$5,000
Essence Roark
Yale University (Yale School of Public Health)

The population in Santa Barbara has doubled in the last twenty years and has transformed in many ways. The rapid population growth has worsened the effects of climate change, resulting in increased temperatures, wildfires, and drought. Santa Barbara now faces environmental dangers, new health hazards, and a shortage of affordable housing due to the population increase. To prevent this future, we must take action now. There are actions community leaders can take today to reduce dramatic population growth. As an individual, I plan to contribute by pursuing a Master’s in Public Health and utilizing my education to promote effective change.

In twenty years, the doubled population has increased the greenhouse gasses in Santa Barbara due to more vehicles and industry, resulting in higher temperatures. This has worsened the wildfires and droughts, and rising global temperatures have created higher sea levels, resulting in coastal erosion. The rising temperature and water shortages have created problems for regional agriculture, and native ecosystems struggle to survive the changing environment. In addition to this, the heat exacerbates smog and traps polluted air over Santa Barbara, posing many health risks to residents. To prevent dangerous air pollution, the city should take action today by investing in renewable energy and preserving natural spaces. I can also take action by using my public health degree to help the most at-risk areas and developing community outreach and prevention programs to reduce the impacts of poor air quality and natural disasters.

The population increase has also resulted in health hazards for the residents of Santa Barbara. Cases of respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses have risen due to air pollution. The smog has also trapped heat, resulting in greater numbers of heat-related injuries and deaths. The heat and higher population density have also increased the transmission of vector-borne diseases. The increased demand for health services is burdening hospitals, making health inaccessible to the larger population. We must take action now to preserve air quality and reduce population growth.

City officials should invest in infrastructure to handle the projected growth, and changes in policy should be made to reduce the population growth. We need to improve mass transit, cycling routes, and pedestrian infrastructure to reduce emissions and personal vehicle use. Santa Barbara’s public health services should account for an increase in population and make adjustments to the system, ensuring that the most impacted communities are getting support. As a public health professional, I can advocate for these improvements and enact change through policy. I can advocate for small family incentives, widespread access to contraceptives, and improvements in reproductive education to prevent dramatic population growth.

Alongside environmental and health struggles, insufficient housing has created socioeconomic, environmental, and public health strains. Changing zoning codes today can prevent the destruction of natural habitats and prevent a future of overpopulation. Adjusting zoning and incentivizing the improvement of existing housing would prevent a housing crisis while protecting Santa Barbara’s ecosystems. Additionally, implementing policies that prohibit new developments and housing sprawl would protect natural spaces, which notably aid in reducing smog. My public health training would allow me to educate decision-makers on the importance of sustainable housing for positive health and environmental outcomes.

In just 20 years, Santa Barbara has been deeply affected by warming trends, poor air quality, and a lack of affordable housing stemming from population growth. These environmental, social, and health challenges can be prevented through proactive policies to prevent population growth and improve infrastructure. We can make progress toward population growth preparation and population growth prevention.

As someone about to complete a Master’s in Public Health, I can leverage this degree in several ways to help address rapid population growth. I plan to pursue roles where I advise leaders on data-driven policies aimed at population stabilization. I will advocate for improved sexual and reproductive education and resources, women’s rights, and women’s autonomy, as these have been associated with lower birth rates. I will encourage the expansion of public transit networks, urban growth boundaries, incentives favoring smaller families, and zoning allowances for higher density in urban cores to restrict development sprawl. I plan to help leaders find the balance between economic demands and sustainability.

Moreover, I intend to educate residents on sustainable family planning through public health campaigns. As an individual, I will align my personal life choices with population growth prevention – keeping my own family small, consuming consciously, and speaking publicly for policies aligning quality of life, equity, and environmental health. I plan to support nonprofit groups in expanding access to family planning resources. With involvement ranging from public policy to grassroots advocacy, there are many actions community leaders, and myself can take to tackle rapid population growth.

$3,500
Alex Blake
University of Nevada

Sustainability has become one of the most pivotal goals in contemporary society and will grow to become crucial for our livelihood as the population increases. According to a report provided by the International Energy Agency, the construction industry is estimated to generate 39% of the world’s carbon emissions annually. With a rising global population, the growth of the construction sector is virtually inevitable. In addition to worsening climate change, the need for more affordable housing is among the largest issues urban communities face as populations increase. The need for housing is accompanied by the issues of urban sprawl, sustainable construction, and a strain on infrastructure. Action should be taken to mitigate the anticipated population growth through sensible urban design and policy implementation.

Construction, despite its environmental impact, is crucial to metropolitan and rural areas alike. Regardless of the type of sustainable strategies used in a development project, the most sustainable construction is no construction at all. As our population grows, so does the need for more construction to build the infrastructure that supports this growth. A growing city has a propensity for urban sprawl. A term coined by Earle Draper, one of the first city planners in the southeastern United States, urban sprawl is the expansion of development into rural, undeveloped land and natural habitats. This rapid expansion of our cities’ infrastructure results in an increased reliance on automobiles for transportation resulting in the need for more roads. Our roads are paved with a mixture of asphalt and concrete. According to the Journal of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, these materials are capable of absorbing nearly 95% of the sun’s energy. This energy is then radiated back into the surrounding landscape, making our urban areas much hotter, thus creating an endless cycle of a warming environment. Oftentimes, these implications are overlooked for the sole purpose of making a profit. Most developers find it easier to simply build upon vacant land and construct the necessary infrastructure to tether new development with the existing framework. This building strategy is problematic, but as the population density in cities increases, this is the most viable strategy. Municipalities must aim toward educating and communicating the importance of sustainability to lower the impact of these issues.

Local officials and community leaders should advocate for practical city planning policies that address the need for an increase in new construction as a result of population growth. By pushing for public policy that advocates for and incentivizes projects that utilize the existing framework within our urban areas, we can stop our cities from growing by way of developing our natural habitats. Leaders and policymakers should encourage mixed-use developments that combine residential, commercial, and recreational spaces in a compact layout. This approach limits the need for extensive travel and even promotes walkability, reducing the environmental impact of urban sprawl and vehicular travel. They should also push for the adaptive reuse of existing structures to better align with the contemporary needs of the city, limiting the need for new construction altogether. In addition to city planning policy, it is crucial for officials to take measures to lower the population to a sustainable level. The strain a large population has on an infrastructure’s resources is immense, particularly in harsh climates where resources are scarce to begin with. Here in Las Vegas, water conservation is vital to our survival. Conservation measures have been taken to accommodate the booming population, but according to the Southern Nevada Water Authority, these measures will not be enough if the population continues to grow. The Water Authority concluded that the Colorado River Basin is experiencing the worst drought in recorded history. The elevation of Lake Mead has dropped more than 150 feet since 2000. Water shortages are a pressing issue as the Secretary of the Interior made the first-ever shortage declaration in 2021, which reduced the amount of water available to Nevada and other water users in 2022.

A future where the population in Las Vegas has doubled is difficult to picture. The very idea sounds reminiscent of a doomsday-style movie. I imagine that the current stresses of metropolitan life are drastically exacerbated. Traffic congestion leaves highway transportation stagnant, constant water shortages push the city to the brink of turmoil, and the pace of multi-family residential construction cannot keep up with the demands of the city’s inhabitants. Local officials can and should imagine this worst-case scenario and take it into account when drafting policies. Upon graduating and entering the architecture field, I intend to utilize what I have learned during my time in the City of Las Vegas’ urban planning division. Through my insight and experience in zoning laws, building codes, and the inner workings of city government, I aim to advocate for large-scale, sustainable urban projects that promote net-zero building. The need to conserve resources and our natural habitat should not be a goal of the future. I believe it should be implemented in all construction projects presently. With the support of public policy and the innovative minds of architects and urban planners, creative solutions that make a positive impact on our cities are possible. Cities must cease to grow by developing our natural habitats. Municipalities should push toward a sustainable population size before it is too late.

$2,500
Joy McFadden
College of Architecture and Planning/University of Colorado

In the year 2044, envisioning my community two decades into the future, I am struck by the exponential growth that has occurred since 2024. With the population having doubled in size, my community grapples with a myriad of challenges stemming from this rapid expansion. Among the most pressing issues are strains on healthcare services, education challenges, and housing affordability.

The strain on healthcare services looms large as our community struggles to keep pace with the growing demand for medical care. Overcrowded hospitals, extended wait times for medical attention, and difficulties in ensuring adequate healthcare access for all residents have become stark realities. To mitigate these challenges, local officials and community leaders must take decisive action today. Investing in healthcare infrastructure stands as a critical step towards addressing the strain on healthcare services. This includes not only the construction of new hospitals and clinics but also the expansion and modernization of existing facilities. By prioritizing funding for healthcare programs aimed at preventive care and community health education, local officials can shift the focus from reactive treatment to proactive wellness initiatives. Collaboration with healthcare providers and organizations is essential to improve access to healthcare services, particularly in underserved areas where disparities in healthcare access persist. As an architecture student, I recognize the importance of designing healthcare facilities that are not merely functional but also conducive to healing and well-being. Integrating elements of biophilic design, such as natural light and green spaces, can create environments that promote relaxation and recovery for patients. Moreover, fostering connections between healthcare facilities and their surrounding communities can enhance accessibility and foster a sense of belonging among residents. In addition to healthcare, education emerges as a critical battleground in the face of population growth. Overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages, and declining education quality threaten to undermine the potential of future generations.

