Monday, January 16, 2012

Overpopulation


            There are many environmental issues that are going to be the cause of Island Civilization to exist in the future. In my opinion, I believe overpopulation is at the top of the list. Overpopulation not only affects the environment, but also the economy. Many studies reveal that overpopulation is the world’s greatest problem.
            Overpopulation, by definition, means the “excessive population of an area to the point of overcrowding, depletion of natural resources, or environmental deterioration.” Environmental issues that concern humans increase daily due to overpopulation. On earth, there are approximately 6.8 billion people with new births at 220,000 per day. Thus, as our population continues to increase, so does our demand for natural resources.
            Higher demand of resources, war and social conflict, limits on personal freedom, and health and survival of other species are all effects of overpopulation. Most importantly, the Ozone layer is being destroyed at a rate of “4% per decade.” The world, as we know it, will not exist if the ozone layer can no longer deter UV rays.
As for the survival of other species, they are all in danger! Humans have completely taken over every aspect of the world by destroying habitats and building more houses, roads, and developments. Not only are we harming other species, we are also harming ourselves. We are polluting air, water and soil. “At least half of the cause of the oil-spill disaster in the Gulf is due to the unprecedented rise in population.” Many humans go hungry and are not able to shower or brush their teeth because of the limited amount of food and water. I could continue to describe the harmful things we are doing to other species as well as to ourselves, yet, I just mentioned a few.
            To conclude, overpopulation is certainly a growing issue. If we do not start to take better care of the earth, then Island Civilization will be one of the only options left if mankind and other species are to survive.



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