Earth Science 100- Brooks

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Overpopulation: The Impact on Earth's Minerals and Rocks

Earth Science 100 October 27, 2024

Samantha Brooks

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Hypothesis

If overpopulation continues to increase, then it will lead to greater resource depletion, and environmental degradation that negatively impacts the Earth's ecosystems and climate.

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Overpopulation

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, overpopulation is defined as, "The fact of a country or city, etc. having too many people for the amount of food, materials, and space available there." (Cambridge Dictionary)

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Sections

Section 1: Overpopulation: The Impact on Earth's Minerals and Rocks

Section 2 How does overpopulation impact the natural processes of the Earth's landmasses?

Section 3:How does Overpopulation affect water systems?

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Overpopulation: The Impact on Earth's Minerals and Rocks

Researchers at ucg berkley says...

Population increase can cause an increase in the extraction of Earth's natural resources. These resources include:

• fossil fuels
• minerals
• trees
• water
• wildlife

Overpopulation video

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Unit 3

Overpopulation's Effect on Earth's Landmasses

As of 2021, the Earth houses 7.8 billion people. As a result of the rapid population growth, many natural habitats are being destroyed, and natural resources are being exploited, thus creating more pollution on Earth. (The Royal Society)

EArth Gets Expiry date

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Unit 3

Overpopulation and Water

How does overpopulation affect Earth's Water and Water systems?

According to Population Education, "Over 2 billion of the world’s people get their fresh water from aquifers, and as the population grows, so does the demand for fresh water. We use fresh water for drinking, watering crops, and even in industrial processes such as energy production."

When water levels become too low, the water supply is most likely to become contaminated by pollutants (Rios).

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Unit 3 Continued

Overpopulation and Water

According to Population Media Center...

What are the Long-Term Consequences to the Earth as a Result of Overpopulation?

1.

Food Shortages

Population growth leads to using more land to build infrastructure, which takes up space that could be used for farming.

2.

Incresed Risk of Pandemics

People are likely to pass diseases onto each other when there is more people in a given area.

3.

Increased Conflicts

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Countries are likely to go to war over resources.

4.

Ecological Degradation

Increased population leads to more deforestation and pollution, which harms biodiversity.

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How does overpopulation impact the natural processes of Earth's oceans and ocean systems?

According to the Center for Biological Diversity, around 15 percent of the Earth's population gets protein from marine life. Also, overpopulation causes more waste to be dumped in the oceans.

How Does Overpopulation Impact the Natural Processes of Earth's Atmosphere and Atmospheric Systems?

1.

Increased Greenhouse Gas Emissions: More people means higher demand for energy, transportation, and industrial activities, leading to increased emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). These gases trap heat in the atmosphere, contributing to global warming and climate change (Population Connection).

2.

Deforestation: To accommodate growing populations, forests are often cleared for agriculture, housing, and infrastructure. Trees play a crucial role in absorbing CO2, so deforestation reduces this capacity and increases atmospheric CO2 levels (Population Connection).

3.

Air Pollution: Overpopulation leads to higher levels of air pollution from vehicles, factories, and other sources. Pollutants like sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and particulate matter can harm human health and contribute to atmospheric changes (Hirsh).

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4.

Resource Depletion: Increased demand for resources such as water, fossil fuels, and minerals can lead to over-extraction and depletion, affecting natural processes and ecosystems (Hirsh).

Viable Solutions

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What are viable solutions to Overpopulation?

According to Overpopulation Matters, Empowering Women and Girls: Ensuring that women and girls have access to education, economic opportunities, and reproductive health services can significantly reduce birth rates. Empowered women are more likely to make informed decisions about family size. Improving Access to Contraception: Providing easy access to contraception can help reduce unintended pregnancies. Nearly half of all pregnancies are unintended, and many women lack access to modern contraceptive methods. Promoting Sustainable Lifestyles: Encouraging sustainable living practices, such as reducing waste, conserving water, and using renewable energy sources, can help mitigate the environmental impact of a growing population. Implementing Family Planning Programs: Comprehensive family planning programs can educate people about reproductive health and provide them with the tools they need to plan their families. Addressing Poverty and Inequality: Reducing poverty and inequality can help stabilize population growth by improving living standards and providing better access to healthcare and education.

Overpopulation Facts Video

Proposed Solutions

Based on what I have learned, I propose a multi-faceted approach that combines these solutions:

• Global Education Campaign: Launch a global campaign to educate people about the benefits of smaller family sizes and the importance of sustainable living.

