Ethical Essay

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Population vs Resources

With population growth at exponential rates, the question of who should reproduce can bring up more questions than answers. World population is currently increasing at a rate of nearly 75 million each year. Should we place limits on growth? Although we are creating fewer offspring in the US, there are more of us which accounts for the growth in population. As evidenced in China, the one child per couple campaign helped to curb population growth, but their yearly growth still exceeds 12 million per year. 

Statistics generally indicate lower birthrates in developed countries and higher rates in developing countries. The higher rate of birth is associated with many factors. Lack of education about family planning and birth control methods, lifestyles that compliment larger families, or high infant mortality rates are some of the reasons. In some places the high incidence of infant mortality is offset by higher birth rates because of the eventual fear of losing a child. Thus in some areas birth rates actually exceed high mortality rates. As population density increases it's needs for resources inceases, and the greater the population the more competition there is for resources. As a result some countries have advocated incentives for parents with one or two children and others have suggested raising the marriage age. 

Contrary to statistics of developed countries, the US has one of the highest natural population increases for industrialized nations with no relief in sight. The US is also the largest energy consumer in the world in terms of total use. This impacts our immediate as well as the global environment. It is said that a typical US child will consume the equivalent of 300 children in Ethiopia. This brings to question the environmental impact of populations in regards to quality as opposed to quantity. 

According to the scientific community consensus on carrying capacity greatly vary. Some claim that carrying capacity should be tossed out altogether because the increase in population will provide the creativity and innovation to support this increase or that technology will keep pace with these dilemmas. 

From an ecological viewpoint some countries are challenging their biological capacities. The addition of another individual doubles the environmental footprint placed on the environment. That is the amount of land it takes to support a person's lifestyle. Because resources are essentially limited, how will we account for this increase in population.

There are many sides to this issue and some experts propose that the overuse and decay of resources is a natural process that will eventually correct itself. Others suggest that extinction is also a natural process of the cycle, as it has happened numerous times before. 

As evidenced from different perspectives, both population and energy consumption impact the environmet. Because of this it would seem beneficial that both the management of resources and the management of population growth be looked at to ensure the sustainability of life on this planet.  The ways we use our resources and treat our waste products will affect our quality of life. For instance, our demand to grow food in large quantities has benefited us by having a readily available food source and yet some methods also endanger the soil environment which can conversely reduce yields. Thus, careful use of our resources and controlling population growth both have important roles to ensure lasting resources for future generations.

As population and alteration of resources have contributed to pollution and other unwanted environmental effects, complex issue arise that are intertwined in politics, economic, cultural, and social affairs. Many issues related to these factors will continue to affect our lives. Given the current trends it is unlikely that a reversal can occur without some intervention.Therefore steps to avert depletion and over-consumption will continue to be an area of growing concern. 

References:

http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/china/geog/population.htm

http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/footprint_for_nations/

http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange2/current/lectures/human_pop/human_pop.html

http://www.globalissues.org/issue/198/human-population

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_use_in_the_United_States