Local officials and community leaders must prioritize investments in education infrastructure to ensure equitable access to quality education for all students. Assigning resources to improve educational facilities and provide adequate resources for classrooms and educational materials is essential. Furthermore, implementing policies to attract and retain qualified teachers, such as competitive salaries and professional development opportunities, can help address teacher shortages and improve education quality. Supporting programs aimed at addressing educational disparities and promoting equal access to quality education for all students is crucial to fostering a more equitable society. As an architecture student, I am passionate about the role that design can play in shaping educational environments that inspire learning and creativity. From flexible classroom layouts to inviting communal spaces, there is immense potential to create environments that support diverse learning needs and foster a sense of community among students and teachers. By embracing principles of inclusivity and sustainability in educational design, architects can contribute to the creation of environments that empower learners and cultivate lifelong curiosity.

Developing policies such as inclusionary zoning, rent control, and subsidies for low-income households is essential to ensuring that housing remains accessible to all residents. Engaging with local government and community organizations to advocate for policies that address population growth challenges, such as affordable housing, environmental protection, and infrastructure improvements, is crucial to fostering a more inclusive and sustainable community. Furthermore, the issue of housing affordability resonates deeply with me as an architect student. The prospect of using design as a tool to address social inequities and create more inclusive communities is both inspiring and daunting. As someone committed to the principles of sustainability and social responsibility, I’m eager to explore how innovative design strategies can make housing more accessible and affordable for all residents. From exploring alternative housing typologies, such as micro-units and co-housing developments, to reimagining underutilized urban spaces, there are countless opportunities for architects to play a role in addressing the housing crisis. By prioritizing principles of affordability, sustainability, and community engagement, architects can help shape a future where housing is not just a commodity but a fundamental human right.

As an individual, I am committed to using my skills and passion to contribute to solutions that address the challenges of population growth in my community. Whether through advocacy, volunteer work, or innovative design solutions, I am determined to play an active role in shaping a future where everyone has access to quality healthcare, education, and housing. By working together with local officials, community leaders, and fellow residents, we can build a community that is resilient, equitable, and thriving for generations to come.

In conclusion, the challenges posed by population growth require a multidisciplinary approach that harnesses the creative potential of architects, policymakers, community leaders, and individuals alike. As an architect student, I’m excited to contribute my skills and passion to this collective effort. By embracing principles of human-centered design, sustainability, and social equity, we can create communities that are resilient, inclusive, and thriving for generations to come. Through collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to making a positive impact, we can build a future where everyone has access to quality healthcare, education, and housing, regardless of their background or circumstances.

$1,500
Michelle Berg
National University of Natural Medicine

The year is 2044 in New York City and the population has grown to almost 40 million people.  The three most serious issues facing my community are the housing and poverty crisis, air quality, and rising temperatures.

Due to the growing urbanization trend over the years, there is a greater concentration of people in urban locations throughout the world causing a higher demand for housing and resources within urban communities.  These higher demands have resulted in surging prices for housing and the cost of living, as well as a steadily increasing income tax rate necessary for the city to provide public services to the increased population.  The necessity for people to migrate to urban areas has increased over the years as more and more jobs are concentrated in urban areas where there are more efficient methods and systems, however, there is an imbalance between salaries and the cost of living due to the imbalance of supply and demand.  This imbalance has caused a severe and growing poverty issue throughout the city along with increased homelessness without enough shelters and resources for the city to address the problem effectively.  Every health crisis that our community has faced over the last 20 years has contributed to a greater disparity between the social classes and the lower class has become exponentially poorer, forcing a greater percentage into poverty every year.

Air quality has declined drastically over the past 20 years as the need for increased transportation throughout the city has increased.  The use of transport contributes to about 30 percent of the city’s air quality.  Toxic pollutants are the leading cause of noncontagious illnesses such as strokes, cancer, and heart disease and with the increasing percentage of the population falling ill from these diseases our hospitals are over capacity.  There is a greater demand for healthcare services and healthcare practitioners than we are able to keep up with.  Not only is there a burden on our healthcare system and a lower quality of care provided, but hospitals generate more energy than any other building in the city, contributing even more greatly to the air pollution problem itself.

Energy emissions are the greatest contributor to climate change and temperatures in the urban areas are about 2-7 degrees warmer than in non-urban areas and for every 2 degrees of temperature increase, the electricity demand increases by upwards of 10 percent.  Electricity suppliers rely predominantly on fossil fuels which contribute greatly to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, creating a never-ending cycle of increasing energy emissions leading to increasing temperatures leading to increasing electricity demand.  Urban areas are warmer than non-urban areas due to pockets of heat called “heat islands” caused by a greater concentration of infrastructure and a lower concentration of greenery.  The temperature increase has created a wide-spread health crisis across the city as it affects the aging population, young children, low-income communities, outdoor workers, and people with health conditions.

Local officials and community leaders can institute several policies today that will help alleviate the impact of these rising issues.  Some of the policies that can help slow the population growth trend are family planning programs to educate the youth population, providing financial, legal, and social support for abortions, incorporating population and environmental issues into primary education curriculums, and by disincentivizing more than two children per family.  Local governments can also help in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by supporting the transition of businesses and hospitals to energy efficient and energy renewable processes and equipment, by increasing low-cost technical reviews for large manufacturers to improve efficiencies and to reduce waste, and by increasing resources related to waste reduction and recycling programs.  Local officials can help improve air quality by increasing funding to more energy and fuel-efficient transportation options.  Additionally, in order to slow down the rate of rising temperatures, local officials can fund “heat island” reducing programs such as tree planting campaigns, incentives for green roofs, and by identifying and tracking neighborhoods with greatest exposure to “heat islands”, providing more funding to initiatives in these locations.

As an individual, volunteering with local community organizations that educate the community about ways to reduce their carbon footprint in manageable ways, improve accessibility to recycling and waste reduction methods, and support education and funding for family planning programs is impactful in helping to protect the future of urban communities.  The more people that are informed of the issues, realize the impact, and understand how they can help in preventing long-term environmental, health-related, and economic problems the more likely we are to improve the trajectory or our community and save planet Earth.

$1,500
Jessica Davis
Vanderbilt University

As I transport myself two decades into the future, I imagine a Nashville that has undergone a profound transformation. The once modest cityscape has burst, doubling its population since 2024. While population growth often symbolizes prosperity and development, in Nashville it brings forth a myriad of challenges that demand immediate attention and proactive solutions. In this essay, I will delve into three of the most serious problems that Nashville would face due to this exponential growth, propose strategies for local officials and community leaders to manage these issues, and define the individual actions necessary to protect our community’s future.

The first formidable challenge stemming from Nashville’s doubled population is a strain on infrastructure. With the inflow of new residents, demands for housing, transportation, and utilities will skyrocket. The city’s infrastructure, once tailored to accommodate a smaller populace, now feels the weight of overuse. Traffic congestion clogs thoroughfares, causing severe gridlock during rush hours. Housing shortages drive up homelessness and property prices, rendering access to the already unaffordable housing market impossible for many. Additionally, the increased demand for water, electricity, and waste management services stretches existing systems.

To alleviate these infrastructure woes, local officials and community leaders must adopt a forward-thinking approach. First, they should invest in infrastructure renovation projects that boost transportation, upgrade utilities, and increase the affordable housing stock. Initiatives promoting sustainable urban development, such as mixed-use zoning, can mitigate the strain on resources. Collaboration with local stakeholders and the creation of public-private partnerships will distribute resources more efficiently and ensure the long-term sustainability of Nashville’s infrastructure.

The second issue Nashville will face in the wake of its population surge is socioeconomic inequality. Disparities in income, education, and access to affordable housing increase as the city grows. Economic division pushes marginalized communities to the fringes which exacerbates social tensions and prolongs cycles of poverty. Education systems strain under increased enrollment – worsening the educational injustices and hindering upward mobility for disadvantaged youth. Moreover, gentrification threatens to displace longstanding residents and erodes the social fabric of neighborhoods.

To combat socioeconomic inequality, local officials and community leaders must prioritize inclusive development and equitable resource disbursement. Implementing policies that promote affordable housing, expand access to quality education, and foster economic opportunities for all residents can mitigate the adverse effects. Fostering community engagement and dialogue between diverse stakeholders including metro police, the transportation department, and the school system can empower marginalized communities and amplify their voices in the decision-making process. By cultivating a culture of inclusivity, Nashville can harness the collective potential of its populace to forge a more equitable and resilient city.

The third formidable challenge confronting Nashville in its population boom is environmental degradation. As urban expansion encroaches upon natural habitats, ecosystems suffer irreparable harm. Pollution levels skyrocket as vehicular emission and industrial activity poisons the air and waterways which endanger public health and worsen climate change. Furthermore, deforestation and urban development accelerate – exacerbating the risk of natural disasters such as floods and landslides.

To mitigate environmental ruin, local officials and community leaders must prioritize sustainability and conservation efforts. Implementing stringent environmental regulations, investing in renewable energy infrastructure, and promoting eco-friendly practices can curb pollution levels and mitigate climate change impacts. Furthermore, preserving green spaces, growing our tree canopy, and expanding urban parks can provide residents with vital recreational outlets. Engaging with environmental groups and fostering a culture of environmental stewardship can mobilize grassroots support for conservation initiatives which ensure the long-term health and resilience of Nashville’s ecosystems.

As individuals, we bear a collective responsibility to safeguard our community’s future. By adopting more sustainable practices, reducing our carbon footprint, and advocating for environmental conservation, we can contribute to the broader effort to combat climate change and protect our natural heritage. Moreover, fostering empathy and solidarity within our communities, volunteering with local nonprofits, and advocating for social justice can help mitigate socioeconomic disparities and foster a more inclusive and equitable city. By taking proactive steps to address the challenges posed by population growth, we can pave the way for a brighter and more sustainable future for Nashville and its residents.

