Introduction
The world population is growing at an alarming rate, threatening to deplete resources. Between 1999-2010 the world population increased by one billion people (Collins & Page, 2019). Specifically, the people of the United States have tripled in the 20th century, showing how population increase is a matter of great concern. The current world population is more than 7.7 billion, an astonishing figure showing a crisis that should be addressed. The problem will affect the people and impact the environment negatively. Overpopulation in the background is when the number of inhabitants in a given area exceeds the available resources to serve them efficiently. The consequences include limited food availability, depletion of available resources, and the emergence of epidemics. All these side effects are a clear indication of how overpopulation can negatively affect the environment. This essay explores how overpopulation has become a major environmental threat.
Main body
Throughout the world, the availability of resources has decreased due to the increased population. This implies that people need more help while the supply is less, thus leading to total depletion. Increased population has affected the availability of fresh water, one of the essential requirements for survival. Surprisingly, only one percent of the entire world’s freshwater can be accessed by human beings. The available one percent is used at an alarming rate, creating a crisis. However, human beings and plants rely entirely on water to survive and carry on most activities. Without enough freshwater supply, the population will be at risk since the available water cannot sustain the increasing population.
In addition, there is a limited amount of food to feed the population effectively. It is a crucial factor why the overpopulation challenge is a matter of great concern. Although there are places with enough food, most of the world’s population is starving. The few who have access to food do not get enough quantities, therefore lacking proper nutrients. As the number of people increases, the demand for food equally increases since people require food for survival. The ratio of food produced is not proportionate to the consumption rate. The produced food is not enough to sustain the ever-rising population. Notably, food shortages are common in developing countries with increasing populations. Increased population has dramatically affected the availability of food in the right quantities.
Furthermore, overpopulation has increased the number of epidemics, becoming a global concern. Some of the epidemics are contributed by poor environmental conditions that are found in places with high populations. When people are born in undesirable living conditions, they are susceptible to infections. This is a clear indication that overpopulation has immense negative impacts. There has been an increased number of transmissible diseases due to the lack of enough medical facilities or the non-existence of healthcare facilities.
Conclusion
In conclusion, as seen in the essay, overpopulation is an environmental threat. It is considered a global crisis and will continue to be a global crisis. It has resulted in many negative impacts, such as the depletion of natural resources, the spread of diseases, and limited food availability. The health and well-being of human beings have been greatly affected by the increasing population. The earth’s population is expected to grow by 10 billion in the next 30 years (Collins & Page, 2019). Thus, there will be many challenges with that population, given that the available resources cannot effectively sustain life. However, human beings have the potential to make life better. This can be possible through embracing environmental conservation measures. Unless the proper measures are taken, overpopulation will remain a global environmental concern.
Reference
Collins, J., & Page, L. (2019). The heritability of fertility makes world population stabilization unlikely in the foreseeable future. Evolution and Human Behavior, 40(1), 105-111.