We got a Problem here!

[Warped]

World population may hit 7 billion in 2011

The world's population is forecast to hit 7 billion in 2011, the vast majority of its growth coming in developing and, in many cases, the poorest nations, a report released Wednesday said. A staggering 97 percent of global growth over the next 40 years will happen in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the Population Reference Bureau

The great bulk of today's 1.2 billion youth -- nearly 90 percent -- are in developing countries," said Carl Haub, a co-author of the report. Eight in 10 of those youth live in Africa and Asia.

"During the next few decades, these young people will most likely continue the current trend of moving from rural areas to cities in search of education and training opportunities, gainful employment, and adequate health care," Haub continued, calling it one of the major social questions of the next few decades.

In the developed world, the United States and Canada will account for most of the growth -- half from immigration and half from a natural increase in the population -- births minus deaths, according to the report.

High fertility rates and a young population base in the developing world will fuel most of the growth, especially in Africa, where women often give birth to six or seven children over a lifetime, the report says. The number is about two in the United States and 1.5 in Canada.
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A stark contrast can be drawn between Uganda and Canada, which currently have about 34 million and 31 million residents, respectively. By 2050, Canada's population is projected to be 42 million, while Uganda's is expected to soar to 96 million, more than tripling.

"Even with declining fertility rates in many countries, world population is still growing at a rapid rate," said Bill Butz, president of the bureau. "The increase from 6 billion to 7 billion is likely to take 12 years, as did the increase from 5 billion to 6 billion. Both events are unprecedented in world history."

By 2050, India is projected to be the world's most populous nation at 1.7 billion, overtaking current leader China, which is forecast to hit 1.4 billion. The United States is expected to reach 439 million for No. 3 on the

I believe overpopulation can lead to thousands of new problems as well as unforeseeable problems we can only dream of. We're running lower and lower on a lot of important resources and I believe if we have a better understanding of this issue we will be better off. People need to know that it could be in their own lifetime that this world is toast. not 100 years from now. pollution/deforestation/sterilization/etc these are problems stemming from overpopulation. so yeah this is the biggest problem out of them all (besides an asteroid collision which Nasa said today they are low on funds for searching for Near Earth Objects). global warming isn't even a factor anymore, we need less of us and more of variety on this planet before its too late. your thoughts??

 

[Dog--]

This better not be another god damn 2012 thread.

 

[Glue]

People keep havin babies! I tell em to stop it, but they don't listen!

 

[YROC]

People like sex. Sex leads to children.

 

[nurizeko]

I just cant take India seriously when I see images of them clinging to things in such numbers like that.

 

[Robbo]

More wars.. that will fix everything!!

 

[MJ12]

People like sex. Sex leads to children.

But when you take away survival of the fittest by allowing dumb people to live in an environment where they can breed perpetually without much consequence, along with the same dumb people not using contraceptives, you get lots and lots of children.

Dumb children, and those dumb children grow up and make more dumb children.

 

[Mr-Fusion]

I hope none of you selfish bastards are planning on having children. This concept of "family" , "children" has to stop now.

 

[Tollbooth Willie]

I hope none of you selfish bastards are planning on having children. This concept of "family" , "children" has to stop now.

OH GOD I JUST POPPED IT UGH EWWW DEAR GOD I AM NOT LOOKING DOWN MY PANTS FOR LIKE 2 DAYS













OR GETTING NAKED

 

[Mr-Fusion]

Thank you for your contribution to humanity willie. It will be long remembered! :cheers:

 

[Letters]

Oh, I want kids...


FIVE HUNDRED OF EM! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

 

[Mr-Fusion]

Oh, I want kids...


FIVE HUNDRED OF EM! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

A curse on your vagina! A curse of a thousand stinging wasps!!!

