Overpopulation

            The Earth today has more people than ever before. With our population at just over seven billion and growing, it’s no wonder our planet is so overcrowded. In addition to the spatial issue, overpopulation is the cause of many other problems in the world.  Overconsumption, energy conservation, carbon dioxide emissions, and dwindling freshwater resources are just a few of the issues overpopulation creates. Dr. Charles A. Hall, a systems ecologist, expressed his belief that if overpopulation could be solved, so could virtually every over environmental concern. “Overpopulation is the only problem,” says Hall, “If we had 100 million people on Earth – or better, 10 million – no others would be a problem.”

            In Nash’s Island Civilization solution to the world’s environmental crisis, he concludes that the Earth’s population be drastically reduced to about a quarter of its current size, or 1.5 billion people total. While figure is still 15x the maximum number of people in Dr. Hall’s ideal world, it is still far less than the amount we have today, and its positive effects on our planet would certainly be noticeable.

Due to the fact that nearly every environmental issue present today is a result from human interference in nature, it only makes sense that less people would equal fewer problems. Take pollution for example; pollution is a direct result of human introduction of harmful substances into new environments. With a reduction in population comes a decline in pollution. While this may not bring pollution to a halt, it will improve the problem and allow us to better control and maintain the land, water, and air.  Keep in mind, however, that pollution is only one of the numerous environmental problems that can be resolved by population decrease. Most of nature’s issues result from the relatively recent surge in population growth.

Nash’s proposal for population shrinkage and human containment instead of nature also grants our Earth a chance to recover. Overpopulation is a problem worldwide, but it has been particularly an issue for China. Since China adapted its one-child policy in 1979, authorities claim to have prevented up to 400 million births. This amount is still nothing compared to Nash’s limit of 1.5 billion people, but China is already seeing recovery in their environmental resources. China can be seen as a small trial of Nash’s Island Civilization proposal but without the human-nature barrier. After researching the positive impact China’s population decrease has had on the environment, I believe that Island Civilization can essentially solve our world’s environmental crisis.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090418075752.htm