Human Population and Environmental Sustainability - Essay Example

Human Population and Environmental Sustainability Name: Institution: The debate on environmental sustainability especially in relation to the human population is unavoidable. Various divides of arguments currently fill the media concerning the relationship between these two issues. However, most analysts argue that concern should be on the cause of the problem and then factors relating to this should be dealt with at the root cause stage. There are various issues that are crucial in the process of determining whether the increasing human population is environmentally sustainable. This dilemma can only be understood and properly analyzed by looking at various issues such as the population trends, environmental degradation, economic well-being, status of women and birth control issues among others. It should be understood that these factors are very important in achieving sustainable population (Newton & 2012, p1). It is important to note that though there are serious strains on the available natural resources, the rapidly increasing human population is still environmentally sustainable if certain issues are considered. Population trends Study of human population trend is important in determining reasonable ways of achieving sustainable population. Data on human population trends is more confusing especially concerning various arguments that people put concerning population sustainability. The study of population trends especially considering various parts of the world is significant (Newton & 2012, p1). Population trend in developed countries is different and more importantly, almost opposite to that of undeveloped countries. Developing and underdeveloped countries especially in those areas pruned to poverty, tend to increase in population than developed countries. Therefore, poverty plays a big role in population trends. It is observed that areas struck by hunger and poverty tend to have higher number of children being borne than areas where people are living good life. One of the suggested reasons on why hunger and poverty act as population accelerators is due to lack of proper education and lack of proper jobs. There are various reasons that can be given as the root causes of poverty such as unequal distribution of resources. However, in terms of population growth, education and jobs becomes significant factors. Education is very significant because it is through education that a community or people in general acquire the knowledge on how to utilize resources. Education also ensures that people have proper knowledge concerning the number of children they can support (Michaelson & Stoll, 2011, p1). Areas struck by hunger and where people are poor, there is no concern of knowledge on the importance of family size that the parents can sustain. In such scenarios, people tend to give birth at a higher rate. These areas are subjects to relief food and assistance from well-off people or countries. According to Malthusians, continuous support through relief food constantly increases birth rates in these areas because they are constantly supplied with food without doing any job. This leaves them with reproducing as the only thing they can do best (Newton & 2012, p1). If proper education concerning population and family support is provided to these people, they will have knowledge concerning family responsibility and thus will give birth responsibly. This is more evident in developed countries such as Germany or Japan where people give birth to maybe two or three children per family as per their ability to support them. After getting education, these people are likely to get good jobs and hence can be able to support their families. This will contribute positively to the development of the people. These people will be able to have proper control of their reproduction rate due to the knowledge they shall have acquired. Environmental degradation Rapid increase in population has a direct connection to environmental degradation. This is because increase in population results to increase pressure on the available resources thus resulting to depletion of the resources which contributes significantly to environmental degradation. One common observable feature of environmentally degraded countries is its association to poverty. In such places the living standards of people and quality of life is lower and deteriorating (Newton & 2012, p1). Unplanned growth of cities and towns in general leads to struggle for the available resources. This forces people to live in slums where there is no proper shelter and basic services. Demographic pressures and extensive land expropriation due to increase in population contribute to environmental degradation (Newton & 2012, p1). Rapid increase in population causes strain and increases demand on food sufficiency. This, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, results to food insecurity. However, it is notable that poverty still plays a deeper role in increasing population and additionally, contributes to increase pressure on the available resources hence environmental degradation. Therefore, in order to ensure population sustainability, environmental degradation should be given much consideration. Environmental degradation is a major contributing factor to water and food insecurity. This is because the available lands become unproductive. Since most people depend on agriculture as their source of living, they become jobless and unable to provide to their needs. This contributes greatly to poverty. Awareness about environmental degradation can be helpful in such areas (Newton & 2012, p1). This will sensitize the people on the long-term effects of increased population and environmental degradation. Rapid increase in population and environmental degradation are counteractive, this is because increased population results to environmental degradation and environmental degradation results to poverty and hunger, which greatly contribute to increased population. Economic well-being Economic wellbeing is an important aspect of studying and reducing population growth to a level that is considerable to the resources that are available. This hence indicates that the study of economic wellbeing is directly related to the natural environment, which in turn, defines how people utilize the available resources (Michaelson & Stoll, 2011, p1). According to most people, wellbeing is more of a factor of the present and future states of the environment. The