Is environmental degradation at a time of unprecedented numbers of humans a coincidence?

Question

There has never been more people living off this planet at the one time as there are at this minute (and we continue to grow by 250,000 each day) and our natural enviroment is at the brink of collapse, is this just some amazing, irrelevant coincidence?

Answer 1

Coincidence it is. Sorry but it is. Human population [assuming AGW is real] is not a major contributer to global warming.

Answer 2

Given the environment is fine....I'd have to say the relationship you draw isn't a coincidence, but a symptom of a mind suffering a break from reality.

Answer 3

Ever notice kids who slap Dr. in front of their names don't know what they are talking about?

Environmental degradation at a time of unprecedented numbers of humans is no coincidence.  It is the root cause of environmental degradation.  The video provides mathematical proof.

This question has been asked many times before.

Answer 4

It is certainly no coincidence.  In point of fact, virtually every major environmental problem facing the human race can be traced back to the explosive growth of human populations in the past two centuries.

Global warming?  Energy use and fossil fuel burning by 7 billion people driving 3 billion cars, power plants lighting 3 billion homes, all emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Water pollution?  We use our rivers and streams as disposal systems for our waste water, from sewage plants, industrial facilities, and runoff from agricultural operations.  Is the situation better than it used to be?  Yes, in the US and the industrialized nations.  But in third world countries, untreated sewage and industrial waste is still being dumped, untreated, into rivers and streams.  And just because our wastewater, in this country, is being treated to a higher level than ever before, that doesn't mean that there is no impact.

Endangered species?  The main threat to endangered species is loss of habitat.  That habitat loss is usually the result of impacts associated with expanding human habitat; in other words, when we replace natural habitats with towns, farms, and other developed land forms, we are eliminating habitat that other species can use.  And as human populations grow, this expansion is occurring at an ever faster rate.

Toxic chemicals?  We use toxic chemicals in agriculture, in industrial applications, in construction and as fuel.  As human populations grow, all of these activites expand.  And the use of toxic chemicals expands as well.  This is not to say that many of the chemicals in use are not beneficial to a large degree, but when so many are used in so much quantity to support such a huge human population, some of them end up in places that cause environmental harm; it is unavoidable.  Example?  Benzene is one of the most toxic chemicals known; it is known to be a carcinogen.  It is one of the components of gasoline.  Every time you go to the gas station, there is the potential for exposure to benzene.  And why are there so many gas stations?  Because there are so many people and they have so many cars.

Human overpopulation is the underlying cause of most environmental problems, and at the same time it is a subject that our political leaders simply will not discuss; too controversial and too emotionally explosive.  The Chinese government has been criticized and condemned for enforcing reproductive limits on their citizens, but they are right; sooner or later it will have to be done by every country.

Answer 5

Well our air and water is cleaner than it has ever been.  So maybe you better clarify your question?

Answer 6

I don't think this question has anything to do with global warming specifically - just human impacts.  And the truth is the more people that live and use the earth the more the earth will feel the impacts. People need food, water, and shelter just like everything else and generally, people win the fight to get it. More people = more garbage = less clean habitat for all living things.