Overpopulation in the United States - Essay Example

Overpopulation in United s Overpopulation may be considered as a condition where by the number of organisms exceeds the carrying capacity of the habitat. The term overpopulation is usually applied when referring to the relationship between human beings and their earthly environment. Steve Jones, a member of Biology Department of University College London, once said that humans are ten thousand times more common than they should be, that is as per the animal kingdom rules. He added that, human beings have agriculture to thank for their ever-increasing population. He noted that without farming, the world population could probably not have reached half a million by now. The population of the world is expected to have a significant increase by the year 2050. This is pegged on the increased or advanced medical services, also the remarkable increase on agricultural productivity. By the year 2050, the world population is expected to reach over 7.8 billion among the underdeveloped countries, from its current figure of approximately 5.3. On the other hand, populations recorded in developed countries are expected to remain constant or to have a marginal increase of about 1.2 billion people. In particular, the population of the United States is expected to increase by 44 percent, differing from its 2008 projection of three hundred and five million to four hundred and thirty nine million people by the year 2050; therefore, it means that American will be overpopulated by the year 2050. Ironically, since the year 1970, American women enjoyed an average rate of birth that was at 2.03 children per year. This preceded the1960s great “Zero Population Growth” (Zuckerman 45). During periods of 1960s, America was under populated or in other words it had a low population, a situation that swayed the Congress into formulating a bill in the year 1965, which allowed or facilitated immigrants into the United States. The 1965 immigration bill, oversaw the influx of numerous immigrants into the United States (Anchel 14). Since its inception, the immigration bill is still in full operation today. Within a timeframe of forty years, the immigration bill, had added one hundred million people to America’s population. It is true that America is adding about hundred thousand immigrants after every thirty days to its population without a pause. The monthly influx of immigrants for decades results to millions of immigrants becoming Americans. Therefore, it is apparent that the overwhelming American population is highly constituted by immigrants (Fielden 20). As America is grappled with accelerating its environment, its citizen’s quality of life, issues of boated cities, and among other issues such as water and energy, some of its laws or bills are busy adding more millions of people in the country (Anchel 94). Notably, the program of adding more people in population lack contingency plans, which would counter the problem of America’s population exceeding its optimum capacity. In fact, America’s population is at its optimum level. Dr. Albert Bartlett from University of Colorado once posed a question asking people to conceptualize a problem ranging from scales of microscopic going up to global. He continued the question by adding that the problem’s long term remedy empirically advanced, propelled and assisted by the increased population capacities on the levels of local, state, national or global. This outcry is showing the scholars are already worried of the current population trend in the United States (Solomon 214). It seems that the underlying current and future effects of over population have not only been a problem among the scholars, but the issue is also of great concern among different groups. However, the issue is not lingering in the minds of the political leaders (Wooldridge 1). Contrary to politicians, the issue is of great concern to most media outlets in particular top newspapers, which include the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Atlanta Journal, Dallas Morning News, and Christian Science Monitor. Other papers are Time Magazine, Forbes Magazine, Newsweek, United States News and World Report. It is critical to note that all the above papers have featured articles addressing United States’ most daunting and increasing issue: overpopulation (Fielden 17). The overpopulation issue is also a major concern in the minds of common citizens in the United States. An article from New York Times on overpopulation reported a view from a citizen. The individual was quoted saying, “I know! ... It stuns me that the ‘human numbers’ issue is so OFF everyone's radar… yes … I feel lucky… my turn here on earth… before the results are highly experienced” (Wooldridge 4). Surprisingly, Joel Kotkin, a Forbes magazine writer, wrote a book titled ‘celebrating’ the addition of one hundred million people (Wooldridge 1). In addition, Jenniffer Ludden a presenter from National Public Radio, once wrote a review of Joel’s book and supported Joel’s ideals (Chasteen 25). The ideas and contribution of Joel, Ludden and other like-minded people should not be considered since they are not rational and lack the sense of applying simple mathematics. As a fact, exponential population growth that United States is experiencing cannot be sustained; therefore, America’s overpopulation is a problem that needs adequate and amicable solution (Winograd 173). Disadvantages of Overpopulation Over population is the major cause of overcrowding within the cities, an issue that makes almost everyone’s blood gets cold. Overcrowding leads to threats of increased crime rates, rapes, gang related crimes, increased traffic, and increased air pollution (Chasteen 25). Since over population in most cases is witnessed in cities, the larger the city the more the population and as a result it becomes prone to the above threats (Wooldridge 1). The overpopulation has killed the spirit of American civilization and turned most of its streets into areas of cold blood. The deteriorating economy that has been fueled overpopulation with America. The economic sectors can no longer absorb completely the working age population a factor that have been contributed for by overpopulation; thus, turning most of the citizens jobless. The high rate of unemployment is what is fueling crime and its related activities including rape, manslaughter among others with the streets (Fielden 118). Muir added, “I know that our bodies were made to thrive only in pure air, and the scenes in which pure air is found. If the death exhalations that brood the board towns in which we so fondly compact ourselves were made visible, we should flee as from a plague. All are more or less sick; there is not a perfectly sane man in all of San Francisco" (Wooldridge 1). This statement among other leaders sentiment clearly shows that the America’s streets are never safe and the insecurity within these streets is contributed for by over population that is contributed for by immigration. Michael Bloomberg, the New York Mayer said two years ago that the city of New York should be prepared to receive additional two