Jonathon Waddell
Mr. Bonnici
Humanities P. 5
4/21/13
Word count: 1048
Research Question: “How does population growth affect the sustainability of natural
resources in the United states?”
What is Sustainability? By definition it states that:
“The quality of not being harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources, and there
by supporting long-term ecological balance” (Dictionary.com). In the United States the
population is increasing every day. Roughly 11000 babies are born each day in the US (Centers
for Disease). With the increase of population it’s obvious that resources are being depleted
more rapidly. The Sustainability of these resources is being challenged because of the ever
increasing rate of population growth.
The Unites States is one of the highest consumers of the world’s, and its own, natural
resources. The reasons that mainly support this problem are, one, the lifestyle of Americans;
and, two, Overpopulation. The United States was responsible for 21 percent of carbon
emissions in 2006(Natural resource). An average US citizen consumes 32 times the amount of
resources than a person in undeveloped countries (Natural resource depletion). Combining this
with overpopulation you have a major problem of Natural resource depletion in the United
States. The population growth is the main factor that jeopardizes the sustainability of
resources. Logically, the increase amount of people in an area makes it so more resources have
to be used up. Not only does it do this but it the increase health risk of asthma from air
pollution and stress from living in a highly populated area are cause by Urbanization, which is
caused by population growth. Another Statistic states that Humans have used more resources
the past 100 years then all of the predescending centuries combined (Natural resource
depletion). If the United States’ population keeps rising many resources will diminish, a main
one being groundwater.
Groundwater is an immensely important resource that 140 million residents in the
United States use to get their fresh drinking water. That’s almost 50 percent of the population
of the United States (Ground-water). This graph
represents the United States population growth in
recent and predicted years. If we look at 2050 and
see that the population is at 510 million we can
assume that 50 percent of those people will be using
the diminishing fresh water. That’s 255 million
Table 1- United States population growth
(us population data and graphs).
Jonathon Waddell
Mr. Bonnici
Humanities P. 5
4/21/13
Word count: 1048
people compared to the 140 million people 37 years ago. That’s an 82% increase in ground
water consumers. The groundwater problem will not improve as this is coming to pass. Not
only will this affect the peoples drinking water but for farming as well. The price of water will
rise along with the price of food. The economy is impacted directly from the problem of
overpopulation affecting resource depletion.
In Arizona due to recent population growth more wells had to be installed to receive
ground water. This caused the water declination of 300 and 500 feet in the area. Las Vegas in
1999 was the fastest growing city in the United States. The first well to suck up ground water
was installed in 1907. Since that date 300 feet of water has declined underground. This
substantial amount has caused the wells to dry up and no longer provide water for humans
(Ground water Depletion). Plants are also affected by this as well and their population is
reducing.
Deforestation is a natural resource that is being depleted
as we speak. In high dense areas there are virtually no trees such
as major cities like Los Angeles or New York. But, as population
growth continues people are inhabiting more rural areas and
using the land for farmland. If the soil quality is good then their
farm will be successful with minimum use of the land. However, if
the soil quality is poor then it forces the farmer to cut down more
timber for more farmland to increase crop output (Population
Growth Deforestation). This is clearly linked with the
overpopulation problem. But, what it is also linked to is ground
water depletion. The lower the water levels the worse the soil
Table 2 vegetation diminishing in
quality is, in turn making deforestation a solution for
Tucson due to reduced ground
water levels (Ground water
recompensing for the bad soil quality. It is a vicious cycle that
depletion).
that is all fueled by Population Growth. This greatly endangers
the sustainability of natural resources like ground water and forests in the United States.
Scientists have commented about the topic of the sustainability in the United States.
Robert Criss,Ph.D. in earth and planetary sciences Discussed the topic. He said: “Population
growth is driving all of our resource problems, including water and energy, the three are
intertwined. The United States has over 305 million people of the 6.7 billion on the planet. We
are dividing a finite resource pie among a growing number of people on Earth. We cannot
expect to sustain exponential population growth matched by increased per capita use of water
Jonathon Waddell
Mr. Bonnici
Humanities P. 5
4/21/13
Word count: 1048
and energy. It’s troubling” This Doctor later goes on and states: “Energy and water use are
intimately related “As water tables decline, you have to use more energy to lift the water out of
the ground. That’s what a pump has to do in places like Arizona, where water levels have
dropped many hundreds of feet. More people, more water use, more food, more energy. It’s not
sustainable”(Population growth drives). Dr. Criss really sums up what the situation is and even
uses Arizona as an example when talking about Water as a Natural resource. It really isn’t
sustainable with the amount of population and any solutions on the problem must be effective
because the population growth is still increasing.
Another alarming fact is that not only is population affecting resources fate, but also the
people that are populating the world are becoming more wasteful. The increase of energy and
water are actually rising faster than Population Growth over the last 50 years (Population
Growth). Overall the future sustainability of the world’s resources isn’t looking so well because
when population increases the resources decrease. Many things that that cause this as
mentioned earlier relate to each other in a negative aspect because they all fuel each other’s
downfall. This is the direct opposite from sustainability, and if humans want to change for the
better solutions must be effective and put into effect immediately.
Vocabulary relevant to: “How does population growth affect the sustainability
of natural resources in the United states?”
Sustainability
Depletion
Natural resources
Ground Water
depletion
Population
Environmental Science. The quality of not being harmful to the
environment or depleting natural resources, and therebysupporting longterm ecological balance: The committee isdeveloping sustainability standards for prod
ucts that use energy.
To decrease seriously or exhaust the abundance or supply of: The firehad depleted th
e game in the forest. Extravagant spending soon depletedhis funds.
the natural wealth of a country, consisting of land, forests, mineraldeposits, water, et
c.
The depletion of the drinkable water found underneath the ground. The US main
depleting resource is groundwater.
The total number of persons inhabiting a country, city, or anydistrict or area.
Jonathon Waddell
Mr. Bonnici
Humanities P. 5
4/21/13
Word count: 1048
Carbon
footprint/emissions
Deforestation
A carbon footprint has historically been defined by Championne as "the total sets
of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by an organization, event, product or
person
To divest or clear of forests or trees: Poor planning deforested the areain ten years.
Increase
To become greater or larger.
Consumption/consumer
Economics. The using up of goods and services having an exchangeable value.
urbanization
The act or fact of urbanizing, or taking on the characteristics of acity: Urbanization has
led to more air pollution and increasing child-hood asthma.
Works Cited
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 18
Apr. 2013. Web. 24 Apr. 2013.
" Ground-Water Depletion Across the Nation." USGS Publications Warehouse. N.p., Nov. 2003.
Web. 16 Apr. 2013.
"Natural Resource Depletion." Lifeofearthorg RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2013.
"Population Growth and Deforestation: A Critical and Complex Relationship." - Population
Reference Bureau. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2013.
"Population Growth Drives Depletion of Natural Resources | Newsroom | Washington University
in St. Louis." Population Growth Drives Depletion of Natural Resources | Newsroom |
Washington University in St. Louis. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.
"Sustainability." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2013.
"Sustainability Measurement." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 15 Apr. 2013. Web. 16 Apr.
2013.
Jonathon Waddell
Mr. Bonnici
Humanities P. 5
4/21/13
Word count: 1048
"U. S. Population Data & Graphs." U. S. Population Data & Graphs. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr.
2013.
"What Is Sustainability?" What Is Sustainability? N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2013.