Do you believe that we are now or will soon be overpopulated?

[sealybobo]

Simple question before I head out to work. Do you believe in overpopulation, do you think it's a current problem or a very near future one, and what label would you use to identify yourself overall?

Overpopulation is not a belief system. Either there is enough food to feed everyone, or there is not.

There's so much more to it than that. For example,

Humans just 0.01% of all life but have destroyed 83% of wild mammals

Groundbreaking assessment of all life on Earth reveals humanity’s surprisingly tiny part in it as well as our disproportionate impact


The world’s 7.6 billion people represent just 0.01% of all living things, according to the study. Yet since the dawn of civilization, humanity has caused the loss of 83% of all wild mammals and half of plants, while livestock kept by humans abounds.

So we do have enough food to eat. That doesn't mean we aren't overpopulated.

 

[sealybobo]

The livestock sector is a major environmental polluter, the authors said, noting that much of the world's pastureland has been degraded by grazing or feed production, and that many forests have been clear-cut to make way for additional farmland. Feed production also requires intensive use of water, fertilizer, pesticides and fossil fuels

 

[percysunshine]

Simple question before I head out to work. Do you believe in overpopulation, do you think it's a current problem or a very near future one, and what label would you use to identify yourself overall?

Overpopulation is not a belief system. Either there is enough food to feed everyone, or there is not.

There's so much more to it than that. For example,

Humans just 0.01% of all life but have destroyed 83% of wild mammals

Groundbreaking assessment of all life on Earth reveals humanity’s surprisingly tiny part in it as well as our disproportionate impact


The world’s 7.6 billion people represent just 0.01% of all living things, according to the study. Yet since the dawn of civilization, humanity has caused the loss of 83% of all wild mammals and half of plants, while livestock kept by humans abounds.

So we do have enough food to eat. That doesn't mean we aren't overpopulated.

Typical redefinition of a common word in usage for ages.

Oh, your statistics look invented.

 

[danielpalos]

Right wing fantasy is good for practice and sometimes for fun; but the reality is, we could fit the entire US population into Texas while we, "remodel" the rest of the Republic.

 

[sealybobo]

Simple question before I head out to work. Do you believe in overpopulation, do you think it's a current problem or a very near future one, and what label would you use to identify yourself overall?

Overpopulation is not a belief system. Either there is enough food to feed everyone, or there is not.

There's so much more to it than that. For example,

Humans just 0.01% of all life but have destroyed 83% of wild mammals

Groundbreaking assessment of all life on Earth reveals humanity’s surprisingly tiny part in it as well as our disproportionate impact


The world’s 7.6 billion people represent just 0.01% of all living things, according to the study. Yet since the dawn of civilization, humanity has caused the loss of 83% of all wild mammals and half of plants, while livestock kept by humans abounds.

So we do have enough food to eat. That doesn't mean we aren't overpopulated.

Typical redefinition of a common word in usage for ages.

Oh, your statistics look invented.

I'm sorry if facts and reality get in the way of your rosie outlook.

 

[westwall]

Correct. It truly is no problem. The carrying capacity of the planet is quite high. Far higher than the biomass it is currently supporting.

Incorrect.

As of July 29th humans have used more resources than Planet Earth can regenerate in a year

If Earth's resources were a bank account, today would mark the date we'd officially be in the red.

As of July 29, humanity has officially used up more ecological resources this year than the Earth can regenerate by the end of the year. The occasion even has a name: Earth Overshoot Day.
The Global Footprint Network, a sustainability organization which calculates the day, says humanity is currently consuming nature 1.75 times faster than the planet can regenerate.
That means we're overspending our natural capital, compromising resources in the future as a result and leading to things like deforestation and carbon dioxide buildup in the atmosphere.


And more carbon dioxide brings ever increasing climate change, the network says.
It's getting worse, too.
The date has moved up two months over the past 20 years, and July 29 marks the earliest the date has ever landed.
"We have only got one Earth -- this is the ultimately defining context for human existence. We can't use 1.75 without destructive consequences," said Mathis Wackernagel, founder of Global Footprint Network, in a statement.
The data comes months after a grim UN report
The United States is one of the worst culprits.