In conclusion, Nashville’s doubled population would present a host of challenges that demand proactive solutions. By addressing issues such as strained infrastructure, socioeconomic inequality, and environmental demolition, our local officials, community leaders, and individuals alike can chart a course towards a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable future. Through collaborative efforts and collective action, we can overcome these large challenges and build a thriving community that embodies the values of inclusivity, equity, and environmental stewardship.

$1,500
Tyler Kleinsasser
SD School of Mines and Technology

Imagining 2044: Navigating the Challenges of a Doubling Population

By 2044, envisioning my community grappling with the ramifications of its population doubling since 2024, presents a daunting but inevitable scenario. This seismic demographic shift weaves a complex and intricate tapestry of multifaceted challenges, casting long shadows over the foundational pillars of our society: the infrastructure, the natural environment, and the very weave of our social fabric. The once spacious roads, parks, and public spaces, envisioned to serve a smaller populace, now teeter on the brink of saturation, signaling an urgent need for robust, scalable solutions. As we stand on this precipice, the necessity for strategic foresight and proactive intervention becomes starkly apparent. The collective wisdom of local officials, community leaders, and engaged citizens is summoned to navigate this labyrinth of burgeoning needs and to sculpt a resilient, sustainable future. Their actions, or lack thereof, will script the narrative of our community’s journey through this period of exponential growth, underlining the critical need for thoughtful planning and decisive action to mitigate the impending socio-economic and environmental strains.

Strained Infrastructure: The Loom of Urban Expansion

The most palpable impact of population doubling is on our infrastructure. Roads, once fluid arteries of the community, are now choked with traffic, causing not just delays but also contributing to air pollution. Public services are stretched beyond their intended capacity. Schools and hospitals, once cornerstones of community welfare, grapple with overcrowding and resource shortages, leading to a decline in service quality. The utilities sector, too, is under siege, with water shortages and power outages becoming increasingly common.

To navigate this, local officials must champion infrastructural resilience. Investments in multi-modal transportation solutions, including public transit and cycling lanes, can reduce dependency on personal vehicles, easing traffic and lowering pollution. Upgrading utility networks with smart technologies can improve efficiency and sustainability. Developing high-density housing with integrated green spaces can address the dual needs of accommodation and environmental preservation.

Environmental Degradation: The Echo of Neglect

The second severe problem is environmental degradation. Rapid urbanization leads to the loss of green areas, increased pollution, and disruption of local ecosystems, resulting in a stark decline in biodiversity and quality of life. The community’s carbon footprint balloons as the population grows, exacerbating climate change impacts.

To mitigate this, local governance must enforce stringent environmental policies. Initiatives like urban reforestation, green building standards, and conservation of natural habitats can be transformative. Promoting sustainable waste management practices and renewable energy adoption are crucial. Community programs that educate and engage residents in sustainability efforts can cultivate a culture of environmental stewardship.

Socioeconomic Disparities: The Shadow of Inequity

The third critical challenge is the deepening of socioeconomic disparities. As the population booms, the demand for jobs, housing, and resources intensifies, disproportionately affecting the economically vulnerable. This can lead to increased homelessness, crime rates, and a palpable divide between economic classes, threatening social cohesion.

To combat this, local leaders should advocate for inclusive growth policies. Affordable housing initiatives, equitable education, and job training programs can empower all community members. Developing social safety nets and accessible healthcare can reduce the vulnerabilities associated with poverty. Encouraging community-driven projects can foster a sense of belonging and mutual support among diverse social groups.

The Role of the Individual: Seeds of Change

On an individual level, the actions I take today can significantly impact the future landscape of my community. By adopting a lifestyle that prioritizes sustainability, like reducing waste, conserving water, and using public transport, I contribute to easing the environmental and infrastructural pressures. Active participation in community planning and policy advocacy ensures that the collective voice is heard and acted upon.

Furthermore, engaging in community service and supporting local businesses can strengthen the economic and social fabric of our society. Education and sharing knowledge about sustainable living practices can ripple through the community, inspiring collective action towards a more sustainable future.

Conclusion: Crafting a Sustainable Future Together

In conclusion, the doubling of the population by 2044 presents a multi-faceted challenge that requires comprehensive and proactive strategies. Through strategic planning, environmental conservation, and fostering social equity, local officials and community leaders can steer our community towards a sustainable and inclusive future. As individuals, our conscious choices and active engagement play a pivotal role in shaping this future. By uniting our efforts, we can ensure that our community not only adapts to the challenges of population growth but also thrives, offering a high quality of life for all its residents. In this journey towards sustainability, each of us holds a thread that can weave a resilient and vibrant community fabric for generations to come.

$1,500
Jill Koundakjian
The University of Kansas

It’s 2044 and Chicago has doubled in size. Over the past 20 years, the population has grown from 3 million to 6 million, nearly the size of New York City. The reality, however, is that it resembles something more like Gotham City. If the aforementioned scenario were true, the amount of serious problems would abound. Problems in Chicago have only been growing worse in recent times. Without a major overhaul in government and the community as a whole, I don’t foresee improvements in the near future. Among the most serious problems are poverty, crime, and lack of affordable housing. What can be done now to help prevent such a dark, dire outcome?

Before further exploring each problem, it is necessary to highlight the interconnected relationship between the three main problems. None can be solved independent of the others. The first problem, poverty, is a familiar foe to most major cities. Although its presence cannot be totally eradicated, it can be lessened. There will always be people who choose not to participate in mainstream society. I believe one solution to be education. The local government should keep working toward reforming the education system in Chicago, not just for children, but also for adults. One area that I believe should be reinforced is citizenship. Becoming responsible, productive citizens is essential to creating caring, safe communities. Quality education should also be free and mandatory for everyone, including adults. Nontraditional schools and institutes would also be necessary for those who have difficulty learning in a traditional environment. I think community service projects should also be a mandatory part of the program. Community service can be a great way to help people expand their worldviews and learn perspective-taking skills. This educational program can be a way to help people enter into society as productive citizens and help end the mindset that often prevents people from breaking out of the cycle of poverty. Such a program can help encourage people to pursue meaningful, successful careers. Currently, I work as an educator in a low income school, helping to shape the next generation. I work to instill in them a sense of responsibility and good citizenship. In addition, I highlight the importance of seeing themselves, not just as individuals, but as important members of a community capable of causing positive change. I want them to care about more than just themselves and understand how their actions impact others.

A second problem is crime. Historically, Chicago and crime have been seen as synonymous. After the recent pandemic and riots, the idea of creating an atmosphere of safety and security within the neighborhoods seems almost unattainable. The local news is riddled with  morbid details of the latest shootings. Solving the poverty issue will help reduce the crime rate; however, in order to make a real difference in the future, local government will need an overhaul now. Our leaders would have to become more organized and compassionate. Furthermore, we need to strengthen our police force. There has been a reduction in its effectiveness, which means less protection and enforcing laws, and more people avoiding the consequences of their crimes. We need to build a new generation of leaders with integrity, who hold to high standards, and have genuine concern for the well-being and success of the people they serve. In my own neighborhood, I try to be the best possible neighbor and offer help freely, whether it be shoveling snow, sharing produce from my garden, or picking up litter. I try to be an example by being mindful of those around me and helping to keep the neighborhood clean. Being an example of change can often have a far reaching impact.

In regards to housing, there is currently an issue with a lack of affordable housing. To further complicate the issue, as a sanctuary city, Chicago has received an influx of refugees and is struggling to house them. If the population were to double within twenty years, lack of adequate housing would continue to be a problem. Once again, reducing poverty and crime would help solve the housing issue. There are huge areas that are neglected and rundown. Even though the space could be utilized to build more housing, the areas themselves are undesirable for reasons related to poverty and crime. The root of the issue is complicated and will not be easily solved. Furthermore, Chicago residents are overtaxed, making it very difficult to plan for the future. The government and community leaders could work together to make the path to homeownership more feasible. Organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity, have helped make this dream a reality for many people. Community members could volunteer their time and energy in building such homes. As a past volunteer, I can say it is a very meaningful and rewarding experience.

Overall, poverty, crime, and housing are among many issues that would result from a sharp increase in the population of Chicago. Governmental leadership would need more accountability, organization, and compassion. To avoid a chaotic society in the future, we need new leaders of integrity and good character with genuine concern for those they serve. We need government officials who are willing to listen and partner with community members to help bring about positive change now. In addition, we need caring, compassionate people who are willing to sacrifice and serve in such a way that the whole community will be impacted for good.

$1,500
Monica Monroe
Eastern Illinois University

The population of the world in general has grown exponentially in the last century. This can and has caused many issues in the world we live in today. Population growth can have different effects in rural communities compared to cities. I have always lived in a rural community and have seen the impacts of population growth from that standpoint. While a lot of issues are similar, I am going to focus on ones that could potentially affect a smaller community.