material foundations for wellbeing include food, energy, clean water and air, stable climate and other available natural resources. In order to ensure continuous supply of these material foundations, proper environmental considerations are significant. A crucial aspect in considering these material foundations is that if any lacks, then, there is instability. Economic wellbeing, can only guarantee population sustainability if these material foundations are achievable. If these resources are available, people will be living comfortable. However, lack of proper balance will lead to struggle for the resources (Healey, 2010, p23). Rapid increase in population with lack of proper balance in these resources cause lack of economic wellbeing and thus leads to poverty. Therefore, lack of economic wellbeing results to lack of economic security. It is important to note that since people are more used to defining economic wellbeing through marketers and economists point of view, people’s perception have been diverted from the actual thing. Therefore, in order to ensure economic wellbeing, proper considerations should be given to control of rate of population increase. Status of women Rapid increases in population directly depend on the status of women. Women play a big role in population control. This is because their status can control the rate at which they give birth. Therefore, various factors that define their status are important (Newton & 2012, p1). Role of women has become very critical in controlling population growth in many countries especially the developed countries. Most countries emphasize on women empowerment in order to ensure that the women become active members in the society rather than remaining in the house and doing the work of homemakers. This is mainly because women are the caretakers of their families (Michaelson & Stoll, 2011, p1). In most countries, women are associated with works that enhance food production and environmental preservation and conservation. This is because women are always active especially in environmental issues. If women are made busy, then the level of reproduction is likely to reduce. Another factor about women that plays a big role in controlling increase of population to ensure sustainability is their level of education and literacy. Through providing education to women, increase in population can be greatly controlled. This is because women that are more educated properly have the knowledge about family planning. Educated women have the appropriate knowledge concerning how to control and balance family work and job (Newton & 2012, p1). This therefore ensures that these women do not just remain home idle but are kept busy with some work. Women who are more exposed on the standards of living will be better equipped to make appropriate decision concerning how they plan for their family. This is important since they can plan on the number of children they want as per the resources they have. Therefore, education and exposure creates the availability of options especially for birth control. Therefore, for sustainability, efforts must be given on the status of women and it should ensure that women are made more active on environmental and reproductive issues. Birth control issues According to most analysts, the most effective and direct way of controlling population increase is through various birth control methods. These birth control methods if used effectively and accordingly ensure that women only give birth when they prefer to. Uses of these birth control methods ensure cases of unwanted pregnancies do not occur (Healey, 2010, p34). Therefore, the various birth control methods were introduced in order to help couples control the number of children they wanted and still actively exercise their conjugal rights without fear of giving birth to another child they have not planned for. This would definitely ensure sustainability since the parents would be encouraged to give birth to a number of children they are sure they can raise comfortably. Utilization of various birth control methods, especially to couples who get proper education concerning family control and planning, can really assist in ensuring population sustainability. It is important though, to indicate that various available birth control methods have not proved to be effective especially health wise. One of the debates about the use of contraceptives as birth control method concerns their safety. Continuous use of these contraceptives has proved to have side effects especially to the subsequent children to be born. Various birth defects have been reported to be associated with continuous use of contraceptives (Healey, 2010, p34). Therefore, these contraceptives become more appropriate when couples decide that they do not want to give birth anymore. At this stage, they become effective. Some of these contraceptives have also failed to work with some couples and thereby being deceptive. Other birth control methods though can be effective are also a bit complex to practice. Nevertheless, birth control methods become important in achieving population sustainability. However, it is important to note that these methods become effective only if the people applying them especially the couples have adequate education concerning birth controls. The couples also need to be able to understand the concept behind birth control in order for the methods to be effective. It is only through this that the methods become effective and useful. It is thus important to understand that various factors discussed above are crucial in ensuring that the available resources are properly utilized and that population sustainability is achieved. People should understand that the resources can still support the current and future population, but only if sustainability becomes a priority and the only way to achieve priority is through education, poverty eradication and improving the status of women in the society and other factors mentioned. References: Michaelson, Juliet, Stoll, Laura, 2011, “Wellbeing, sustainability and local government” retrieved September 3, 2012 from defra: http://sd.defra.gov.uk/2011/03/wellbeing-sustainability-and-local-government/ Healey, Justin, 2010, Population Sustainability, Thirroul: Spinney Press. Newton, Peter, 2012, “No Sustainable population without sustainable consumption” retrieved September 3, 2012, from the conversation: http://theconversation.edu.au/no-sustainable-population-without-sustainable-consumption-1774 Read More