|
Questions on Overpopulation and Overconsumption
Link |
by
  
on 2009-05-20 21:31:16 |
|
I just had a thought: So, we all know that 6% of the world (The U.S.) is using up 80% of the world's resources. We are very bad when it comes to consumption, and continue to use birth control methods and contraceptives as a method to keep populations down worldwide in the idea that a low population will reduce profligacy and the exhaustion of world resources. My question is, why are many parts of the world trying to minimize the birth rates of /everyone/ in the world when 94% of the world's population is only taking 20% of the worlds resources? |
|
Re: Questions on Overpopulation and Overconsumption
|
|
A short answer, for now, since I don't have much time before I must retire to bed: BECAUSE those parts of the world use/have so little resources, they need to keep the population down, so they don't exhaust the scarce resource that they HAVE... That answer makes sense to me, but I do believe that lack of abundant resources isn't the only motivation for keeping a nation's population from growing too quickly... Is it fair that the excessive USA uses so much? No, but don't our parents (and the government--sometimes-- of this "great nation", for that matter) teach us that there's no such thing as "fair"? We all need to start living sustainably... for the environment, for our health (obesity, etc)... |
|
Re: Questions on Overpopulation and Overconsumption
Link |
by
on 2009-05-20 23:11:03 (edited 2009-05-20 23:11:32)
|
|
Dood's answer is spot on. Overpopulation is a symptom of poverty. Just like in medicine, treating the symptom can be helpful. However, treating the cause is usually the most effective course of action. Take Africa for example. We send tons of aid in the form of food to suffering regions. This food often doesn't make it to the people in need. If we sent condoms and sex education professionals instead, soon enough there would be fewer mouths to feed and therefore more food to go around. Similarly, if we invest assistance money in developing a healthy economy in the region, funding education and infrastructural, then the poverty that causes higher birth rates is reduced. Both actions are just as humanitarian as sending food, but longer lasting. Give a starving African a fish and she will eat for a day, teach a starving African to fish and she won't have so many starving kids. 
|
|
Re: Questions on Overpopulation and Overconsumption
|
|
Personally, I don't believe the statistic, I believe we're high, but not that high. Also, 99% of all statistics are pulled out of someone's rear end. Did some more research, because I hate arbitrary numbers. NORTH AMERICAN POPULATION (American, Canada, Mexico) - about 4.5% of the world's population. Which would be worse... but here's the thing, we're not using 80% of the worlds "resources", which by the way, I assume you mean natural resources. http://www.cnn.com/US/9910/12/population.cosumption/ As of 1999 we made up part of the 16% apparently using that number. Unless Europe and Japan vanished from the map, they deserve some of the credit. According to current national census trends, our population in the US is actually dropping, not increasing, so in several more years we can actually presume to make up even less of this drain. The funny part though, is the numbers are counted by revenue and exports, where the money comes from to acquire these resources, not where it ends up. A lot of the resources our nation consumes does go to the populace, but also a very hefty chunk finds it's way out into that "other 20%" of the world in forms of aid, relief, and unlisted syphoned funds (you know how many people in this country are illegally here and sending most of their money to family in other countries? how many people are paying for illegally obtained goods and thus seeding that revenue in unmarked areas of the world?) Yes, we do consume a lot, but we're not 6% using 80%, our entire continent doesn't even have 6% on it. Check the numbers. |