If the population doubles in my area by 2044 then one of the most serious issues I see would be loss of farmland. Even in the past few years you see more investors and non-farmers buying out farm ground at incredibly high prices. A lot of the time this can eliminate local family-owned farms from being able to buy ground and keep more farm ground in local hands. More and more you see farmland being turned into corporate buildings, large businesses, housing, etc. Farmland is a necessity to live as farmers all over the world are growing our food. Along with this, more people will mean the necessity of increased electrical supply. Solar and wind farms are popping up all over the United States with a rapid increase in rural communities, another factor taking away farmland in our area. There are multiple ways area officials and I can help to prevent loss of farmland on which we rely for America’s food supply. Community officials and leaders can continue to educate local landowners on the benefits of keeping farmland in the hands of locals in the community. I currently work for an agriculture farm management company that also sells farm ground. When selling a farm our first objective is to get the word out in the area surrounding the farmland in hopes that we can get a farmer or local landowner to buy the land and talk to them about the benefits of keeping the farm ground in local hands.

Another serious issue I see if the population doubles in my community would be crime rates. Compared to big cities our crime rate could be considered low, but for a small town you don’t expect much crime at all. I live in a small college town, and we see the crime rate rise every year when students are in town. I have no doubt that with more people comes more crime, seeing as this is the trend every year when school is in session. One way I would help with this issue would be volunteering for any organizations that are created to help with crime. This could be ones that support victims of crimes, criminal reform, raise money to help with crime awareness, educating youth, etc. To help prevent this issue right now local officials can come together to discuss solutions that will help for years to come and not just put a band aid on the current issues. Police forces everywhere are struggling with hiring and officials need to come up with a way to make people want to get back into the field and help young people pursue a career in police work. A reduced police force in a community can lend itself to more crime.

The last serious issue I see with the population doubling in my community in 20 years is environmental pollution. Every variety of pollution could potentially rise with a rise in population. Already I see garbage in ditches, public areas, and bodies of water. Of all the problems I listed, I believe this is the easiest one to control. There are current solutions being put in place to help with this issue already, but more will need to be done if the population were to double in 20 years. When I think of pollutants, I think of animal populations even though humans are also affected. Rural communities tend to have higher animal populations than urban areas which are highly affected by pollution. One of the most serious would be water sources. If groundwater waste is not contained and gets into creeks or streams it could be detrimental to all species. Another issue is roadside litter that you currently see all around. Animals try to eat it or get caught up in it. Community officials could continue to create groups specifically focused on programs, partnerships, organizations, etc. to help with the prevention of increased pollution. A lot of communities currently work with government agencies that help fund organizations like this and I believe officials should continue to work with them and push for even more help and more ways to contribute to reducing the pollution in our community. I also think officials getting youth involved in helping in reduction would be the biggest help, as they will be the ones to hurt or help the issue in the next 20 years. I can do my part just by helping the younger generation understand the severity of their actions whether it’s hurting or helping with environmental pollution.

I believe these would be the biggest concerns in my community with a rise in population over the next couple of decades and believe educating the community above everything else will be the biggest solution. This way people understand the seriousness of the issues and are motivated to help with solutions.

$1,500
Jennifer Powers
The University of Chicago

Boston is in crisis. Overpopulation is a pressing issue we are facing all over the world, but the doubling of Boston’s population in the last 20 years has come at detrimental costs. The housing crisis is the most prevalent struggle we face today, but this began much before the exponential growth that started in 2024. Nearly 10 years before this, housing specialists were already beginning to warn the city that the rapidly increasing costs of homes were pushing out low-income families (Grogan & Kelleher, 2019). Only five years after this initial warning, Boston housing prices had increased so much that even those considered middle-income were at risk of losing their homes (Grogan & Kelleher, 2019). The rapid increase in housing costs coupled with the lower than necessary rate of new housing developments has created an inescapable and rapidly worsening housing crisis. This lack of available, affordable housing has led to a large increase in the homeless population around the city. Despite the increase in this population, we have not seen a significant increase in emergency shelters being built for support. In the 2023 US Homeless Census, Boston saw a huge increase in the homeless population both living on the streets and utilizing the emergency shelters available, but by February of 2024, there were over 700 families on the waitlists for these types of shelters (Bedford, 2024).

This increase in housing prices has created an environment in which only the wealthiest can afford to live in Boston. As a result, those working within the city have no choice but to commute from the suburbs. The constant traffic littering the city is the second pressing obstacle we face today. This increased inconvenience of getting into the city has created a significant shortage of workers that are willing to take jobs within Boston. The many hours the commute can add to the day has proven long ago to make it difficult for employers to not only retain, but simply find workers (Crump et al., 2020). Both the housing and traffic crises have led to a completely inaccessible city that is simply, struggling to function.  Additionally, the increase in cars driving around the city has only worsened the already struggling environment we live in. This is the third, and possibly biggest obstacle facing Boston and the whole planet. The increase in air pollution created by the rise in car emissions is only a small portion of the worsening carbon footprint we see with the rapid increase in population. In 2019, air pollution was the cause of over 2000 deaths in Massachusetts alone (Mark, 2022). This silent killer disproportionately impacts those that are in lower-income areas, particularly black and brown individuals and despite this being the case for decades, there is little being done to remedy it (Mark, 2022). Overpopulation has exacerbated the already critical issues our planet is facing in terms of climate change. One evident way we have seen this, is on the coast with the rising sea levels leading to immense flooding on the coast of the city. In approximately the last 30 years, we have seen a nearly 10-inch increase in sea level (2022 sea level rise technical report, 2022). This is the same rise we saw in the 100 years preceding this change, a clear indicator that the state of the climate is moribund (2022 sea level rise technical report, 2022).

As a society seeing glimpses of these struggles in 2024, there are many imperative steps that local officials, community leaders, and all of us must take to stop these continuing crises from worsening. To combat the housing crisis, there are two crucial actions that must be taken. The first is reversing the ban on rent control. This has long allowed for price gouging, which forces out long-term low- and middle-income families from their homes (Crump et al., 2020). This change will create immediate and long-standing relief from the exponential price increases that have been seen over the last 20 years. Additionally, there is an immense need for the reforming of the zoning laws in the suburbs of Boston. The current zoning laws impede multiple family homes from being built in areas located near commuter rail stations, making these areas an extremely underutilized resource in the state (Delivering housing justice,2022). Research has found that loosening these restrictions in solely four suburban hubs would provide between 200 and 600 housing units to be built in the next 5 years alone (Crump et al., 2020). This could provide affordable housing in high-opportunity areas for thousands of individuals (Crump et al., 2020). Further, if public officials prioritize expansion work within the commuter rail system, this will allow for more affordable and attainable housing to be built in different suburbs that will gain easy access into the city. This will result in less congestion on roads, cheaper forms of not only transit into the city, but also housing near Boston, and therefore more attainable opportunities for work within the city. This change has the potential to break the cycle of segregation that is inherently perpetuated with higher housing costs while decreasing our carbon footprint (Crump et al., 2020). In part, this opportunity could be partially federally funded by the 500 million dollars the American Rescue Plan provides (Delivering housing justice,2022). An additional use for this funding could be a preventative rise in land on the coast as well as a dam system to protect Bostonians from the rapidly rising sea level (2022 sea level rise technical report, 2022).

As individuals, it is more important now than ever for us to support local officials and community leaders that are fighting for these changes, including a healthier climate and planet overall. Mayor Wu, is a great example of a local official who is already fighting for these kinds of changes. Continuing to vote and advocate for this kind of change as well as donate resources and time to homeless shelters, will be imperative to creating a thriving society within Boston and the rest of the world.

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Sarah Slay
UNC Chapel Hill

The North Carolina Triangle area has experienced significant population growth in the past ten years. It isn’t difficult to imagine the population of the area doubling over the next twenty years. Jobs in research, industry, and prominent universities attract people from all over the world. In addition, North Carolina’s mild weather and diverse landscape have created one of the fastest growing populations in the U.S. It’s clear to see why people from throughout the U.S. and the world flock to NC in increasing numbers. However, these high growth rates come at a cost.

Housing construction in the Triangle has not kept up with recent population growth. Contractors and corporate home builders have invested millions in new-home construction. However, the rush to build high-quantities of homes at a rapid rate often leads to shoddy workmanship. Home builders also seek to maximize profit. Therefore, home prices have skyrocketed and will continue to increase in proportion with the population. The housing that is available is often unaffordable, especially in urban areas. Local residents are increasingly priced out of their neighborhoods in favor of new, rich migrants. The Triangle also has a significant student population. These students cannot afford to live close to campus due to high rent costs. Thus, people who cannot afford to live in cities flee to the suburbs.

Suburban living seems attractive at first glance. Everyone gets their own space with a yard and a car. However, urban sprawl has countless negative impacts on the environment. Workers who have been priced out of the city now experience long commutes. Reliance on cars for transportation increases air pollution. Road construction also destroys natural habitats and segregates native fauna. Suburban areas also suffer from a lack of public transportation, which would ameliorate automotive pollution. Having less cars on the road would reduce air pollution significantly and improve commute times.

In addition to roads, population growth increases strain on infrastructure. The Triangle is served by several electric companies and co-ops. These organizations and their outdated power generators cannot keep up with the high-energy demands from new houses and businesses. For example, UNC Chapel Hill is still partially served by a coal power plant, which has myriad known harmful environmental consequences.  Additionally, water resources in the area continue to be depleted. Runoff from urban sprawl has polluted the freshwater sources on which so many rely. The growing population will consume power and water faster than it can be replaced.

Luckily, action can be taken at a local level to address these issues before they spiral out of control. Town officials should establish that a specific proportion of new housing be affordable based on the poverty line data for the area. Rent control policies are also necessary for students to be able to afford housing near campus. These policies would ensure affordable housing options for those who need it. Ideally, restrictions would also be placed on large companies that build or purchase homes in the area to reduce price gouging. In addition, more stringent housing inspection requirements for new construction should be established to ensure the safety of home buyers.

