Dangers of overpopulation must be heeded for survival
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
This is in response to Gabriel Martinez's column, "Don't be afraid to let our children grow" (10/7/99).
Contrary to what Martinez believes, expressing concern and fear about the effects that human overpopulation has on the world does not make a one a misanthrope. In fact, it makes one a concerned and informed world citizen. Human overpopulation is a very real and dangerous problem that must be dealt with if the human race is to have any chance for survival in the next millenium.
Advances in agriculture are mainly to blame for the problem of overpopulation. As technology advances, humans are able to yield more food per acre. When large countries like the United States grow extra grain and give it to Third World countries, it appears that we are doing these countries a favor: Saving their citizens' lives by providing them with food. In reality, though, we are making their situations worse. The food that they receive allows more of their citizens to grow up healthy and bear many children, creating more mouths to feed. Eventually, the excess grain that we have now will turn into a shortage, resulting in massive deaths from starvation.
In an attempt to prevent this tradgedy, humans will continue to convert natural ecosystems into agricultural ecosystems in order to grow more food. When this happens, native plants and animals are destroyed to make room for species that are useful to humans. The desertificaton of Africa, the dust bowl of North America, and the destruction of tropical rainforests are all examples of this. If this trend continues, the adverse effects on non-human species will be dangerously wide-spread.
Aside from the food issue, the earth does not have enough natural resources to continue to support a growing population. Conservative estimates predict that the world's oil reserves contain only enough oil to fuel the world for about 43 more years.
When our natural resources are tapped dry and billions are dying from starvation, it will be too late to remedy the over-population problem. The time to look for solutions is now. I would like people to think about the effects that overpopulation is already having and will continue to have on the Earth.
I am not suggesting that the U.S. resort to anything as drastic as China's policy on overpopulation. I'm simply asking that each of you think about the consequences of having a large family. Is it worth the strain that you will be putting on the Earth and her resources?
If anyone is interested in learning more about this problem, PLEASE read Daniel Quinn's "Ishmael," which shows the correlation between overpopulation and the problems that the human race faces today.
Brooke Warner
Sophomore
LeMans Hall
October 7, 1999
All Viewpoint Stories for Monday, October 11, 1999