This is a completely laughable assertion promulgated by a anti science group pushing for dictatorial rule of the globe. The carrying capacity of the planet as it sits now, is 12 billion people. With proper usage of resources, and no waste it go's up to 15 billion. Theoretically, with perfect management, and just a little more technological improvement the capacity increases to 40 billion.

However, it doesn't matter. The human population is already leveling off. Demographers now estimate the population to top out at 9 billion, and then drop back to between 6 and 7 billion as the economic situation of the worlds poor improves.

I sure hope so. The Earth is already too crowded.

It's really not. Every person in the world would fit into Rhode Island.

Humans just 0.01% of all life but have destroyed 83% of wild mammals – study
This article is more than 1 year old
Groundbreaking assessment of all life on Earth reveals humanity’s surprisingly tiny part in it as well as our disproportionate impact


The world’s 7.6 billion people represent just 0.01% of all living things, according to the study. Yet since the dawn of civilisation, humanity has caused the loss of 83% of all wild mammals and half of plants, while livestock kept by humans abounds.

The new work is the first comprehensive estimate of the weight of every class of living creature and overturns some long-held assumptions. Bacteria are indeed a major life form – 13% of everything – but plants overshadow everything, representing 82% of all living matter. All other creatures, from insects to fungi, to fish and animals, make up just 5% of the world’s biomass.

The transformation of the planet by human activity has led scientists to the brink of declaring a new geological era – the Anthropocene. One suggested marker for this change are the bones of the domestic chicken, now ubiquitous across the globe.

The new work reveals that farmed poultry today makes up 70% of all birds on the planet, with just 30% being wild. The picture is even more stark for mammals – 60% of all mammals on Earth are livestock, mostly cattle and pigs, 36% are human and just 4% are wild animals.

The destruction of wild habitat for farming, logging and development has resulted in the start of what many scientists consider the sixth mass extinction of life to occur in the Earth’s four billion year history. About half the Earth’s animals are thought to have been lost in the last 50 years.

But comparison of the new estimates with those for the time before humans became farmers and the industrial revolution began reveal the full extent of the huge decline. Just one-sixth of wild mammals, from mice to elephants, remain, surprising even the scientists. In the oceans, three centuries of whaling has left just a fifth of marine mammals in the oceans.

Anyone who doesn't think we are overpopulated is stupid, blind and ignorant.

Yet more hyperbole. The facts are that more than 99% of all living things that have ever been on the planet have gone extinct. All without mans help.

 

[Slyhunter]

Overpopulation is a problem, but not because we are running out of resources. Overpopulation impacts other species living on the planet, and 11 billion people on this planet is just plain too many. A reasonable number would be 2.5 billion.

This is where your brother Adolf come handy.

"My brother Adolph?" How does noting that the world is over populated make you a Nazi?

You are a special kind of douchebag.

Truth hurts?

But it's not the truth.

1. So, are you saying that you want the status quo to continue? You want poor uneducated people to keep having 4 or 5 kids? So what do you want to do about it? If you are like me and bripat9643, all we want to do is cut them off foodstamps, welfare, school lunches and Obamacare. In other words all the things that make it possible for a poor person to have 4 or 5 kids. We should be discouraging not encouraging them to have more kids.

2. The only thing Hitlerish in my plan is that I would tell a woman who wants foodstamps for her 2nd mistake that she has to get fixed or she will not get any additional funds for that second mistake. If she gets fixed she can have the 2nd child and get the foodstamps and Obamacare.

And if she chooses not to get fixed that's ok with us because we aren't paying for the 2nd mistake. Have as many kids as you want as long as you aren't asking for financial help raising them.

1. Explain to me. What is your proposal to solve this problem? Except rounding these poor people and force them to do what you want.
If this is so easy. Don’t you think we could have fixed this a long time ago? Even Bri himself could have fixed this.

You want to cut off food stamps and welfare because they have 4 or 5 kids? Really? Where do you think they will end up? We already have homeless crisis. You want to add more to the problem? Or you are part of the problem?

So Please explain to me how are you going to fix this very simple problem.

