Overpopulation: Will overpopulation crush the “crust of the Earth”?

What is our population history and future?

Two thousand years ago one quarter of a billion people lived on the Earth; by 1830 the population of the Earth reached one billion, and in just 100 years after that the population doubled. Approximately in the late 1960’s the population doubled again, only 44 years later. Currently the population carries more than six billion people. China and India alone make up one third of the global population to date, which was the total global population just 70 years ago. Estimations show a doubling time of approximately twenty years for the present population of six billion. (Cohen)

Overpopulation is not a new concept within our society. Thomas Robert Malthus an English clergyman first introduced the concept of overpopulation almost 200 years ago. Malthus acknowledged that like other animal species humans could reproduce faster than the natural resources they require to survive and as a result of this Malthus predicted that overpopulation would eventually overwhelm food supplies and the environment, resulting in the extinction of the human species. This phenomenon has been documented in the population of other animals that exceed the carrying capacity of their particular environment. As the carrying capacity is surpassed the food supply dwindles, the environment is degraded and the population collapses. The scale of degradation humans are able to concur could wipe out the entire planet. (Cooper)

According to Thomas Donohoe there are three possible “destinies for Earth and her keepers” as illustrated in the graph. If each family maintains a Total Family Ratio, which is the amount of kids per couple, of 1.5, overpopulation will no longer be a threat to the planet. The middle line shows the population Total Family Ratio to be 2.1 children per family. With this scenario the population will reach ten billion in less than 60 years and serious environmental choices will have to be addressed in consideration to the overpopulation. The final line shows the population if couples have an average of 2.5 children, this would send the population above 25 billion in just over a century. A population of this size would degrade the environment at considerable levels.

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