Overpopulation

[Archsage]

Honestly the less government involvement the best. The us has so much land that over population in our country won't happen for a loong time. We shouldn't worry about other nations. I know that sounds messed up but we have to worry about us before we worry about others. Thu have government and leaders so let them do govern. We cant just go around enforcing our beliefs on other nations. A

I agree 100%. We can't go around policing the world. We have our own nation to care for. That's why humans make civilizations to begin with -- to care for their particular environment. It's not like we're such better people that we can take care of all the world and the other people in their own countries are incapable of helping themselves.

But yeah, as far as I'm concerned, there is no issue of overpopulation in the US. Even in New York where I live, the population of the state has been decreasing because people have been dispersing throughout the nation (moving to Florida, Texas, etc.). The US doesn't have a problem of over population.

[Sejame]

I don't think that there is really a constitutional way to limit the population, so... we're sunk, in simpler terms. America probably would never close up borders or anything, and it's violating our rights to limit children like China does. Also, we couldn't really decrease the population by death unless law enforcement was very strict and death penalty was more common. Which I would scarcely recommend.

I think Mindbenders reply about education would be a constitutional way of limiting the population and the most effective without ya know, killing people off or putting a limit on how many children you can have.

But yeah, as far as I'm concerned, there is no issue of overpopulation in the US. Even in New York where I live, the population of the state has been decreasing because people have been dispersing throughout the nation (moving to Florida, Texas, etc.). The US doesn't have a problem of over population.

Those people aren't dying, just moving. They continue to use resources and breed. Overpopulation isn't so much about having a place to live but about the resources each person uses. By 2030 if the population trend continues we will reach a point where we are using more than nature can provide.
That's not so far in the future that it's not something to think about working on now.

As long as you aren't concerned about it though it must just be a myth.

[Archsage]

But yeah, as far as I'm concerned, there is no issue of overpopulation in the US. Even in New York where I live, the population of the state has been decreasing because people have been dispersing throughout the nation (moving to Florida, Texas, etc.). The US doesn't have a problem of over population.

Those people aren't dying, just moving. They continue to use resources and breed. Overpopulation isn't so much about having a place to live but about the resources each person uses. By 2030 if the population trend continues we will reach a point where we are using more than nature can provide.
That's not so far in the future that it's not something to think about working on now.

As long as you aren't concerned about it though it must just be a myth.

I'm, not sure what you're saying.

My point is that the United States does not have a problem of over-population. Using New York as an example (an area with a heavy population density), I've shown how people can just disperse themselves to other areas of the nation without causing much problems with a lack of resources.

If you're saying that there is not enough resources then I'd argue that you are plainly false. There most certainly is enough resources, especially if we are looking at it from a national standpoint (and not a global one). The basic necessary resources this day and age is food, water, heat, electricity and oil.

Food and water are not a problem in the US. Heat is generated either by electricity or oil. Oil (if properly managed) is available in the US and is being phased out by more efficient means of electricity generation. Following this path, the US is in no danger to the worries of overpopulation.

There'd only be a problem if, for some reason, everyone in the US decided not to work or produce anything, or that we found that we are incapable of producing those resources. (And yes, our resources are renewable because they can be swiftly produced, save oil -- but that's not a problem as it will be replaced with electricity)

[Sejame]

Here we go again with not knowing what I am saying.

If the population trend continues we will reach a point where we are using more than nature can provide.


Maybe that is slightly clearer. If you don't agree with this statement, feel free to explain but for the love of the Dark Knight Rises do not say you don't understand what I am saying. The biggest issue I have with your posts is that you seem to be focusing on what is going on today and not what will be happening tomorrow. Doing what most people do and just assume that because you have food and water today the same will happen for tomorrow and for your kids and their kids.

None of the resources you listed are infinite. Yes, this includes water:

Ninety-five percent of the United States' fresh water is underground. As farmers in the Texan High Plains pump groundwater faster than rain replenishes it, the water tables are dropping. North America's largest aquifer, the Ogallala, is being depleted at a rate of 12 billion cubic metres (bcm) a year. Total depletion to date amounts to some 325 bcm, a volume equal to the annual flow of 18 Colorado Rivers. The Ogallala stretches from Texas to South Dakota, and waters one fifth of US irrigated land. Many farmers in the High Plains are now turning away from irrigated agriculture, as they become aware of the hazards of overpumping, and realise water is not in endless supply.

