Overpopulation

Quality or Quantity?
By: Paula Riveros
Infografía: Revista Utopia

Each human, as an individual, is a wonderful being; but been too many may be a big problem.

Graphics: Until the XV Century the world’s population rate didn’t exceed the 500 million people. In 1830 we were 1 billion people, and 100 years later we were 2 billion. We just needed 45 years to duplicate again and reach 4 billion inhabitants in 1975. Nowadays the earth has more than 6 billion people and the numbers continue to increase faster everyday. It is estimated that for year 2014 we will be 7 billion inhabitants, and for 2035, 9 billion people we’ll live in this planet.

Human race is an exceptionally developed specie. We are a miracle of evolution, and to appear in such a privileged position in the scale of living beings is an honor. We are, with great advantage, the most intelligent animal on earth; we build cities that may be admired from the space, study other galaxies, fight diseases, create unbelievable pieces of art and have been able to satisfy (in general terms) all our feeding, transportation and communication needs.
We have been able to adapt to all types of weather by living in uninhabitable places; which expanded the radio of human settlement. We invented the wheel, developed agriculture, discovered metals and electricity; all of which lead to the industrial revolution, the atomic era, digital revolution and globalization.
During the past 200 years (since Industrial Revolution) the usage of resources and amount of wastes increased vertiginously. The accelerated fabrication of products of low cost gave birth to a massive consumerism culture. The absence of natural enemies and the progress of medicine reduced considerably the rate of mortality, which caused the biggest surplus of individuals ever.
Many scientists affirm that the actual growing behavior is not sustainable; this because in a few years there won’t be enough for everybody. Big populations demand more natural resources. The accelerated pace of rich countries can’t be followed by all the inhabitants of the planet; this would lead us to a collapse.
This scenario seems very pessimistic but fortunately we have the power of knowledge about the environment, and the awareness that could save us in case we determine to act.
Famous scientist Carl Sagan referred to this matter: “We have become predators of the biosphere, possessed by arrogance and always willing to get what we want without returning. We are a threat for ourselves and the ones we share this planet with. We are all guilty of this situation". And concludes: “I believe that it is our responsibility to fight for life on Earth, for our benefit and the benefit of all those that came before us, and if we are wise enough, the welfare of those that will come after us. There is not a more urgent task than to protect the future of our specie”.

DID YOU KNOW?
The world’s population increases in more than 81 million people each year. Every 12 years, around one billion inhabitants is added to the world’s population rate.