2. There’s no 2nd mistakes with Hitler. They just eliminate the minorities. With inhumane cruelties like some of the people i know here.

If you throw money at them they'll make more wanting money thrown at them.

 

[bripat9643]

Simple question before I head out to work. Do you believe in overpopulation, do you think it's a current problem or a very near future one, and what label would you use to identify yourself overall?

Overpopulation is not a belief system. Either there is enough food to feed everyone, or there is not.

There's so much more to it than that. For example,

Humans just 0.01% of all life but have destroyed 83% of wild mammals

Groundbreaking assessment of all life on Earth reveals humanity’s surprisingly tiny part in it as well as our disproportionate impact


The world’s 7.6 billion people represent just 0.01% of all living things, according to the study. Yet since the dawn of civilization, humanity has caused the loss of 83% of all wild mammals and half of plants, while livestock kept by humans abounds.

So we do have enough food to eat. That doesn't mean we aren't overpopulated.

The situation isn't as grim as your article makes it sound. They distort the facts by comparing the total mass of animals. Of course, the total mass of farm animals has increased drastically since the advent of mechanized hog, chicken and cattle warehouses. Buffalo and herd animals in African have decreased drastically, but most of that occurred in the 19th Century.

Currently our vast population is putting enormous pressure on ecosystems, which is the main reason it needs to come down. Hopefully wild animal populations can recover after our population peaks out. But even if the birth rate went to 2.0 per woman tomorrow, the population would still grow to 8 or 9 billion.

 

[bripat9643]

Not even close, but you are welcome to make room for one more if you have the courage of your convictions.

My convictions don't require me to commit suicide. That just require the public to use birth control.

Start with yourself.

Start using birth control? I always have.

What a life you have. Posting shit at 4am, then more garbage at 9am and then back on now posting more bullshit. What a loser you are. You have nothing better to do because you are broke.

What I don't get is this mentality that looks at a population of 15 billion is a good thing. Anyone with a brain has to concede that our population has to have some limit on it. The only issue up for debate is where that limit should be. I see no reason to have more than 2.5 billion people on this planet. What conceivable benefit is there to having more than that?

 

[sealybobo]

My convictions don't require me to commit suicide. That just require the public to use birth control.

Start with yourself.

Start using birth control? I always have.

What a life you have. Posting shit at 4am, then more garbage at 9am and then back on now posting more bullshit. What a loser you are. You have nothing better to do because you are broke.

What I don't get is this mentality that looks at a population of 15 billion is a good thing. Anyone with a brain has to concede that our population has to have some limit on it. The only issue up for debate is where that limit should be. I see no reason to have more than 2.5 billion people on this planet. What conceivable benefit is there to having more than that?

If you are a corporation like Ford Motor company you want 15 billion people buying your cars not 2.5 billion. Other than that, I don't know why anyone would want more people.

Just look at how people in rural towns make fun of big cities with all their problems. Those people in rural America certainly don't want to see their small towns double in population. Maybe the mayor and business leaders do but most of the citizens would hate to see that happen.

 

[Unkotare]

...
Currently our vast population is putting enormous pressure on ecosystems, which is the main reason it needs to come down. ....

It doesn't "need" to come down, but it will anyway, so you can relax.

 

[Unkotare]

.... I see no reason to have more than 2.5 billion people on this planet. What conceivable benefit is there to having more than that?

Ask person # 2.5 billion +1.

 

[Unkotare]

.... I see no reason to have more than 2.5 billion people on this planet. What conceivable benefit is there to having more than that?

Ask person # 2.5 billion +1.

How many kids do you have? Let's say you have 2. Could you have had more? Of course you could have. So I think it is horrible that you deprived those unborn kids a life.

You should have 1 kid every other year until you can't have any more. If you don't, then that's just horrible of you. Just ask them. Ask the kids you never had how they feel about you not having them. Ask them!

You will now stop talking about my family. Now.

 

[sealybobo]

.... I see no reason to have more than 2.5 billion people on this planet. What conceivable benefit is there to having more than that?

Ask person # 2.5 billion +1.

How many kids do you have? Let's say you have 2. Could you have had more? Of course you could have. So I think it is horrible that you deprived those unborn kids a life.