Food is definitely not in unlimited supply. Currently we create way more food than we need and the majority of it goes to waste in landfill sites even though 1 in 6 people in America struggle with hunger. Our current management of food would not work with the projected population by 2050.
The increase in population will mean that all these extra people will need food. Which means we need more livestock, more food to feed that livestock and so on.

[Archsage]

Food and water can be made. And because the US has both the technology and productivity to actually do that, food and water are not a problem in the US. So there is no concern about overpopulation in those regards at all. If something can be made (a "swiftly renewable resource") then it's amount is akin to being potentially infinite (that is, indefinite successive generation).

What that means is that as long as we have the means and willpower to actually do it, neither the amounts of food nor water are going to be detriments to the US's population. The US population is far too small to be constrained by the amount of food in the area. I mean, going by your current logic you might as well argue that there's not enough oxygen in the nation so the US is currently overpopulated.

But perhaps I'm still just mis-characterizing your point?

[Orwill Yatke]

Archsage: Food is grown. Water moves in a cycle. Water is created by trees and the ecosystems surrounding our planet. The World, if you watched the show, is a living organism. We can take care of it if we choose to. The whole Avatar thing.

[Archsage]

Archsage: Food is grown. Water moves in a cycle. Water is created by trees and the ecosystems surrounding our planet. The World, if you watched the show, is a living organism. We can take care of it if we choose to. The whole Avatar thing.

So... you're agreeing with me then?

[Rawgii Elekt]

Archsage: Food is grown. Water moves in a cycle. Water is created by trees and the ecosystems surrounding our planet. The World, if you watched the show, is a living organism. We can take care of it if we choose to. The whole Avatar thing.

So... you're agreeing with me then?

I think hes saying your missing the point that humans should care about the world for the world.
So what mankind can live without nature completly. Do you have any idea how crappy the world looks nowadays compaired to even just 100 years ago. Disgusting, dispicable and descraceful. The US is a country with a shameful past. More so than most seeing as the natives at the time of "colonization" had a population a little greater than we do nowadays yet they lived harmoniously with nature. Natural foods not large farms or fake food. All rivers and lakes you could drink from without fear of pollution, or mecury poisoning. And balance they lived with nature as nature not so self idolizing, pedistal perching hypocritac civilization.
So overpopulation? Yes and no. No statistcaly nature can temporaly support us. Yes most of the US is ignorant thus wasteful and nearing the straw that broke the camels back. When that happens nature will balance its self quickly without sympathy for humans. Similarly to how people judged the black plague. Sure a few were good leading strong hearts but it wiped out 2/3 of europe so its bad and must be eradicated.

[Archsage]

Archsage: Food is grown. Water moves in a cycle. Water is created by trees and the ecosystems surrounding our planet. The World, if you watched the show, is a living organism. We can take care of it if we choose to. The whole Avatar thing.

So... you're agreeing with me then?

I think hes saying your missing the point that humans should care about the world for the world.

I have never said that humans should not care about the world. What I said, numerous times in fact, was that in the US there is no problems with overpopulation because our resources are swiftly renewable, provided we continue to produce and continue to advance our technology.

[Orwill Yatke]

It's 2012 and ignorance still lives...I guess I will explain it in friendly terms to you people who think there is no overpopulation problem in the US and that our resources are swiftly renewable. OIL IS NOT A SWIFTLY RENEWABLE RESOURCE. The only resource the US and indeed the world has enough of is the human resource. Truth of the matter is that humans are the least threatened of all the species of plants and animals in the world. The United States doesn't have infinite room. There are only so many people that can live in any one place because of the physical fact that large animals take up large amounts of space.

Technology has not advanced as rapidly as it once did and under the wing of evil most technology is being used, in one form or another, for nefarious purposes (that means evil, as in bad), and not for the betterment of our world. Peace is usually a sign of stability but The USA has been at War for the majority of the last century, ring any bells? The Fire Nation? Hundred Year War? Etc...

The problem is solvable but it will take less focus on war and more focus on peace. Remember humans didn't create this world they are just tasked to it.