• Invest in Women's Empowerment: Focus on empowering women and girls through education, economic opportunities, and access to reproductive health services.

• Expand Access to Contraception: Work with governments and organizations to ensure that everyone has access to affordable and effective contraception.

• Promote Sustainable Practices: Encourage individuals and communities to adopt sustainable practices, such as reducing waste, conserving water, and using renewable energy sources.

• Support Family Planning Programs: Provide funding and resources to support comprehensive family planning programs around the world (Stallworthy).

Conclusion

If overpopulation keeps increasing, it will lead to more resource depletion and environmental damage, harming Earth's ecosystems and climate. More people means higher demand for resources like water, food, and energy, which can lead to overuse and shortages. Overpopulation causes more pollution, deforestation, and habitat loss, leading to more greenhouse gas emissions, climate change, and loss of biodiversity. The increase in greenhouse gases and other pollutants from human activities accelerates global warming, causing more extreme weather, rising sea levels, and negative effects on ecosystems and human life. In short, addressing overpopulation is essential to reduce resource depletion and protect the environment.

References

• Hirsh, S. (2022, December 7). Does overpopulation hurt the planet? or should we solely blame governments and industries?. Green Matters. https://www.greenmatters.com/community/how-does-overpopulation-affect-the-environment
• How does the growing global population affect biodiversity?: Royal Society. The Royal Society. (n.d.). https://royalsociety.org/news-resources/projects/biodiversity/how-does-the-growing-global-population-and-increasing-consumption-affect-biodiversity/#:~:text=Housing%20and%20feeding%20so%20many,to%20growing%20levels%20of%20pollution
• https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2723/8896/files/contaminantinfograph_2048x2048.jpg?v=1532702984.
• https://ecofreek.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Ocean-Pollution.jpeg

• https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pop.org%2Foverpopulation-myth%2F&psig=AOvVaw1atR3K2VL9zYKw1428yzxU&ust=1730149452489000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBQQjRxqFwoTCIjI_qO7r4kDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE

• https://youtu.be/WNhY2uKok2c?si=VX_n7TzRwmsD8ymQ
• https://youtu.be/8EumZ_RVMqw?si=zIlx4NDxEvrEanf3
• https://youtu.be/fNxctzyNxC0?si=DuCg_dUJPekqPxMC
• Human Population Growth and Oceans. (n.d.). https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/population_and_sustainability/oceans/index.html#:~:text=Marine%20fish%20provide%2015%20percent,its%20way%20to%20the%20oceans.
• Overpopulation definition | cambridge english dictionary. (n.d.-b). https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/overpopulation
• Population growth. Understanding Global Change. (2022, March 8). https://ugc.berkeley.edu/background-content/population-growth/#:~:text=Human%20population%20growth%20impacts%20the,wildlife%2C%20especially%20in%20the%20oceans.
• Rios , I. (2019, November 4). How is population growth connected to sustaining water systems?. Population Education. https://populationeducation.org/how-is-population-growth-connected-to-sustaining-water-systems/#:~:text=Aquifer%20Depletion,processes%20such%20as%20energy%20production.
• Stallworthy, B. (2024, September 3). Overpopulation: Causes, consequences and solutions. Population Matters. https://populationmatters.org/news/2024/08/overpopulation-causes-consequences-and-solutions/#:~:text=Solutions%20to%20Overpopulation&text=One%20of%20the%20most%20effective,children%2C%20ultimately%20reducing%20fertility%20rates.
• The connections between population and climate change. Population Connection. (2024, September 20). https://populationconnection.org/resources/population-and-climate/

An awesome presentation...

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• Display data and information visually.
• Use interactivity to delve into concepts.

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Do we retain 42% more information when the content moves? It is perhaps the most effective resource to capture the attention of your students.

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Did you know...

Did you know that 90% of the information we assimilate comes through our sense of sight? Visual resources are highly beneficial for enhancing your classes: images, illustrations, gifs, videos... Not only do they remain in memory, but they are also more engaging and easier to understand.

An awesome presentation...

• Improve understanding on any topic.
• Engage the whole class...
• And keep their attention until the end.
• Include visuals appropriate to the topic.
• Display data and information visually.
• Use interactivity to delve into the concepts.

Did you know that...

Do we retain 42% more information when the content moves? It is perhaps the most effective resource to capture the attention of your students.

'Your contents are liked, but they are much more engaging if they are interactive'

Author's Name