Several people tend to believe that there are serious problems affecting the economy, other than overpopulation. Nevertheless, with time they have realized that overpopulation is the major cause of these problems. Maybe we should stop trying to fix the major problem and instead try to fix what causes this problem. The words population is soon likely to reach a level that there will not be enough resources available to sustain life. Population growth should, therefore, be checked to avoid this likely catastrophe. Many social,environmental, and economic problems are caused by overpopulation. Overpopulation is not only a problem in the developing countries but also industrialized countries. Therefore, all countries should work together in ensuring that there is zero population growth.

The earth at the moment does not have enough resources that can indefinitely sustain the current economic growth. For instance, the available arable land is limited. China has approximately 1.2 billion people, which is 1/5 of the world’s population (Hanson 1995). Research shows that the country is an excellent example of the problems that arise from a crowded society. Trying to increase the living standards of people, industrialization in the country has increased. The increase in wealth has substantially increased the demand for food in the country. The demand for food increased from the export of eight million tons of grain in the year 1992 to becoming a known net importer of sixteen million tons in the year 1994 (China News Digest 1995). As such, this leads to a worldwide grain shortage, which in turn increases the prices of the grains, and hence most people are not able to access food. Each day we lose forty thousand children each day to malnutrition and related diseases. Around one hundred and fifty children in the world suffer from malnutrition and other related diseases (Turbak 1992).

2. Understanding the effects of overpopulation

2.1. Depletion of natural resources

natural resources such as fresh water, fossil fuels, forests

For instance, Water is another resource that cannot keep up with the increasing population. The supply of fresh water to the world is limited. The recent drought that occurred in California exemplifies this specific problem. Conflicts develop from municipalities, environmentalists, farmers and others over water rights. Recently there was a fight between Los Angeles over the water diversion from Mono Lake to LA basin. Creating clean water can be referred to as expensivethey do not practice agricultural activities like in California. Another solution for fresh water shortage is towing icebergs from polar caps, which again are very expensive. Fuel use is very common in the world we are in and especially in automotive. As such, this has led to a lot of pressure on the available oil mine. The increase in the fuel use as the population grows in the world.

World population and fuel growth

Population

                                                                                                   Fuel

2.2. Increased environmental problem and climate change

The largest single threat to biodiversity and ecology is the greenhouse gas emissions that result from increased human activities. People around the world are aware of this and are actively beginning to address this specific problem. Unsustainable human population growth can overwhelm the efforts to reduce global warming. The earth can sustain few people who are highly polluting. But as more people pollute massive problems are experienced. hat pollute to compete with these nations. The figure below shows projected growth in carbon dioxide with the increase in population (Bodden 2011).

2.3. Reduction in social funding

Social funding per capita has significantly been reduced by the increases in population. In the year 1990, 5.7 million children enrolled in the California k-12 schools while in the year 2000 there was an enrollment of 7.9 million ( Bouvier 1991). With the growth of school needs the school is therefore not able to meet the school needs. Therefore, this has contributed greatly towards the state deficit as well as led to the reduction of the quality of the education offered by the school. The state is therefore not able to support the school as it used to due to the increased population in the school.

2.4. Traffic congestion

The increase in population increases traffic problems. In California, three hundred thousand hours are wasted in traffic congestion every year. As such, this can amount to an estimated cost of over eight hundred and ninety-two dollars. In addition, these traffic leads to the increase in pollution problem (Oberlink 1995). Traffic congestion is also common in developing countries that are highly populated. In some places, you spend almost two hours in traffic. In this case, the person involved wastes his or her time and ends up using a lot of fuel in the traffic. Regulating the amount of population growth will help reduce the amount of traffic hence a tremendous economic growth.

2.6. Wars and conflicts

3. Analysis of the supply and demand

and that the future people will enjoy. Natural resources face competition when a country is overpopulated. Let’s take an example with fresh water (Klein 1983).

People use water for various reaso (Verbug 1998). The amount of water use can be reduced through education, technological advancements, and conservation practices.

Water demand exceeding the water supply

P

Qs       Qd

 

D                                                          S

 

 

 

Eq

 

A maximum population capacity that can be served by a specific water resource should be set. There is hence a shortage of water because the current population exceeds the maximum

4. The real consumption costs

In the recent world, the world is working hard to reduce the increasing population numbers. Climate change is on the rise due to the increasing human activities. How can the government reduce the harm that the human activities are causing to the economy? The government can decrease the support ratio. Consequently, this substantially reduces the number of births per family because the cost of raising the family is high. More women, in this case, will tend to be career women than raise children.

Population growth with decreased support ratio

MCs=MCp+MCe

 

Ps                                            MCp

Pc                                            MCe

 

 

Qs           Qc

With the reduction of the support given by the government the cost of living will increase from Pc to Ps, allowing the people with fewer children more advantageous. The resulting reduction increase in the cost of living will make most people come up with methods such as family planning that will help reduce the number of children they give birth.

5. Analysis and Conclusion

growth. Overpopulation is continuing to affect the current world negatively.

Some people will argue that professionals and they start giving birth at the age of thirty. If France has managed this, then overpopulated countries like China can too. As such, this will reduce the cost of living in the world too.

Reduction in the rate of population is not only beneficial in enhancing the economy only. It is also beneficial to the public as well. Therefore, this will reduce the conflicts that keep arising due to the competition on the available natural resources such as fresh water. Reduced number of population will reduce the high levels of unemployment. Consequently, this is why we need an advocate for methods that help regulate the rate of population growth in our countries.

5.1. Recommendations

5.1.1. Better education

Educating the people helpsthem to understand the need to have one or two children. Families that are not well up and choose to have more than two children are discouraged (Hardin 41). Efficient birth control methods and family planning can help women in their reproductive choices. People should be educated on sterilization and abortion.

5.1.2. Tax benefits

Governments in various countries have come with different ways to curb overpopulation. Therefore, this is through the introduction of policies that are geared towards reducing the rate at which population grows in their countries. An example is to waive some part of income tax to couples who have one or two children. As people are inclined towards money, this will produce more results that are positive.

5.1.3. Sex Education Knowledge

It is important therefore for parents to educate their children about sex and its consequences.

References

Bodden, V. (2011). The threat of overpopulation. Mankato, MN: Creative Education.

Bouvier, L. F. (1991). Fifty million Californians? Washington, DC: Center for Immigration Studies.

China News Digest (1995, October 17). _China Warns of Ag. Crisis_, [e-mail to Vince Busam], [Online]. Available e-mail: [email protected].

Hanson, Jay (1995, November 2). _Who Will Feed China? [e-mail to Vince Busam], [Online]. Available e-mail: [email protected], Jay (1995, November 2). _Who Will Feed China?.

Klein, L. R. (1983). The economics of supply and demand. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Oberlink, Ric, J.D. (1995). “Population and Representation.” CAPS Newsletter, Winter 1995. Vol. 26, page 5.

Turbak, Gary. (1992). “Tick… Tick… Tick…” American Legion Magazine. July 1992: 20 S.I.R.S. “Population” 52.

Verburg, Peter. (1994). “The Threat of Population is a Myth.” Alberta Report. 1994, September 26: 42-43 S.I.R.S. “Population” 98.