Overpopulation : Where the problem REALLY lies

[Papasito]

http://www.globalhealthfacts.org/dat...ap.aspx?ind=87
North America, Most of Asia and Europe are under control.
It's time to start holding nations with huge birth rates accountable for thier demands on the rest of the world for causing food and energy demands, as well as the pollution and "carbon footprint" thier out of control birthrates are causing.
The world is expecting our population to double and is struggling to attempt to keep up with feeding this type of human growth.

Everyone loves to point the finger at the US and Europe, but with a fertility rate of 2.06 to 1.27 in Europe and the United states, while birth rates in Africa and the Middle East are as high as 7.6 children per woman, why don't environmentalists and conservationists start pointing the finger at the world's true sources of the overpopulation problem?

Rank	Country Name	Number
1	Niger	7.60
2	Uganda	6.69
3	Mali	6.44
4	Somalia	6.35
5	Burundi	6.16
6	Burkina Faso	6.14
7	Ethiopia	6.02
8	Zambia	5.98
9	Angola	5.97
10	Congo	5.68

Overpopulation is a condition where an organism's numbers exceed the carrying capacity of its habitat. The term often refers to the relationship between the human population and its environment, the Earth.^[1] Steve Jones, head of the biology department at University College London, has said, "Humans are 10,000 times more common than we should be, according to the rules of the animal kingdom, and we have agriculture to thank for that. Without farming, the world population would probably have reached half a million by now."^[2] The world’s population has significantly increased in the last 50 years, mainly due to medical advancements and substantial increases in agricultural productivity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overpopulation

[TKshreve]

There are certainly twp sides to the issue you put forth. I'll say first and foremost that population control is certainly an issue. And if curbed would free up a lot of resources.

Now looking at the information provided by your graphs and source, yes that may be where some of the highest birth rates exist.

But do not forget that these same area have the highest infant mortality rates as well:



Not to mention that these countries also have the least resources available [[Food, Shelter and Clothing) and also I would assume these people consume much less than the first world nations. And don't forget about China. They're kinda one of the elephants int he room here.

Thoughts?

[Occurrence]

Most problems in this world world boil down to too many people.

I never understood why people pop out kids when they know they can't afford them. If I only make $25,000 a year, I should realize it's probably not a good idea to have 3 kids. Common sense it usually the most uncommon of senses.

[Kevgoblue]

People in the countries mentioned make more like $250 a year, not $25,000. But their children starve to death. And they don't have cars. Nor do they have huge McMansions to heat and cool. Or TV's, Playstations or Ipods.
The thought that these folk contribute in any significant portion to the worlds energy demands, pollution or carbon footprint is way off base.

[Danny]

Skip those dirt poor 3rd world African Nations. The over population lies on India [[ which has 1.1 billion people) and China has 1.4 billion people.

[ordinary]

JAWOHL! Ve must keep our schwantztuchers in our liederhosen!

[old guy]

The point is that the population problem isn't just something "over there" in "those poor countries," where they may be having more children. From a consumption perspective, the developed countries have a bigger population growth problem than the developing countries!
Next time you hear about a woman in India who has 7 children, remember that she'd have to have more than 10 children to match the impact of an American woman with just one child!

[Papasito]

That doesn't make it OK to have 7 children.
China's population was going out of control, and thier current fertility rate is 1.3 - 1.54. They are not considered a "rich country"... much of China is very, very poor. Sure, thier economy is taking off but by no means are all the provinces in China flourishing.

Wealthy and poor nations alike should enact population control laws.

[maxx]

from wiki:
"...The policy is controversial both within and outside China because of the manner in which the policy has been implemented, and because of concerns about negative social consequences.^[5] The policy has been implicated in an increase in forced abortions,^[6] female infanticide, and underreporting^[7] of female births,...


{China is hardly a model for a nation describing itself as democratic.}

[Cinderpath]

Well, as somebody who has traveled to China, and knows first hand what it is like to be in a place with over a billion people, over population is a huge problem, and until you experience it first hand you don't have a clue what a time bomb this is. They sold 17 million new cars in China last year, all waiting for a fresh tank of gasoline....all new drivers. Think about that for a moment. China has done something drastic about it. Yes the consequences are awful, but were necessary. It's birth rate is now also under control, and they no longer have the one child policy. India however is doing nothing, and will be an absolute unmitigated disaster, and the consequences will be much worse for all of us. Let's never forget behind such numbers are human lives, one lives with us: an adopted baby girl from China, our only child, who was abandoned. It was not her choice in life to be born under such circumstances, or the wrong sex, but she is loved, happy and healthy now.

[oladub]

old guy, No disagreement with that but unless the plan is to keep people in India in perpetual poverty, those 7 kids will be buying autos as the Chinese are starting to do. Not that you would disagree but those people have as much right to living like us as we do. China's low birth rate has made it possible to spend more on consumer stuff.

[old guy]

old guy, No disagreement with that but unless the plan is to keep people in India in perpetual poverty, those 7 kids will be buying autos as the Chinese are starting to do. Not that you would disagree but those people have as much right to living like us as we do. China's low birth rate has made it possible to spend more on consumer stuff.

True, they do have the right to live like we do, but I hope they don't choose to. I'd like to see everyone on the planet be able to live above the poverty level they live in. I think it's unbelievable what we waste in this country though. It's actually down right sickening.
I'm guilty of being wasteful myself but I've gotten better about it, partially out of necessity in these lean times. The world seems to be shrinking as the population increases. My advice to anyone is, learn how to grow food and learn how to do more with less.

[maxx]

Cinderpath:

I recall that Indira Gandhi forced a lot of Indian men to get vasectomies in the 1970's, but obviously, it wasn't enough.