will. Africa is actually a very fertile continent, it's politics and wars (inevitable products of governments) that keep the people poor and hungry. It's not a lack of resources.

True, they can grow some crops there. But can they grow enough to sustain the nearly 995,000,000 people in Africa? Or Asia, with their 4,140,000,000+ people? And add the birth rate to the extended lives of humans, the numbers will add up quickly.

Sorry, ya'll. I get passionate about the weirdest things. I actually just watched Torchwood: Miracle Day over the past couple of days. The premise was that no one could die, so the population grew out of control. Obviously that is not the problem here, but it's clouding my vision a bit.

 

[Pyrophosphate]

True, they can grow some crops there. But can they grow enough to sustain the nearly 995,000,000 people in Africa? Or Asia, with their 4,140,000,000+ people? And add the birth rate to the extended lives of humans, the numbers will add up quickly.

Sorry, ya'll. I get passionate about the weirdest things. I actually just watched Torchwood: Miracle Day over the past couple of days. The premise was that no one could die, so the population grew out of control. Obviously that is not the problem here, but it's clouding my vision a bit.

It's good to be passionate.

And if the governments weren't there, it would be possible for people to expand outward from the smaller countries, rather than try to fit twice as many people within the same invisible, ambiguous border.

Also, Africa wouldn't just grow "some" crops. It's all (except the two deserts) very fertile land, thus all the jungle. Prime real estate, really.

 

[superfluouslyme]

I'll try not to sound like I'm fighting with you on this, sorry if I do.

First, diseases growing resistant to medicines from overuse is not something I've heard of. You should tell me where you heard that from.

Second, tornadoes can happen anywhere on the planet at any time of year. They've always been that way, nothing has changed.

As for the crops, bad harvests happen. They've always happened. They aren't a new thing, some years are bad. Everywhere has always had issues.

No prob. I tend to lose all sense of tact when discussing things I think are important. As for #1, Antibiotic Resistance (Drug Resistance, Antimicrobial Resistance) Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention on MedicineNet.com. My mom is an RN and says to look up MRSA and VRE. #2, yes of course, but it's the back and forth on the weather that is scary. Have you ever had a blizzard and then a tornado within a week of each other? And the severity with which so many of these natural disasters happens alarms me. #3, I will concede that bad crops happen. A lot.