million residents. He said this statement with aim of passing massage that the New York City is no longer a delightful place to live, and all these are because of overcrowding of the United States’ cities due to his current state of overpopulation (Winograd 73). It is also prompted that the environmental changes that are experienced within the United States are caused by overpopulation (Anchel 70). The United States is currently facing monumental environmental predicament, a situation that is expected to worsen with the expected increase in population. The 2009 climatic change conference that was held at Copenhagen, the author of Peak Everything: facing a Century, Heinberg said during the conference made a contribution that overpopulation could be a threat to environmental changes (Wooldridge 1). He said "...the discussions in Denmark took place in a conceptual fantasy world in which climate change is the only global crisis that matters much. He added that the rapid economic growth was still an option in which the fossil fuels are practically limitless. Notably, he said, the “western middle class staring at the prospect of penury can be persuaded voluntarily to transfer a significant portion of its rapidly evaporating wealth to other nations; (Wooldridge 1) and in which the subject of human overpopulation can barely be mentioned... it's no wonder more wasn't achieved in Copenhagen" (Wooldridge 1). The overpopulation has contributed to the problem of energy and water shortage. These problems among other problems were experienced in California. External gridlocked traffic and toxic air problems are facing the city of California with its daily increase of people on an average of one thousand seven hundred people per day (Anchel 19). The daily increase of population in California also leads to increase in air pollution and traffic congestion because; they as well contribute to increase of the number of vehicles averagely four hundred vehicles a day. This additional population destroys over two hundred and fifty thousand acres of land annually, by turning them into real estates (Solomon 24). The land of honey and milk that California, adds to about six hundred thousand people to the united states annually that translates to about twenty million people with three decades. What can be thought of is the life their children will face or lead in a blink of time. Generally, Americans are facing a degraded life that is far away from America’s dream. The American overpopulation is greatly contributed by immigrants and the steady inflow of immigrants, poses a more dangerous life to the United States generations to come. There is no advantage that can be sourced from the overpopulation that America is currently facing; the situation that is expected to elongate within a couple of decades to come. The overpopulation has made the United States to face the worst economic time ever in the history of America (Fielden 178). The United States in its current inflation has recorded and is expected to record the highest cases of unemployment, low wedges, lack of economic opportunities, widespread of poverty, unsustainable government debt, extreme concentration wealth concentration. Additionally, the American government is being controlled by multinational cooperation and international bank among other debt difficult situations. The country that United States owns a huge debt is china (Wooldridge 1). The government has never paid the debt due to its increased responsibilities that call for the need of caring for the huge population in preference to paying debts (Solomon 241). However, the United States’ government has for all time tried to respond to the economic meltdown that went to its peak in the year 2007 (Anchel 120). This led to the start of financial crisis that sky rocked in the year 2008. Nonetheless, the federal government and Federal Reserve opted to a radical policy that was intended to salvage the banks and to guide the United States’ economy through recession (Zuckerman 85). The radical inflation policies that were instead of saving the situation, instead greatly increased wealth concentration in America. Under normal circumstances, the monetary inflation effectively redistributes wealth in the favor of those who receive the newly created money. This is because they are capable of using the currency before it loses value. However, the declining economy like that of the United States, the wealth redistribution effects on inflation is greatly magnified. The United States if experiencing all these tough times because of its overwhelming population. If the country could be having a small and manageable population, it could have evaded most of the economic problems it is currently facing (Fielden 178). America is not the only country that is experiencing economic inflation due to overpopulation, but this a problem in other parts of the globe. The world is already overpopulated and man is now destroying the nonrenewable resources as well the entire environment. Notably, the world is unable to support both its current and the future inhabitants (Anchel 120). The parties concern including political leadership, should step up, and salvage the situation through advocating for a planned ways of giving birth, such as birth policies in countries including china have adopted. Therefore, it is upon every country to agree and recognize the unique customs, history, and challenges facing each country. If each country adopts such understanding, the overpopulation way reduces at a global level (Zuckerman 58). Conclusion In the global standings, the United States overpopulation is worst for the environment than any other country’s overpopulation. This is because United States heavily uses unordinary resources. However, the United States can effectively reduce the problem in the coming decades since it has the power of effecting all the changes it needs. It had been noted that United States just like any other developed country expects null increase in population in the coming decades. The speculations have it the projected increase in the America’s population will result from immigrants sweeping into America. Therefore, the United States, through the senate can amend its 1965 immigration bill to help curb the looming overpopulation problems; otherwise, America will never be America again. Works Cited Anchel M. Overpopulation of cats and dogs: causes, effects, and prevention. New York: Fordham Univ Press, 1990. Fielden R. Creating Place: Remaking America Green. London: Robert A Fielden, 2010 Wooldridge F. "Overpopulation - America's Greatest Calamity." New York Times (March 9, 2009): 1-250. Solomon H. Mao's revolution and the Chinese political culture. Los Angles: University of California Press, 1971. Winograd J. Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation and the No Kill Revolution in America. Los Angles: Almaden Books, 2009. Chasteen R. The case for compulsory birth control. Upper Saddle River: Prentice-Hal, 1971. Zuckerman B, Jefferson D. Human population and the environmental crisis. Massachusetts: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 1996. Read More