Creating more affordable housing in urban areas, as well as focusing on high-density housing construction, would also reduce urban sprawl. If people can afford to live closer to where they work or study, then there is no need for them to seek housing elsewhere or endure long commutes. For those who do live in the suburbs, local officials should direct more funding into the development of public transportation. The Triangle already has a bus system, but it has not evolved to meet the needs of a growing population. Establishing more frequent buses and more far-reaching routes would allow more suburbanites to commute to work with others, thus reducing their carbon footprint.

Regarding infrastructure, local officials must coordinate with the electric co-ops and energy companies to regulate production. They could also create tax incentives for residents to install solar panels, thus reducing their grid energy consumption. Energy providers will ultimately need to convert to more renewable energy options to meet the growing energy demands of a changing population. For water, local officials should conduct regular monitoring of the water supply and look to reduce consumption where possible. Efforts could also be directed towards river clean-up initiatives and educating the public on how to conserve water resources.

As an individual, I hope to protect my community from the effects of population growth by earning my Master’s in City and Regional Planning. I hope to arm myself with a robust education to effectively address housing availability, urban sprawl, and infrastructure strains. I plan to work in local government to enact policies like those outlined previously to protect my community. Individual voices can be powerful. Individuals can take action by sharing information about the negative effects of population growth. They can volunteer with local organizations to maintain water resources and clean up the environment. They can advocate for affordable housing policies and perform charity work.

In summation, the Triangle area is suffering from rapid population growth. This unchecked growth will exasperate housing costs, have numerous negative effects on the environment, and put unnecessary strain on local infrastructure. Local officials can enact policies that address this growth in the form of affordable housing initiatives, environmental protections, and infrastructure regulations. Individuals can also take action by using their voice to educate and volunteering their time to protect their community. I will use my City and Regional Planning Master’s to address these issues and prevent population growth from destroying my area.

$5,000
Harrison Hall
Liberty University

Another hurricane wreaks havoc on the East coast. A haze fills the sky as multiple cities along the West coast reach an unhealthy air quality index. Twenty-three animals across nineteen states are declared extinct (Center). Disease spreads like wildfire and a staggering number of Americans die due to unavailable ICU beds. The signs of overpopulation across the United States are everywhere and choosing to ignore them now will result in a legacy of detrimental and potentially irreversible consequences. Advancement in medical technology, lack of family planning and immigration happening at a runaway pace are contributors to the skyrocketing population growth. In just twenty years (2000 to 2020), the US population increased by over 17%. In order to protect this nation from further harm, it is imperative that Americans turn the tide of the country’s increasing population.

 Population growth negatively impacts the United States because it is a primary cause of:

1. Disease spread and lack of available medical care
2. Climate change
3. Air pollution
4. Biodiversity loss
5. Loss of green space

Overpopulation is deadly, as seen in recent history in the US. In over-populated areas communicable diseases spread more quickly. Such was the case in the early days of the coronavirus in New York City. Governor Andrew Cuomo, stated, “New York’s density makes it especially vulnerable to a respiratory disease pandemic (Rogers).” Subsequently, medical resources were not sufficient to serve the numbers of critically ill, resulting in avoidable deaths, a fact reported in a recent Yale study. This study showed a significant association between the number of hospital beds available in the first weeks of the COVID pandemic and the mortality rate (“Lack”).

Population growth increases harmful gasses from agriculture, industries and vehicles resulting in climate change and decreased air quality. Energy-saving technology has reduced per capita CO2 emissions, but emissions continue to rise due to population growth in our country and even more so due to immigrants entering the country. A staggering number of immigrants, often illegal, come to America from countries with very low per capita CO2. They enter the United States, one of the highest per capita carbon producing nations in the world. As such, once in the United States, they themselves greatly increase the amount of carbon they produce. The decline in air quality, relative to the increase in population, continues as cities grow without regulation (“Air”).

In addition to unclean air, the destruction of forests to make room for swarms of people hastens the vanishing of green spaces and of biodiversity loss. With it, Americans’ mental health suffers. According to a study by the National Academy of Sciences, citizens who grew up with the least green space had as much as 55% increased risk of psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety and substance abuse in later years (“Green”). As human activity continues to encroach on the natural environment, animal and plant species are pushed to extinction. The World Wildlife Fund’s Living Planet Report indicates that 68% of all vertebrate wildlife populations have been lost since 1970 (“Living”) and in that time the human population has more than doubled.

There are potential solutions to the issue of overpopulation and the problems it creates. Educating youth about family planning, focusing on limiting climate change and use of renewable energy are a start. However, none of these will be effective enough without a massive reduction in immigration. If we are to begin solving these problems, the rise in the number of people in the US must be critically addressed. Population growth must come to a halt so that this country can continue to be great for centuries to come.

$2,500
Jadon Lau
Northwestern University

A Bright, Sustainable Future

While a thriving country often has a growing population to match it, excessive growth has detrimental impacts to various facets of American life. Currently, the U.S is on track to reach over 400 million people in the next forty years (Statistia). This will put unprecedented strain on America’s economy, transportation systems, environment, infrastructure, and people.

From supersized soda sizes to yearly iPhone releases, America’s economy is built on the idea “More is Better”; however, the recent population increase is doing more harm than good. A population that exceeds the necessary workforce leaves many unemployed and underpaid. This, in turn, strains the economy as the government is pushed to give handouts rather than using that money for progressive causes. Many states are already facing the harsh realities of an uncontrolled population. California, for example, has the highest state GDP but sustains the greatest homeless population at over 150,000 people (World Population Review). The U.S owes it to its citizens to give them a life worth living opposed to a life in musty tents on littered streets.

The growing population also impacts the daily commute of Americans. State and federal governments are already spending half or more of their budget on road infrastructure, yet commute times still rob many people of many crucial hours that can be spent away from the wheel (U.S. Pirg). According to the U.S Census Bureau, the average one way commute time to work is 28 minutes, with longer times in major metro areas (U.S Census Bureau). An hour taken from every working citizen results in a huge loss of productivity.  Clearly, the solution does not exist in increased spending towards road expansion, but rather in solutions to negate the uncontrolled population growth.

Supporting an exponentially growing population with finite resources is economically infeasible, and research has shown that the U.S can only support around 150 million people–less than half its current amount. This puts much strain on America’s agricultural institutions. Deforestation for farms destroys the habitats of indigenous animals. Excrement from animals releases harmful pollutants into the soil, water, and atmosphere (Footprint). Americans are already the second-highest meat consumers in the world, and with an increasing population, the demand for meat will only rise (Sentient Media).  This further exacerbates the pressing environmental issues that will cause irreversible damage in the long run.

America’s infrastructure is also struggling to accommodate the massive population. Much of the current infrastructure was built in the 1960s, when the U.S population was half of its current size. With the current population, congestion is causing billions of dollars in economic waste. For example, air traffic congestion is estimated to cause $120 billion per year, and other infrastructure continues to provide suboptimal conditions for the large population (CFR).

Finally, as a result of the growing population, it is the very citizens that go through the most difficulty. With something as recent as the COVID-19 pandemic, our oversized population flooded hospitals to the point where many people had to wait hours to days to get a bed. There are simply not enough resources to accommodate the needs of every individual, leading to decreased satisfaction. Indeed, according to the World Population Review, the U.S ranks nineteenth in overall happiness (World Population Review). To add, in 2022, only 38% of Americans were satisfied with the state of the country–an all time low (Gallup). Controlling America’s population may appear to be taking steps backwards, but really, it is the only ethical way forwards. We owe it to the next generation to create a sustainable environment worth living in.

$1,500
Aaron Chan
Elon University

Saving America The Beautiful

“O beautiful for spacious skies,

For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties

Above the fruited plain!

America! America!

God shed His grace on thee

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!”

                    ~Katherine Lee Bates

The idea of America as a land of inexhaustible bounty has long been part of its national identity. An immeasurably rich continent, stretching “from sea to shining sea,” how could it ever be depleted?

However, a look at reality quickly shatters this beautiful dream. In order for a nation to be ecologically sustainable, its biocapacity, or total natural productive capacity, must not fall below its ecological footprint. The United States crossed that line in 2015 (“State of the States”), and the situation has not improved since.

This crisis can be attributed to steep population growth increasing demands on natural resources. Since 2000, the population of the U.S. has lurched upward by 50 million. This growth strains the resources of an already-strained continent, and exacerbates a host of other problems.

Take for example, the increase in pollution. Despite 40 years of innovation improving the efficiency of all technology, making car engines 20% more efficient (Nally), and light sources save 90% more energy (“10 Advantages”), U.S. CO2 emissions and energy consumption still rose by 11% and 19% respectively since 1980 (“Air Quality-National Summary”). This increase is due to America’s burgeoning population growing total demands for energy, not just erasing, but reversing emissions savings made by technology. In an era of climate crisis, growing America’s population hinders our efforts to save the planet.

Population growth also encroaches on natural habitats, turning up extinctionary pressure on species across the continent. Scientists estimate that a third of all U.S. species risk extinction, amounting to more than 8,500 plant and animal species (Tolmè). Halting humanity’s rapid growth and expansion into their habitats would give many endangered species a chance to survive, presenting a chance to save America’s rich biodiversity.

Additionally, an increasing population also exacerbates a stinky problem—the problem of overflowing landfills for our waste. On average across the U.S., a mere 14 years of landfill capacity remain (“Time is Running Out”). To accommodate demand, governments will have to set aside enormous new tracts of land to deposit trash, displacing wildlife, taking away space from housing or agriculture, and further covering our beautiful nation in mountains of garbage. Reducing American population growth would reduce the amount of waste generated, making the issue easier to deal with.