 

[Warped]

I hope none of you selfish bastards are planning on having children. This concept of "family" , "children" has to stop now.

we should adopt a 1 child per household soon, and stop giving incentives to have babies and give tax breaks the people who dont have lots of kids. the less kids, the more money you get. like 0 chidlren should net you $5,000 a year off taxes. 1 child $2500, 2 children $0, 3 children -$1,000 (public schools) 4 children -$2500 etc.

you have kids, and other people pay for the eductation, thats messed up, especially when julio next door has 8 kids living in his basement and garage. im sick of our mentality right now

 

[Hobostomp]

I blame Nadya Suleman.

I'm going to do my part and not have children. I hate them and I wish everyone would stop having them.

 

[Viperidae]

My favourite future society scenario:

Picture the Running Man.

With families.

 

[Naudian]

Less babies. More education. How?

LOTS AND LOTS OF FEAR MONGERING STOP F*CKING WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE

 

[unozero]

poor people need to stop breeding.

 

[DEATHMASTER]

But when you take away survival of the fittest by allowing dumb people to live in an environment where they can breed perpetually without much consequence, along with the same dumb people not using contraceptives, you get lots and lots of children.

Dumb children, and those dumb children grow up and make more dumb children.

And I believe (with as little assholery as possible), that richer nations are in part responsible. We give them the bare minimum means, just barely enough aid and technology, so that they can't be controlled by the forces of nature which otherwise naturally have a population ceiling (or whatever the term was from evo class).

The options are:
1) stop aiding (not likely)
2) **** the planet by continuing the current cycle, and we're all eventually ****ed I suppose (most likely)
3) **** the planet by war or something else ****s the planet for us (fun option)
4) mars (not soon enough)

 

[xdrive]

People in poorer nations need to stop having children.

I don't understand why they have so many children when they can't support them and they can't even support them selfs, there just making there situation worser.

 

[VirusType2]

According to a satellite probe, apparently, there are trillions of tons of ice under the moons surface. From Ice, you get water, from H20, you can make oxygen and hydrogen. From oxygen, you can grow crops and from hydrogen you can make rocket fuel. Everything you need to support life can be derived from water.

The moon is also a good stepping stone towards planets like Mars, especially because the gravity on the moon is less, making leaving the atmosphere much less demanding with regards fuel.

So, we can colonize the moon, I guess. For starters. Personally, I think it would be bad ass to live on the moon.

 

[Tollbooth Willie]

The moon is also a good stepping stone towards planets like Mars, especially because the gravity on the moon is less, making leaving the atmosphere much less demanding with regards fuel.

And then Parker was a Red Faction.

 

[kineaesth]

So, we can colonize the moon, I guess.

Call me old fashioned, but I like my planets to have an atmosphere :>

 

[Sulkdodds]

Beggars can't be choosers.

 

[AJ Rimmer]

Gentlemen, it is time we colonize Colorado!

 

[YROC]

:[ ]

 

[VirusType2]

Call me old fashioned, but I like my planets to have an atmosphere :>

We make our own favorable atmospheres with Terra-forming.

The plan is to basically greenhouse the **** out of Mars for a few hundred years. Assuming it has plenty of ice under the surface, over time, it will slowly become a lush green landscape. We won't need to wait until it's finished obviously.

Humans (and life in general) does have great potential to adjust and evolve to the environment over the centuries as well.

Thinking about it for a moment, the problems I see with forming bases on the Moon (in particular) is eventual sabotage from enemy states. It's also quite small and I can only imagine that extremely rich people would be able to afford to go there obviously.

So, the moon won't solve any population problems at all, but - a long time from now - Mars definitely could. I believe we already have the technology we need, but we would probably need much more than a desire to colonize it. We need a reason. Like massive overpopulation problems.

It's kind of interesting that - at about the time we can begin to colonize other planets is about the same time that we will need to.

Here on Earth, with people living in such close contact, a deadly communicable virus outbreak is certainly on the way. As terrible as it will be, this will help stem the population problem.

