The Pros And Cons Of Population Engineering

This New York Times article discusses the ideas of Paul Ehrlich on population and the environment. Although Ehrlich often resorted to dramatizations and apocalypse-type imagery in his writings, they often had some very poignant objective. Ehrlich discussed the “Population Bomb”, the idea that population was rising so rapidly, that widespread famine would soon be an issue for millions of people. As we saw, no such event occurred, but Ehrlich still firmly believes measures should be taken to limit population growth such as “tax benefits for having additional children” and taxes on childcare items such as diapers and strollers. These proposals and ideas remain highly controversial, as they were in the 1970’s and continue to create a stir even

In “The Changing Nature of Nature: Environmental Politics in the Anthropocene” environmental politician Paul Wapner depicts the human impacts on nature, and their significant intervention in ecosystem dynamics. His research outlines the “end of nature” (Wapner, 37) and aims to put emphasis on the beginning of the Anthropocene, suggesting that we are finally realizing that nature is not merely a material object. With this in mind, Wapner argues that the ways in which we protect nature should be significantly different, this, justifying his study. In order to form an argument, Wapner begins by summarizing a general piece of academic research, and through this is then able to provide an organized overview of the logic of his argument. The alternation

Population Growth is an issue that exists in today’s world that needs to be confronted before it becomes out of hand. The population itself has reached overwhelming numbers making it a problem that could turn to be dangerous. The amount of humans that the earth can support or the carrying capacity is slowly rising but at a much slower rate than the population growth rate. The increasing growth rate has its negative effects environmentally, agriculturally, socially, and economically and also has its positive effects nationally, and economically. The government is brainstorming and trying to come up with ways to decrease

“The Wreck of Time,” written by Annie Dillard, illustrates societies battle with population. Dillard emphasizes the disasters that savage our world. According to the author, “ By moderate figures, the dead outnumber us about fourteen to one. The dead will always outnumber the living.” (Dillard 168) The amount of natural or man-made catastrophes do not affect the population as much as we claim. Dillards opinions are supported with facts throughout her essay, but readers are still left to question, why is our world considered to be overpopulated? Perhaps it is time for our society to consider Earth is not overpopulated in terms of people, but in resources. In addition, humans are struggling to grasp that other ecosystems are also being affected. With the introduction of Darwinism (the theory of evolution, by natural selections), humans are programed with the mentality of “survival of the fittest” forcing our humanity to evolve. Although evolution proved to be beneficial, as our immune system and way of life improved, we sacrificed our natural resources along the way. The problem with our society is not the lack of knowledge, but the ignorance and selfishness within our society. Overpopulation, threatened by the lack of resources, intimidates humans to disrupt biodiversity as we know it. (1) Man-made changes jeopardize our biodiversity. (2) As a result, the Earth’s resources are being depleted due to rapid consumption. (3) Even though we lack resources,

No matter how many people do claim overpopulation is not a relevant issue, it very much is because of the simple fact that starvation and pollution are very real and existing issues that are ultimately offset by overpopulation. In an article titled “Overpopulation Is Not the Problem,” author Erle C. Ellis uses the analogy “Like bacteria in a petri dish, our exploding numbers are reaching the limits of a finite planet, with dire consequences,” to argue that overpopulation is not a problem by stating the opposing claim. “We are nothing like bacteria in a petri dish,” Mr. Ellis solemnly asserts, “...these claims demonstrate a profound misunderstanding of the ecology of human systems. The conditions that sustain humanity are not natural and never have been. Since prehistory, human populations have used technologies and engineered ecosystems to sustain

The goal posts on this issue currently represent a clear winning and losing relationship. Holmes Rolston believed that eventually the population increase would result in humanity and mother nature losing. Rolston made this clear in his essay Winning and Losing on Environmental Ethics. He said “But when we come to our senses, we realize that this kind of winning, if it keeps on escalating, is really losing. When we get the goalposts in the right place, we see that we are headed in the wrong direction. Humans will lose, and nature will be destroyed as well.” (Rolston,

Human population growth is becoming a huge issue in our world today. The population is increasing rapidly. The reason that it is becoming a concern is because it has affected the economic, environmental, and social aspects of our world. In the film Frontline: Heat, we can see how there might not be a future for our planet unless we are able to reduce the emissions and make our world a safe place. Not only for the present but also for future generations so that they are able to live long and healthy lives.

