FREE ESSAY ON OVERPOPULATION

OVERPOPULATION

patterns of sprawl. The "Cowboy Myth" states that we are destined to continue crossing new
frontiers and conquer new lands. However, pictures of earth seen from outer space bring
home the fact that our planet is not a series of endless frontiers, but a fragile
spaceship with limited resources. The "Growth is always Good" myth states that from birth
we are told to "be fruitful and multiply." But why do some people believe this means to
produce eight children? A 1998 UN report states that if fertility remained at current
levels, the population would reach the absurd figure of 296 billion in just 150 years.
Even if it dropped to 2.5 children per woman and then stopped falling, the population
would still reach 28 billion. The definition of economic prosperity is growth, but only
some growth is good. Do we honestly believe that continued population growth is a good
thing in a world where over a billion people go to bed hungry every night? In the end,
regardless of mankinds technological accomplishments, biophysical constraints will limit
the number of people that can be supported without destroying earth's future capacity to
support people. If not, social forces will come into play before absolute biophysical
constraints do. This happens because of human error and greed, which makes resource use
both inefficient and unfavorable. If people first realize the problems we face today, we
can create a better future for tomorrow.