How Many Americans? Part One

by Marilyn Hempel

At the end of 2006, the U.S. officially topped 300 million people. In recognition of this benchmark, and because it's ramifications were mostly ignored by the mainstream media, we are dedicating two editions of the Pop!ulation Press to U.S. issues. This first edition will feature consumption, agriculture, urban growth, education, family planning and reproductive rights. The second edition will take an in-depth look at immigration—one of the truly hot-button political topics in the U.S. today.

Why do U.S. population issues matter? Firstly, we are the world's super-consumers and super-waste-makers. With about 4% of the world's population, we consume more than 25% of the Earth's resources. The simple truth is that the planet cannot afford another United States—and every added American (whether foreign-born or native-born) is most likely to become a U.S.-style consumer.

Secondly, we export our over-consumptive lifestyle and economic model so successfully. There are about 800 million new consumers in emerging nations. Consider this example from China, which is yearly adding huge numbers of new consumers. If China's per-capita consumption of beef, currently only 9 lbs per year, were to match the U.S. 99 lbs, to feed the beef would take 350 million tons of grain, far larger than China's grain harvest, equivalent to the entire U.S. grain harvest. If China were to seek extra protein through seafood at the per-capita level of Japan, it would need 100 million tons, more than today's entire ocean fish catch. If China were to match the U.S. in per-capita cars and oil consumption, it would need 80 million barrels of oil per day. Current total global output is about 80 million barrels per day.

Thirdly, in the words of Dr Albert Bartlett, Professor of Physics at University of Colorado (Ret.): "Can you think of any problem whose long-term solution is in any way aided, assisted, or advanced by having larger populations at the local, state, national, or global level? Can you think of anything that will get better, if we crowd more people into our towns, cities, states, nations, or world?"

In Response, Edward Hartman* wrote:

It is not easy to think of a problem which is made easier to solve “...if we crowd more people into our towns, cities, states, nations, or world.” Can you think of one? In fact, it is not easy to think of a societal or an environmental problem which is not made more difficult or more expensive to solve as our towns, cities, states, and nation grow more crowded.

Whether used as a noun or as a verb, “crowd” is a word which suggests problems, not solutions.

Below is a list of some of the many issues which have become bigger problems because of America’s addiction to population growth. Next time you pick up a local newspaper, look for articles dealing with one or more problems made more difficult—and more expensive—to solve because of population growth. Then, see how many news articles suggest population stabilization as one approach to solving these problems. The answer will be: None! Newspapers love to write about problems and expensive solutions. But newspapers do not like to write about the one thing which would make most societal and environmental problems easier and less costly to mitigate: A stabilized population.

Perhaps a brief note to your local editor pointing that out might be appropriate.

Problems Amplified by U.S. Population Growth:

• Traffic congestion, rising commuter time, and “road rage”
• Air pollution from fast-growing cities
• Local debates over new development projects
• Water availability and water pollution
• Energy use and the need to find new sources to meet growing demand
• Security issues ~ Increased use of Middle Eastern Oil
• Suburban sprawl ~ Loss of rural areas and open space
• Agriculture at risk – overgrazing, aquifer loss, erosion, factory farming
• Overcrowding in schools ~ Language barriers
• Overfishing ~ Loss of wetlands and other ecosystems
• Rising number of endangered and threatened species
• Supply and demand of affordable housing
• Women's reproductive health rights ~ Availability of contraception
• Sex education debates
• Teen pregnancy ~ Unwanted children
• National and local debates about immigration
• Poverty and living wage issues

*For a review of Edward C. Hartman's new book, see article on page 22.