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I feel that we are already overpopulated. 15 years ago I used to complain about traffic in certain areas...today, I would kill to be stuck in that traffic I was in 15 years ago. Our roads are more congested than ever, our trees are getting destroyed to build new structures even though we have plenty that are sitting vacant, and money is more important than the environment.
Yes earth is able to house all of these people but I think quality of life is more important. Its like riding in an SUV that can fit 8 people. Sure it can fit 8 people but its a lot more comfortable when there's only 4 or 5. Less people mean more natural resources available , less pollution, less crime, etc...
Most of the planet remains unpopulated. Especially in the Arctic and sub-Arctic. With advances in farming, science, architecture, and technology, it appears clear that the Earth could easily handle hundreds of billions of people, if not trillions. The present clamor concerning overpopulation is a familiar refrain of collectivists who simply want dominion over other people. Science in a free society based on individualism and Capitalism would expand our population support capability by a factor of hundreds, if not thousands. The future is bright!
Especially with global warming. As the climate grows warmer and precipitation increases, vast new areas to the North become arable and capable of supporting mass agriculture. You combine that with higher seas that will force rebuilding further inland. And the rebuilt cities will be much more environmentally efficient than the archaic buildings we now have. Which also creates decades, perhaps 2 centuries, of sustained job growth. Existing cities that flood can be repurposed for wind farms and other interesting ventures.
Last edited by Marc Paolella; 06-15-2015 at 07:37 AM..
Is there a point where there is too much people? What is that number? 10 billion? 20 billion? 50 billion? 100 billion?
Some ecologists have questioned if we have not already reached carrying capacity. The problem is that through science we have, and will continue to, check off and reverse Nature's way controlling population one by one. For example; in the early 1900s the common flu eliminated large portions of the population. Today, the number of deaths are slim compared to back then. The Dust Bowl all but eliminated farming/ranching in much of the Country for what, a decade. Something similar happening today would not be that bad thanks to advancements in farming science and science in general.
Other "biologists" (such as sociobiologists) claim that World can handle 9 to 10 Billion people based solely on Earth-bound resources alone (water, farming, that sort of thing). To add, some claim this number is only possible if humans became vegetarian (based on the available nitrogen and phosphorous cycles).
Still, others place the max number of humans between 20 - 30 Billion with the caveat that we do not live like "Americans" (that is, less space per individual; do not over consume/waste food and water).
While pollution of the earth is a concern, my biggest concern for the world is the fact that (at least in America) it seems like the waste-of-space people are reproducing faster than intellegent, productive citizens. They would be a bigger drain on resources than humans that actually produce something and seem to serve a purpose.
American's occupy less than 4% of the arable land - so it's not overcrowded here.
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No Number:
But they cannot handle any more stupid people. 