You should have 1 kid every other year until you can't have any more. If you don't, then that's just horrible of you. Just ask them. Ask the kids you never had how they feel about you not having them. Ask them!

You will now stop talking about my family. Now.

I wasn't talking about your family. I was talking about all the kids you could have had but didn't.

 

[Slyhunter]

My convictions don't require me to commit suicide. That just require the public to use birth control.

Start with yourself.

Start using birth control? I always have.

What a life you have. Posting shit at 4am, then more garbage at 9am and then back on now posting more bullshit. What a loser you are. You have nothing better to do because you are broke.

What I don't get is this mentality that looks at a population of 15 billion is a good thing. Anyone with a brain has to concede that our population has to have some limit on it. The only issue up for debate is where that limit should be. I see no reason to have more than 2.5 billion people on this planet. What conceivable benefit is there to having more than that?

We need to sterilize the poor. If you can't support yourself you shouldn't have kids. All those peace groups giving the measles vaccine should be sterilizing those folks at the same time.

 

[danielpalos]

We can always upgrade infrastructure to put some industries underground to create more greenspace and contain any hazards.

 

[charwin95]

This is where your brother Adolf come handy.

"My brother Adolph?" How does noting that the world is over populated make you a Nazi?

You are a special kind of douchebag.

Truth hurts?

But it's not the truth.

1. So, are you saying that you want the status quo to continue? You want poor uneducated people to keep having 4 or 5 kids? So what do you want to do about it? If you are like me and bripat9643, all we want to do is cut them off foodstamps, welfare, school lunches and Obamacare. In other words all the things that make it possible for a poor person to have 4 or 5 kids. We should be discouraging not encouraging them to have more kids.

2. The only thing Hitlerish in my plan is that I would tell a woman who wants foodstamps for her 2nd mistake that she has to get fixed or she will not get any additional funds for that second mistake. If she gets fixed she can have the 2nd child and get the foodstamps and Obamacare.

And if she chooses not to get fixed that's ok with us because we aren't paying for the 2nd mistake. Have as many kids as you want as long as you aren't asking for financial help raising them.

1. Explain to me. What is your proposal to solve this problem? Except rounding these poor people and force them to do what you want.
If this is so easy. Don’t you think we could have fixed this a long time ago? Even Bri himself could have fixed this.

You want to cut off food stamps and welfare because they have 4 or 5 kids? Really? Where do you think they will end up? We already have homeless crisis. You want to add more to the problem? Or you are part of the problem?

So Please explain to me how are you going to fix this very simple problem.

2. There’s no 2nd mistakes with Hitler. They just eliminate the minorities. With inhumane cruelties like some of the people i know here.

Simple solution. If you have one kid you can't afford, come get your food stamps. If you have a second mistake and want double the food stamps ok, but first you have to fix yourself so we know you won't have a 3rd mistake. If you don't fix yourself then you will continue to only get food stamps for 1 kid.

We already see Republican policies where they cut down on how much you get in food stamps is working to lower the number of "mistakes" poor women have. If they aren't going to get more money for their 2nd and 3rd mistake, guess what they do? They don't have the 2nd and 3rd mistake.

I like the idea of just giving them staples. Bread, peanut butter, eggs, milk, spagetti. No more giving them a charge card where they can go to the store and buy steaks and lobster. Fuck that. Here is some shit so you won't starve but I'll be damned if you are going to buy twinkees with your food stamp money.

In other words, food stamps and welfare benefits make poor women not worry about making those mistakes.

You think they'll starve and be homeless if we don't give them food stamps? They won't.

I say they won't make the mistakes if they don't have the social safety nets under them.

The one thing I love that Republicans want to do is make food stamp recipients work 10 hours a week for those benefits. Most of the women won't do the work and will figure it out on their own, rather than work the 10 hours. But right now, all they have to do is go in and fill out a form and they get it. With no plan of how they're going to get off of it. They have no plan to get off of it. So, we have an entire generation of people who are taking advantage.

If you think it’s that simple don’t you think we could have fixed those problems right now?
Since when Americans will even agree to that kind of solutions? It’s like dictatorial.

Nice try. But come up with something else more realistic.