These days, we have a serious problem along with the population growth. Overpopulation causes lots of different impacts on earth. One major problem is pollution that people make. I feel very sorry for our planet since I was more likely to participate in the works that might cause the earth sick. However, I am now concerned about our climate changes which are the result of our human activities. Also, I decided to change my lifestyle as an eco-friendly person after reading articles from two different authors. The articles, “I am the Population Problem” by Lisa Hymas and “Meet my Kid, an Adorable Environmental Disaster” by Jeff Feldman, share some similar basic ideas while they have some key differences. Both Hymas and Feldman

In Fact, this is not something new to us or we have just come across it for the first time. The most pessimists of the Scientifics have been warning us many decades’ now. Today, as a concerned scholar, I write these words with the certitude and conviction that knowledge together with technology, if applied with wisdom, might allow for a good comely Anthropocene. A good transition into the Anthropocene is illustrated in in making people’s lives better, cushioning the impact our activities in order to stabilize the climate, and protecting the natural world. The pursuance of a good Anthropocene, which is absolutely achieved in our lifetime, will strain Humanity to use its growing technological, economical, as well as social powers to contribute to the betterment of the people’s lives, stabilize the climate, and protect the natural

One focus in the sustainability debate is the impact that we humans have on this planet including overpopulation. Lowering the population is important in sustainability. With a smaller population we use less

“Human nature being what it is, most people tend to focus mainly on short-term goals of enriching themselves and experiencing pleasure rather than safeguarding the environment over the long term” (Kuo). This is a very enlightening quote, it states what many believe, but not willing to speak out and support. In the article, “Global Overpopulation” includes numerous examples of rhetoric; the first rhetorical element presented is ethos, which is the

In the following paper many of the biggest environmental issues will be discussed. Complications that derived from human’s ill-treatment to the planet. Take, water for example, our basic necessity of life, yet millions of people do not have access to clean and sanitary water due to pollution; resulting in millions of people worldwide dying from drinking unsanitary water. Global warming itself due to the illnesses and the accommodations that it would demand will eventually cause the lives of all living creatures on earth. Genetic engineering may seem like a good idea on the surface conversely, its disadvantages are more than the advantages. In the end, if humans do not take action in order to change all the previously mentioned issues the inevitable outcome will be death for all living creatures on earth.

In the following paper many of the biggest environmental issues will be discussed. Complications that derived from human’s ill-treatment to the planet. Take, water for example, our basic necessity of life, yet millions of people do not have access to clean and sanitary water due to pollution; resulting in millions of people worldwide dying from drinking unsanitary water. Global warming itself due to the illnesses and the accommodations that it would demand will eventually cause the lives of all living creatures on earth. Genetic engineering may seem like a good idea on the surface conversely, its disadvantages are more than the advantages. In the end, if humans do not take action in order to change all the previously mentioned issues the inevitable outcome will be death for all living creatures on earth.

Environmentalism is not a new concept. It is a social movement or philosophy that aims to protect and improve the health of the environment. While humans have accepted this view of environmentalism for living in the Holocene epoch, political environmentalist Paul Wapner proposes a renewed definition of environmentalism that has emerged in the Anthropocene epoch. Wapner sees the Anthropocene as an epoch of human geological influence, where humans have inflicted a signature on the earth leaving it “independent of human experience” (2). That is to say, humans have embedded themselves into the earth systems, resulting in a new form of nature that is not autonomous, but rather defined by a hybrid human-nature relationship. This concept of a human-nature hybridity is the foundation for Wapner’s argument of an environmentalism that embraces the post-nature age and calls for a “more sustainable, just and ecologically healthy” (15) future.

An environment is a system of living things. The Earth is our environment. The capacity of our environment to offer space, to reap nutrition and to fund energy are all limited. Food, water and other basic assets are strained by the escalating requests of our persistently developing population. We rely on these limited resources for our survival, yet we are quickly extending our population as though they were infinite. This reality is at the focal point of our environmental issues. Despite the fact that the number of inhabitants on earth has been escalating in a continuous manner since 1400, the most emotional increment has taken place in more recent decades. Overpopulation is a standout amongst the most concerning troubles in present times. It is an “undesirable condition where the number of existing human population exceeds the carrying capacity of Earth.” (1) There is a natural point of confinement to the population size that can be reasonably maintained by an environment. Overpopulation is the undesirable condition where the amount of the existing human population exceeds this natural limit and eventually devours our planet with the request for more nutrition from less land and water supplies. As the total population develops, enhancing expectations for everyday comforts and improving living standards without destroying the Earth is a global challenge. Our world population is growing at about eighty million people a year, which equates to an average of two-hundred and