Most ominously of all, population growth could beget even more population growth. The 18th century English economist Thomas Malthus noted that population does not grow in a straight line, but has the potential to increase geometrically (2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, etc), becoming overwhelmingly large in just a few generations (“15.2 Population”). If growth is already straining the resources and ecology of the U.S. today, without decisive action to reverse it, we could face an exponentially larger problem in the near future.

Fortunately, Malthus’ predictions have not come true in America so far. Fertility rates have decreased year by year, dropping the U.S. annual population growth to a historic low of 0.1% last year (Rogers). While this averts the dire consequences of runaway growth, we should not take this respite for granted. The historic first of an almost static U.S. population gives us a golden opportunity to reverse all the damage growth has wrought, a chance to decrease strain on natural resources through sustainable habits, to cut emissions with more efficient technology, to bring back our disappearing biodiversity, and tackle the problem of overflowing landfills. The road ahead is long and difficult, but with rising national awareness of the issues, cooperation, effort, and a little luck, America the Beautiful will remain for future generations to live in and love.

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Conner Daehler
Valparaiso University

As war continues to rage on in Europe, the stark reminder of savagery and brutality is shown across millions of televisions throughout the nation. Yet it’s not just on the television that reminders of this war are felt. Every day, Americans turn to the gas pumps and see prices sit at record highs. Grocery stores see prices slowly creep upwards. And on top of this, record inflation continues in our nation. While these effects are painful, they are dulled by thousands of miles of land and ocean. The population crisis, however, is occurring right in our own backyard. We will not experience the same luxury of distance dulling its pain. From rising prices of goods and services, to the depletion of our natural resources, the population crisis in America will have consequences that cannot be ignored.

With our limited natural resources being used at startling rates, population growth is only increasing the difficulty we face in preserving our most strategic resources. Every day in the US, nearly 19.78 million barrels, 1.31 million tons of coal, and 85 billion cubic feet of gas are consumed (EIA). The University of Stanford has calculated that at these current rates, US oil reserves will run out by 2052, gas reserves by 2060, and coal reserves by 2090. And an increasing population will only hasten this pace. Resources so vital to our nation must be protected and preserved for generations to come.

Additionally, our environment continues to feel the pain of population growth. A 1% increase in population results in a 1.28% increase in global pollution (IUSSP). With the US population expected to grow to 404 million (nearly 20%) by 2060, the environmental impact would be devastating. Following the UN model of climate change, to avoid the most devastating impact of climate change, net-zero emissions must be reached by 2050. Yet just from population growth, emissions are projected to grow by 30%. While President Joe Biden creates ambitious plans to uphold the UN pledge, population growth fights him every step of the way.

And it’s not just catastrophic climate change that we need to worry about. Even simply feeding people is a growing concern. Farmland with a quality deemed “Superior” by the Department of Agriculture in the US has decreased by over 11 million acres Dempsey). With 11.8% of Americans already at threat of food insecurity, this number is only likely to grow (FRAC). Especially in a first world country, this is a startling reality. America may have enough food now, but with farmable land decreasing and population increasing, we are at threat. Action must be taken.

One basic human right at threat should already be enough to quickly act, yet nutrition is not the only right at threat. Increased urbanization threatens our most basic need of shelter. Average house prices for rural homes hovered near 170k, while in suburban and urban areas it was nearly 40% higher at 270k. This problem gets even worse in the most urbanized areas of the US, where for example in San Francisco housing prices were over 900k and average rent was nearly 4,000 a month (Zillow). With a 20% increase in housing prices in just the last year, and urbanization only accelerating with our increasing population, the American dream of owning a house is quickly becoming a fantasy.

The population in the US has ballooned by millions in just the past few decades. And with this trend projected to continue, we must find a way to preserve the quality of life we have in this great nation.

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Yihan Deng
Georgetown University

The United States’ demand for resources is second to none. In hectares of productive natural land used annually per capita, Americans’ consumption outstrips most developed countries by up to seventy percent. Therefore, increases in the U.S. population pose a greater risk to sustainable development than any other sizable nation in the world. Considering the dramatic expansion of the American population over the past two decades – from 281.4 million in 2000 to 331.4 million in 2020 – the need to limit further population growth is more urgent than ever.

Every birth in the United States adds twenty times more carbon dioxide to a parent’s carbon footprint than a lifetime of automobile and fossil fuel use. Births since 2000 represent twelve percent of annual American emissions, exacerbating the global effects of climate change and contributing directly to climate stress in the United States.

For instance, rising temperatures in the American Southwest have produced the region’s worst megadrought in over a thousand years, evaporating critical freshwater reserves such as the Colorado River and Lake Mead. However, Southwestern states also have some of the fastest-growing populations in the country (Henderson). The increasing demand places an impossible burden on water supplies, costing agriculture, electricity, and other water-intensive sectors up to 1.3 billion dollars annually. Researchers predict nearly half of freshwater basins across the country will fail to meet demand by 2071, so with the population projected to reach 500 million by 2100, shrinking water supplies will only be spread thinner.

A similar phenomenon holds true for waste production. Americans burned 34.6 million tons of waste in 2018 and sent 146.1 million more to landfills, contaminating ecosystems, producing greenhouse gases, and causing serious health issues in surrounding communities. Meanwhile, the annual volume of waste produced in the U.S. increased from 243.5 million tons in 2000 to 292.4 million tons in 2018 despite the per capita rate of production remaining constant. Due to population growth, toxic waste pollution will continue to worsen.

Moreover, population growth has forced an unsustainable rate of housing construction. Since 2000, over 21 million homes have been built to accommodate new residents. Worryingly, urban sprawl has destroyed 24 million acres of natural habitat and 11 million acres of farmland since 2000. It also encourages wasteful automobile use, increases energy consumption, and worsens health outcomes through air and water pollution. As cities expand, overpopulation threatens to entirely undermine green housing.

Most alarmingly, the worst consequence of population growth has already come to pass: the rapid spread of diseases such as COVID-19. With Americans flocking to cities, the United States’ average population density has increased from 79.7 people per square mile in 2000 to 93.8 in 2020. Because population density is the best natural predictor of COVID transmission, it is unsurprising that the Omicron strain of coronavirus has resurged most violently in New York City and New Jersey, among the most densely populated places in the country. As the growing population continues to urbanize, the spread of infectious diseases will only accelerate. 

While the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the nation to confront the immediate difficulties of population growth, overpopulation endangers ecology, human health, and economic well-being now and far into the future. At the current rate of growth, the population crisis will continue to worsen. The United States can only provide a safe, secure, and sustainable future for so many before it becomes lost for all.

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Matthew Doty
University of Notre Dame

Growth is commonly considered a good thing. Yet, ever-increasing size does not always result in desirable outcomes. For example, algae are critical to maintaining the ecological balance of marine life in bays, lakes, and coastal waters. However, when algal growth is unrestricted, their exponential growth suffocates and destroys marine ecosystems. Similarly, population growth strains the supply of resources necessary for quality human life and creates conditions that risk societal unrest.

Over the past 20 years, the United States population increased by over 50 million people. Those persons require access to potable water. However, the amount of freshwater on Earth is finite and diminishing worldwide. The increased US population over the past 20 years requires an additional 50 million gallons, or the equivalent of draining 2.5 average size freshwater lakes, each day. Some might argue that a sufficient supply remains even with these increased demands; however, a 2014 study found that 40 states anticipate freshwater shortages in the next decade. While water recycles, it does not necessarily return in the same condition or to the same place. Consequently, increased population accelerates the competition for this already diminishing yet necessary resource.

The increased population likewise requires food. Recent studies show that between 1 to 3 acres of arable land are needed to feed a person for one year. However, there are only 1.2 acres of arable land per person in the US, and due to desertification and urban sprawl, that ratio is decreasing. These data indicate that the US is on the brink of no longer being food self-sufficient. Worse, so is the world. Critics might suggest that food production could become more efficient; however, present-day methods of increasing efficiencies require more fossil fuels and more water, both of which are in diminishing supply. Thus, the increased population again accelerates the competition for a resource needed for survival. 

More people require more energy, generate more waste, and produce more pollution. Energy production, whether renewable or not, uses finite resources. The extraction processes of the needed raw materials contribute to pollution and habitat loss. Air pollution resulting from energy demand is directly linked to respiratory diseases, heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer, diminishing public health. Moreover, land waste generated by individuals gathers in waterways and streams. The accumulated waste hinders access to and affects the potability of water. Plastic debris found in US fisheries jeopardizes access to marine food sources, 80% of which originate from land waste. In this way, population growth leads to greater energy demands and more pollution, which threaten the health and quality of life for all people.

On average, the carbon footprint for US citizens in 2016 was 15.2 tons of CO2 per year. Scientists largely agree that to avoid climate-driven catastrophic effects on water supply, food supply, and public health, the average carbon emissions from the world’s population must be less than 2.3 tons of CO2 per year by 2030. The task of reducing the US carbon footprint is formidable. Each additional person makes it that much more difficult. The concomitant increase in carbon footprint with a growing population accelerates the potential of desertification, famine, and disease.

Water, food, health, and a livable environment are basic human needs. When needs are poorly met, quality of life decreases. When needs are not met, civil unrest is the typical outcome. Continued population growth will threaten our quality of life, will threaten fundamental needs,  and is likely to eventually lead to conflict as people compete in a struggle for survival. The real possibility of these outcomes of population growth overshadows any hypothetical economic benefit.