 

[sealybobo]

"My brother Adolph?" How does noting that the world is over populated make you a Nazi?

You are a special kind of douchebag.

Truth hurts?

But it's not the truth.

1. So, are you saying that you want the status quo to continue? You want poor uneducated people to keep having 4 or 5 kids? So what do you want to do about it? If you are like me and bripat9643, all we want to do is cut them off foodstamps, welfare, school lunches and Obamacare. In other words all the things that make it possible for a poor person to have 4 or 5 kids. We should be discouraging not encouraging them to have more kids.

2. The only thing Hitlerish in my plan is that I would tell a woman who wants foodstamps for her 2nd mistake that she has to get fixed or she will not get any additional funds for that second mistake. If she gets fixed she can have the 2nd child and get the foodstamps and Obamacare.

And if she chooses not to get fixed that's ok with us because we aren't paying for the 2nd mistake. Have as many kids as you want as long as you aren't asking for financial help raising them.

1. Explain to me. What is your proposal to solve this problem? Except rounding these poor people and force them to do what you want.
If this is so easy. Don’t you think we could have fixed this a long time ago? Even Bri himself could have fixed this.

You want to cut off food stamps and welfare because they have 4 or 5 kids? Really? Where do you think they will end up? We already have homeless crisis. You want to add more to the problem? Or you are part of the problem?

So Please explain to me how are you going to fix this very simple problem.

2. There’s no 2nd mistakes with Hitler. They just eliminate the minorities. With inhumane cruelties like some of the people i know here.

Simple solution. If you have one kid you can't afford, come get your food stamps. If you have a second mistake and want double the food stamps ok, but first you have to fix yourself so we know you won't have a 3rd mistake. If you don't fix yourself then you will continue to only get food stamps for 1 kid.

We already see Republican policies where they cut down on how much you get in food stamps is working to lower the number of "mistakes" poor women have. If they aren't going to get more money for their 2nd and 3rd mistake, guess what they do? They don't have the 2nd and 3rd mistake.

I like the idea of just giving them staples. Bread, peanut butter, eggs, milk, spagetti. No more giving them a charge card where they can go to the store and buy steaks and lobster. Fuck that. Here is some shit so you won't starve but I'll be damned if you are going to buy twinkees with your food stamp money.

In other words, food stamps and welfare benefits make poor women not worry about making those mistakes.

You think they'll starve and be homeless if we don't give them food stamps? They won't.

I say they won't make the mistakes if they don't have the social safety nets under them.

The one thing I love that Republicans want to do is make food stamp recipients work 10 hours a week for those benefits. Most of the women won't do the work and will figure it out on their own, rather than work the 10 hours. But right now, all they have to do is go in and fill out a form and they get it. With no plan of how they're going to get off of it. They have no plan to get off of it. So, we have an entire generation of people who are taking advantage.

If you think it’s that simple don’t you think we could have fixed those problems right now?
Since when Americans will even agree to that kind of solutions? It’s like dictatorial.

Nice try. But come up with something else more realistic.

No because us liberals won't let conservatives implement the tough love most slackers need.

We worry about the 1 or 2 kids that might starve if we cut them all off foodstamps.

Or we say, "how is mom going to find a job if you are making her work for her foodstamps.

You see, us liberals are good at worrying about the "What ifs" but the fact is, most of these women and their kids aren't going to starve if we cut them off foodstamps. So they don't "need" it but if you are just going to easily and freely give it away, of course they're going to take it.

And right now there is no hoops you have to jump through to get the help. Just go fill out the forms and in a month you'll get this credit card and every month it will have $200 so you can go to the grocery store a buy whatever you want. FUCK THAT. They need to make the food you can buy on foodstamps the most bland boring tasteless shit. So the kids won't starve but they also won't be eating twinkees or lobster anymore. Just oatmeal, bread, cereal, spagetti, milk, etc. Very limited menu for the poor.

I know women who got prego in their 20's and their parents have money. Their parents said, "go get your government assistance".

 

[Invisibleflash]

Sure OP, there is a carrying capacity.

 

[danielpalos]

The homeless should have an actual right to work in Right to Work States.