 

[morgs]

I say we just start swimming more and evolve into sea-beasts. There's plenty of room in the ocean!

 

[Eejit]

It's a pretty huge problem alright.

The only practical solution I can think of is to implement policies on families like China did globally. Of course that's not ideal either as it's a huge limitation on personal liberty but if it's that vs collapse of civilisation it's not much of a choice.

You can forget about colonising other planets or the moon, there's absolutely no way that can happen soon enough to help.
GM crops can help feed more people, but that doesn't much help with the other problems that would develop such as increased power needs, increased pollution etc.

It's gotten to the point where I'm starting to think it'd be almost 'lucky' for us as a species if there was a massive epidemic, like a bird flu as infectious as swine flu, or antibiotic-resistant Plague.


Oh and all of you describing people in the third world with large families as "dumb" or "stupid" can go suck your own self-righteous dicks. Lack of education is the problem in those countries not lack of intelligence. Racist ****s.

 

[Tyguy]

So, we can colonize the moon, I guess. For starters. Personally, I think it would be bad ass to live on the moon.

The thing about that is if there are bad meteor showers you're basically screwed.

 

[VirusType2]

GM crops can help feed more people, but that doesn't much help with the other problems that would develop such as increased power needs, increased pollution etc.

I'm highly optimistic about the potential of clean and renewable Geothermal Energy.

The United States generates more geothermal electricity than any other country but the amount of electricity it produces is less than 0.5% of electricity produced in United States. Only four states have geothermal power plants:

* California - has 35 geothermal power plants that produce almost 90 percent of the nation's geothermal electricity.
* Nevada - has 17 geothermal power plants.
* Hawaii and Utah - each have one geothermal plant

The environmental impact of geothermal energy depends on how it is being used.

Direct use and heating applications have almost no negative impact on the environment.

their emission levels are very low. They release less than 1 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions of a fossil fuel plant. Geothermal plants use scrubber systems to clean the air of hydrogen sulfide that is naturally found in the steam and hot water. Geothermal plants emit 97 percent less acid rain - causing sulfur compounds than are emitted by fossil fuel plants. After the steam and water from a geothermal reservoir have been used, they are injected back into the earth.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), geothermal heat pumps are the most energy-efficient, environmentally clean, and cost-effective systems for temperature control. Although, most homes still use traditional furnaces and air conditioners, geothermal heat pumps are becoming more popular. In recent years, the U.S. Department of Energy along with the EPA have partnered with industry to promote the use of geothermal heat pumps.

The thing about that is if there are bad meteor showers you're basically screwed.

Well, on Mars, they will need to make most of it underground initially, due to the extremely powerful wind storms and periods of deadly radiation from the sun. I guess the same could be done on the moon. If you notice the Moon's surface tells that it has been badly bombarded by impacts, but at this point - comparatively at least - things are pretty settled in our region of the universe as far as we can tell. Meteor showers shouldn't be a great issue to be honest.

 

[Xevrex]

I fear those population restraints the future societies have in those sci-fi books may become a reality. Then again, can't have a bunch of thirds running around now, can we?

 

[Glue]

My favourite future society scenario:

Picture the Running Man.

With families.

Haha, you bad kid. I haven't read that book in forever

 

[Tyguy]

Looks like we need a little Children of Men action to take place. (great movie)

 

[Maestro]

I'm highly optimistic about the potential of clean and renewable Geothermal Energy.




Well, on Mars, they will need to make most of it underground initially, due to the extremely powerful wind storms and periods of deadly radiation from the sun. I guess the same could be done on the moon. If you notice the Moon's surface tells that it has been badly bombarded by impacts, but at this point - comparatively at least - things are pretty settled in our region of the universe as far as we can tell. Meteor showers shouldn't be a great issue to be honest.

DUDE! It could be like Dune or something! We could all live in Sietches and wear stillsuits and ride giant---damnit we don't have giant worms.

We need to engineer them RIGHT NOW.