$1,500
Najya Gause
Harvard College

The population of the United States has grown by 50 million people in 20 years. Population growth of this size was once unimaginable, but today, is steadily increasing. That is 50 million more mouths to feed, jobs to find, and ecological footprints being created. 50 million too many! In this essay, I will argue that the population growth experienced in the US in the last two decades has had a negative impact on its environment, economy, and the overall quality of life of the American people.

The first negative effect of population growth is the degradation of the environment. A growing population means that more food supply is needed, and the solutions to this problem are often harmful. For example, more intense farming requires “mechanization, pesticides and chemical fertilizers” all of which can cause soil erosion (LeBlanc). The agricultural runoff from excess fertilizers lead to eutrophication, causing dead zones in bodies of water such as the Gulf of Mexico (Callihan).

Next, the depletion of natural resources. A once infinite world is now becoming finite. Resources are being depleted at a higher rate than they can be replenished. Although 71% of the Earth is water, only 0.3% of that water is potable (Mullen). That 0.3% is becoming depleted, as evidenced in the water shortages in the summer of 2021 where many national governments had to enforce water consumption policies. Lake Mead, the largest water reservoir in the US, reached a record low at 200 feet below normal (Burlig). If humans continue to drink more water than available to us, one day, it will run out.

Thirdly, the negative impact on the US economy. More people in the country means that the government has to spend more money on infrastructure, education, and health care – systems that arguably do not currently operate effectively (Doyle). For a country that is already over $30 billion dollars in debt, this proves difficult (“U.S. National Debt”). This growing debt will have detrimental impacts on future generations. Population growth also leads to growth in the labor force. The US does not have enough jobs to account for this growth, supported by the 5.6% increase in unemployment between 2000 and 2010 (“U.S.: Annual Unemployment”).

Additionally, an increase in American poverty. When the economy is in decline and the population is growing, more people are pushed into poverty. Living in poverty is defined as being unable to “meet basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter”, and is something no American should ever have to experience (“Absolute Poverty”). Typically, poverty breeds more poverty due to a greater number of children in impoverished homes and the effects of the poverty cycle. This is evidenced by the 2.8% increase in poverty in the US between the years of 2000 and 2010 (“U.S. Poverty Rate”).

Finally, an increase in disasters such as pandemics. The combination of population growth and the aforementioned increase in poverty unavoidably leads to dense, unhygienic populations with little to no health care. This becomes a breeding ground for new infectious diseases, as well as the emergence of pandemics and epidemics (Rinkesh). The recent COVID-19 pandemic is a perfect example. As of April 7th, 2022, the US has suffered almost one million COVID related deaths (CDC).

50 million people is a big number and population size of some countries – but the negative impacts of that population growth on the United States is even bigger. The world is, effectively, dying from environmental and economic crises. Our primary focus should be bringing it back to life rather than increasing the burden that is humanity. Future generations deserve to live in a world as beautiful as the one we were born into without exceptional population growth.

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Lily Ogburn
Northwestern University

In 1969, President Richard Nixon warned that population growth would be “one of the most serious challenges to human destiny.”  His message fell on deaf ears. Now, over 50 years later, America stands at a population of more than 331 million people: a massive increase from 1970’s 205.1 million. Population growth has become a threat to both the environment and the economic well-being of the American people. 

As the U.S. population increases, the environment is pressured to sustain that expansion. U.S. farms are strained; an increasing demand for food, both crops and livestock, requires land. This need for space has decided the fate of ecosystems across the country; thousands of habitats are destroyed to create farmlands. In 2020, the United States lost 1.59 million hectares of its natural forests, due in great part to agricultural expansion. Population growth has become one of the greatest contributors to the loss of natural environments in the U.S. 

The growing population has also contributed to America’s rampant pollution problem. From consuming electricity to driving a car, carbon dioxide is released in various ways at alarming rates in the U.S. In 2020 alone, the U.S. produced about 68 million tons of pollution. These high rates of contamination are caused by more than the over-usage of fossil fuels; the increase in population has dramatically contributed to this problem. The average carbon footprint of a person in the United States is about 16 tons, and as the number of people living in the United States grows, so does the country’s overall carbon output. 

The strain on the agricultural sector and pollution contribute to another problem: the loss of biodiversity in the U.S. As pollutants seep into America’s few remaining natural environments, habitats are destroyed and species are lost. Humans have named fewer than 1.4 million of the estimated 5 to 30 million species in the world; but as mankind pollutes and destroys habitats and ecosystems, it forces both known and unknown species to extinction. Deforestation and waste pollution have negatively affected America’s biodiversity, caused mainly by the increased use of resources required by a growing population. 

Beyond environmental detriment, the population boom within the past 20 years has given rise to more poverty in the United States. Poverty has accelerated quickly over the last 20 years; from 2000 to 2012, the poverty rate jumped from 12.2% to 15.9%. As population dramatically expands, especially in urban areas, the lack of land and resources to sustain the community results in homelessness and poverty. As prices for housing increase due to population expansion, millions of Americans are forced onto the streets. Population growth contributes to the already dire poverty situation in America. 

Population increases often result in a divided society because resources are not unlimited. In the United States, despite the fact that per capita income growth is increasing, the number of people living in poverty has increased from 31.1 million people in 2000 to 37.2 million people in 2020. From 1979 to 2019, the middle class decreased from 61% to 51% of the population, showing that as the number of U.S. habitants has grown, the wealth gap has widened and the middle class has shrunken. Poverty has boomed, just as the U.S. population has; as a result, the country has become more economically divided than ever. 

The population boom within the United States negatively affects our environment and significantly contributes to poverty. These consequences will only become more severe as time goes on and growth continues. Action must be taken to stabilize population growth to protect the well-being of both the environment and the inhabitants of the U.S. 

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Taylor Gollhofer
The University of Northern Colorado

I used to believe population growth was a good thing. More people meant more brains for ideas, more people engaged socially, and more hands to work. In high school I began to learn about Earth; more specifically about the problems created by rapid population growth. The 2000 United States Census showed a total U.S. population of 281.4 million people. In 2020, the U.S. population shot up to 331.4 million people. This rapid growth rate has led to five issues; Farming pressure, Eutrophication, Deforestation, Freshwater scarcity, and Global Warming.

The most obvious and easily understood impact of rapid population growth is the added pressure on food production.  More people to feed does not mean more land to farm or raise livestock on. Therefore, the population has relied on technological advances to increase food production.  In the article “The Environmental Impacts of Overpopulation” it states, “The yield of existing farmland can be increased through intensive farming to feed our rapidly growing population. This approach is characterized by reliance on mechanization, pesticides and chemical fertilizers.” (LeBlanc, 2021). Even with the ability to keep pace with the increase in population via technology, the negative impacts outweigh it.

Due to having to produce crops faster, “the agricultural runoff of excess fertilizers is one of the main causes of eutrophication” (LeBlanc, 2021). Eutrophication is an excess of nutrients in a body of water (often from farmland runoff) that leads to rapid and dense growth of plant life and death of animal life. Eutrophication is killing a food source in marine animal life and producing bottom-dwelling plant life that doesn’t provide any benefit.

More farming leads to eutrophication, but it also is “responsible for nearly 80% of global deforestation” (LeBlanc, 2021). Due to the high demand to produce food, there needs to be more land for crops to grow and livestock to live. Therefore, deforestation has increased. The process uses machinery to clear the land which creates even more greenhouse gases leading to greater global warming.

Fresh water is also a necessity. Considering most of the planet is covered in water, one would assume we have enough. However, “Only 2.5 percent of water resources are fresh water, and just a small fraction of that is available as unpolluted drinking water.” (LeBlanc, 2021). As the population grows, a greater amount of fresh water is needed.  Current sources will not be able to handle the higher demand. Until we can efficiently desalinate saltwater, freshwater will be scarce.

Global warming is the biggest reason rapid population growth is bad. A larger population needs higher energy production.  The greatest fuels for energy production are fossil fuels; oil, coal and natural gas.  Use of these fossil fuels creates greenhouse gas emissions.  Greenhouse gases encircle the globe and trap in the heat from the sun, thus causing global warming. Higher population leads to greater fossil fuel usage and higher global warming. Even though there is a larger concentration on renewable energy sources, our dependency on fossil fuels is still too great.

When talking about the growth of population in the United States, we have to look at true, destructive effects. On a day-to-day basis, we may not feel the effects, but when viewed on a global scale, they become more obvious. The added pressure on providing for more people has put too much pressure on food production leading to eutrophication and mass deforestation. In addition, it leads to a greater scarcity of freshwater and faster global warming. It must be recognized that the pace of population growth is creating a much more dire future.

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Shamona Joseph
University of Central Florida

What would the average American write if you asked them to list the top ten issues facing the country? Some common answers would be income inequality, the cost of healthcare, or the national debt. Overpopulation would probably not make the list. Most Americans mistakenly think overpopulation is not an issue because the United States is the world’s biggest economy and can supply everything they need. However, the United States does not have infinite resources to sustain our current growth and consumption. As a member of Generation Z, our country’s future deeply worries me. Ultimately, we’ll be the ones to endure the damage caused by overpopulation. According to Census.gov, in 2000, the U.S. had 281.4 million people. By 2020, that figure rose to 331.4 million, an increase of 50 million! Economists advocate the economic benefits of this boom for the nation, but they overlook the realities. This rapid growth is not good for this country for five reasons: increased greenhouse gases, rising living costs, increased waste, degradation of the environment, and the scarcity of water. 

