KingM Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 If you were trying to pick a population of humans for the planet, something that would sustainable and have the right mixture of cultures, nations, cities vs. rural, settled vs. wild, etc., what would it be? Are we overpopulated now, or is there room for more? At what number would the earth be "full?" How about individual locations? Does your current state, province, country, town, or continent feel like it has enough people or do you think the population should grow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyK Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Many fewer than we have now. I was at the Oregon coast last week and was thinking about all the wildlife that Lewis and Clark would have seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 We are at what? Seven billion and counting. I don't think we are over populated. But I do think our natural resources can be much much better utilized and conserved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 The earth is definitely not "full." I don't think it's possible to come up with a number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abacus2 Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 This question is impossible. It's like "What is the ideal family size?" Ideal according to what priorities? Whose preferences? I think there are a few overpopulated places in the world, where people can't get access to food or safe shelter, but in general, there is room for a great deal larger population than currently exists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 My local Walmart is definitely at max capacity. I think those people should stop reproducing now. I also think we could use a good tsunami in the gulf soon. The beaches are way too crowded. I can never find any good shells either. Dang people! I'm joking. I'm assuming the Creator of the Universe knows what He's doing, so I'm going to say that I think we have exactly the right amount of people on this planet at this time and I bet there's plenty of room for more. I'm certainly doing my part to multiply and replenish the earth! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sputterduck Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 I think we could sustain quite a bit more, if only we'd be efficient about it (with regards to pollution and resources). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sputterduck Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 My local Walmart is definitely at max capacity. I think those people should stop reproducing now. I also think we could use a good tsunami in the gulf soon. The beaches are way too crowded. I can never find any good shells either. Dang people! I'm joking. I'm assuming the Creator of the Universe knows what He's doing, so I'm going to say that I think we have exactly the right amount of people on this planet at this time and I bet there's plenty of room for more. I'm certainly doing my part to multiply and replenish the earth! :D Visit here. We have 6 miles of beach with pretty much nobody on it. Lots of amazing and very large shells because they don't get picked up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvasMom Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 We are at what? Seven billion and counting. I don't think we are over populated. But I do think our natural resources can be much much better utilized and conserved. :iagree: It's not about number, it's about those who ARE here being responsible with what we have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 The earth is definitely not "full." I don't think it's possible to come up with a number. I personally wouldn't even try and come up with a number. That's God's business, not mine. Our population is what it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatMomof3 Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Visit here. We have 6 miles of beach with pretty much nobody on it. Lots of amazing and very large shells because they don't get picked up. If hmsmith doesn't take you up on your offer, could my family and I??? :D I don't believe the world is overcrowded. I found this site, it had some interesting visuals. http://persquaremile.com/2011/01/18/if-the-worlds-population-lived-in-one-city/ *notw I have not had time to look through the rest of the site Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Geek Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 My local Walmart is definitely at max capacity. I think those people should stop reproducing now. I also think we could use a good tsunami in the gulf soon. The beaches are way too crowded. I can never find any good shells either. Dang people! I'm joking. I'm assuming the Creator of the Universe knows what He's doing, so I'm going to say that I think we have exactly the right amount of people on this planet at this time and I bet there's plenty of room for more. I'm certainly doing my part to multiply and replenish the earth! :D :iagree: I also don't agree that we are running low on our natural resources and this is an issue that I am not about to debate because I realize that I am very much in the minority on this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 It not about fitting people. It is about resources. I think there are too many people for the resources that are available on our planet. We need to be more efficient with them but even being more efficient there only so far that can get you. We are really inefficiant with resources in the US especially. There is so much we can do to be sutainable but we don't and instead we just do things to make sure we keep our disproportionate share at the expense of others. This is my field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 http://persquaremile.com/2011/01/18/if-the-worlds-population-lived-in-one-city/ This is an incredibly simple view on the topic. It isnt about how many people fit per square mile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennifersLost Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 (edited) I think one to two billion would be a "good" number - enough to keep civilization going, not so much that fights over resources become too plentiful. I also think, like other posters, that a force greater than myself is in charge of population.....to the extent that it will certainly take care of any population problem if we don't. That force has many tools at its disposal - famine, war, disasters, droughts, pestilence.....I have no doubt that there is a limit to what the earth can sustain and that when we reach that limit (and before then) the "greater force" will knock us down to size. If we extend beyond that limit too far - that greater force may even wipe us out and start over with other species. I also believe that same greater power gave us all the tools we need to avoid such a sequence of events. It's easy for us to choose the correct population. We have brains and even should we not care to use birth control, we can control when we have sex. All we need to do is look around us and make a measured choice - how many children does it make sense for us to have in terms of our environment, our means and our capabilities? I also think that other posters are correct. The upper limits aren't just based on numbers - they're really based on consumption. That's what keeps me personally awake at night; knowing that around the world people are suffering, starving and dying so that I can live my safe, comfy western life. That is the basis of my wanting to figure out how to live more frugally, more locally, etc. I treat all the people I "see" in my life with respect and love, but it's so hard to know how my purchasing choices hurt others I have no way of seeing. Edited January 30, 2012 by JennifersLost that's billion, not million..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 We are at what? Seven billion and counting. I don't think we are over populated. But I do think our natural resources can be much much better utilized and conserved. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura in MI Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 We are at what? Seven billion and counting. I don't think we are over populated. But I do think our natural resources can be much much better utilized and conserved. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingM Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 Regardless of what population the earth could theoretically support, I'm wondering about space for the natural world. The Netherlands is a lovely little country, but every inch is devoted to human activity of some kind. The limited natural places aren't much different than the "wild" parts of Central Park. Is there space for wilderness, for wild areas meant for wolves and elephants? Or is the earth destined to go the way of the Netherlands? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cammie Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 There was a really heated thread on this topic not that long ago...you might want to read that! In my opinion, we are overpopulated for the type of consumption/resource management we are currently exhibiting. I don't know the idea number but I can tell you, sitting where I sit, seems like we have WAY too many people!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmoe Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Many fewer than we have now. I was at the Oregon coast last week and was thinking about all the wildlife that Lewis and Clark would have seen. Is the earth for people or for wildlife? What is it's purpose? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingM Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 Is the earth for people or for wildlife? What is it's purpose? I don't think the earth has a "purpose," any more than Mars does, or the seventh planet around Alpha Centauri. Purpose is something that we impose upon the natural world to fit our preconceived worldview. Having said that, not only do I think there is a place for wildlife, I don't think we're as divorced from terrestrial ecosystems as we may think. Cutting the rainforest for more grazing land or draining ponds for fields may be fine in individual cases, but in the aggregate, we may inadvertently set off a reaction that causes great harm to human populations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.