First, a booming populace releases large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These gases contribute to the warming of our planet by trapping heat. This results in rising temperatures that worsen climate change. Carbon Dioxide constitutes a majority of these gases. Currently, our country is the second-largest emitter of CO2 overall and ranked 13th per capita (world). Our CO2 levels have risen over the past 20 years and reached a peak in 2007 (Statista). The energy and transportation sectors are the two largest sources of emissions. In the U.S., energy consumption peaked in 2018 after steadily increasing since 2000. As more people are born and families expand, the greater the demand for energy and transportation. Moreover, the number of registered vehicles in the U.S. in 2020 was 275 million (Statista) and 88% of Americans owned a car in 2015 (Bloomberg).

Furthermore, the cost-of-living increases as society expands. With more mouths to feed, the demand for food and other necessities increases. The greater the demand, the smaller the supply, and simple economics predicts prices will rise. Food prices have been hiked since 2017, but the pandemic has sent prices soaring (trading). Despite record home prices, wages have stagnated for years, and people are paying more for less. I live in Polk County, which is the fastest-growing county in Florida. It ranked 7th nationally in terms of growth. With an influx of people, comes a shortage of houses. The median price of a home here trended up 30.7% annually.

Our nation produces the most Municipal Solid Waste in the world, but we think little about where it goes. Most Americans take the “out of sight, out of mind” approach to waste. In 2018, our total MSW output reached a high of 292 million tons, with 69 million recycled.

America is a beautiful country, but our growth threatens the environment. Smog is choking our cities, our water is tainted, and air quality is deteriorating. We’ve lost 36 million trees in the U.S. from 2009 to 2014 from deforestation. Additionally, 1,600 of the 200,000 species of wildlife that call our country home receive government protection.

Lastly, due to overpopulation, our lakes are shrinking. America’s west is drying up; Lake Mead and Lake Powell are shrinking, so there is a shortage of desperately needed water. The Great Salt Lake is inches away from a 58-year low. 

In conclusion, the U.S. must slow down and think about how to reverse course on our explosive growth. Our local and national leaders must heed these consequences to ensure a brighter future for generations.

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Ethan Pellicane
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

The unprecedented and explosive population growth of the United States has had decidedly negative effects upon our nation.  This growth has caused a massive development of natural land, increased the cost of living, and has put unsustainable strains on agriculture, natural energy sources, and even our water.  For these reasons, our population growth threatens both the lives of the millions of Americans living today, but also those of future generations to come.

First, rapid population expansion has caused widespread development of natural land.  

According to Glen Colton of Treasure Coast Newspapers, since the early 1980s “developers have paved 40 million acres of forests and fields – an area the size of New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey combined.”  The result?  The destruction of agricultural land, natural habitats and entire ecosystems.

Additionally, population growth has caused increased cost of living.  One example of this is America’s housing market.  Population growth has caused unprecedented demand for housing, which in turn has created a historically expensive market.  While there are large fluctuations, the trend for the cost of housing has been strongly positive, even when other causes such as inflation are taken into account.  This phenomena of increased demand due to a larger population can be linked to similar cost increases in several other sectors.  Simply put, an increased population has made it harder and more expensive for Americans to live.

Third, the rapidly growing population strains American agriculture.  This trend is caused by two things: the need to feed the growing population, as well as the destruction of agricultural lands, as mentioned earlier.  As the American population continues to grow, the country needs to produce more and more food from less and less land.  Doing this would be unsustainable, as farmers would be forced to rely heavily on polluting pesticides and fertilizers in order to obtain sufficient crop yields.  More likely, however, this task of feeding America may prove to be impossible.  

Furthermore, population growth has caused an unsustainable level of exploitation of natural energy.  The United States’ total energy consumption has nearly tripled since the year 1950, and the vast majority of that energy (79%) comes from fossil fuels.  These sources of energy are non-renewable, and it is becoming clear that at current levels of consumption, America as well as the world at large may run dry very soon.  Indeed, coal is projected to run out in 70 years, natural gas in 40, and oil in just 30 years.

Lastly, the population growth in America threatens perhaps the most vital of all resources: water.  A study conducted in early 2019 found that because of the growing population as well as climate change, America may face “serious challenges” in its water supply in less than 50 years.  According to the researchers, “as population growth plus the changing climate alter water yield and demand, shortages are projected to increase substantially.”  If these shortages would come to pass, it could threaten the very lives of millions of Americans.

America’s population growth has had tragic implications for the nation’s present and future state.  The growing population has destroyed millions of acres of nature, increased the cost of living, and threatened our food, energy, and water supply.  In the status quo and looking into the future, a rising population has threatened Americans’ basic necessities.  If the problems caused by this are not addressed, they may come to define the future of our nation.

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Roniel Rivera-Garcia
Iowa State University

When are we going to stop?

We have repeatedly heard this phrase in the last few years: “This is the first time this has happened since…”. More than ever, now we are living events that bring us problems for which we have no solutions. Our lives are changing; we need more energy, more food, more resources, and more space every day. Unfortunately, those are not infinite, and we will run out of them at some point, even more so when the demand for them is greater because we are more every day.

The number of people born each day is twice the number of people who die, representing an increase of 0.000022% to the Mundial population each day. This population growth means a risk to our country and our planet. The first reason it is bad for the United States and the world is global warming. Global warming affects many areas in our lives, and now we are seeing more extreme natural catastrophes than ever. We have seen powerful hurricanes, strong earthquakes, big fires, melting of the poles (rising sea levels), etc. Global warming is an extensive term, but in short, due to global warming (caused by population growth), we are experiencing a series of natural events that are seriously affecting us.

The second reason is the waste produced by humans. It was a miracle when we could use our resources to create products for our use for the first time, and it was a technological advance that helped us continue to develop as a civilization. However, we have reached the point that we do not know what to do with our garbage, and our planet is no longer enough. An example of this is the Great Pacific garbage patch, an “island” made entirely of garbage.

The third reason is the non-renewable resources. Our country has become dependent on non-renewable resources. Although there are projects to develop energy and products based on renewable materials, still most of the products and fuels we use come from non-renewable sources. The problem with them is that they are finite; we cannot have more when they run out. We have always needed the energy to survive, but nowadays, we are dependent on energy due to technological advances. Each average home uses twice as much electricity as home did 20 or 30 years ago, and our consumption is expected to increase. How will we produce so much energy if our resources are running out?

The fourth reason is the food, and the fifth reason is the water. Food and water are our “fuel” as humans, and without them, we cannot live. In the past, the mechanization of agriculture gives a pass to population growth, but now population growth is a challenge for agriculture. Traditional agriculture can no longer satisfy the food demand of all inhabitants. Agriculture has had to develop to produce more efficiently, on larger scales, and under more climatic conditions. However, we are getting to the point that even if we plant all the agricultural lands, we still could not meet the demand for food. The best example is the US territory, Puerto Rico, where it could only feed 70% of its population even if it planted all its agricultural land. Lastly, water is an essential factor in our lives, and due to industrialization, global warming, human waste, non-renewable resources extraction, and bad agricultural practices, potable water is in danger. The more people there are on earth, the more contamination we will have, and unfortunately, that contamination ends up in the water. Despite these problems, we have not shown any sign of stopping. When are we going to stop?

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Maryanne Thomas
North Carolina State University

 Around the turn of the 19th century, Thomas Malthus challenged the common idea of philosophers of that time:  the notion that mankind was bound to succeed, and the world would evolve into a perfect utopia.  In his lifetime, he wrote countless works centering on population growth.  Instead of our world evolving into perfection, he countered that it would suffer from the effects of overpopulation.  Although not correct in all of his prognostications, the idea that rapid population increase produces negative side effects is not far from the truth (Kagan).  In the United States, the population has grown by 176 million since 1950––and although often overlooked, this increasing growth has negatively impacted housing, education, medical care, traffic congestion, and habitat destruction (“U.S. Population Growth”).

The first main issue with population growth in the United States is the affect that it has on housing.  As people move into urban centers, housing demand rises.  In North Carolina, housing has increased 8.8% in the past decade.  Population has increased 9.5%, which has created a housing shortage, resulting in higher housing prices (Constantine).  Even this slight outpace of growth has created issues, causing a scarcity of affordable housing.

Next, population growth has negatively impacted education.  Schools have become severely overcrowded, which has created a myriad of problems such as student safety during school drop off and pick up, difficulty fitting the students in the classrooms, and higher student-teacher ratios.  The 2011 Brookings Institute found that twenty four states are in desperate need of class size reduction; however, it costs around twelve billion dollars per year in teachers’ salaries to lower the national class average by even one student (“Preventing Overcrowding”).

Medical care spending in America has also been significantly affected by rapid population growth.  A statistic reveals that “increases in the US population size were associated with a 23.1% or a 269.5 billion spending increase” (Masterson).  Not only does increasing population cause greater spread of disease, it also results in a higher need of general medical care that strains the health system.  In Texas, for example, it has been estimated that the population will grow to 45 million by 2040, and unless something changes, the ratio between citizens and medical care workers will not be adequate (Brown).

Rapid population growth in the United States has additionally affected traffic congestion, which  negatively impacts personal stress and the environment.  A study conducted in Massachusetts in 2017 shows that the average worker in Boston spends eighty hours a year stuck in traffic compared to 31 hours of traffic annually in 1982 (Beaudet).  With population surging, this is bound to increase even more.  

Another negative consequence that has arisen is habitat destruction.  In the United States, over forty million acres of fields and forests have been paved into roads, sidewalks, and structural foundations (Colten).  Uprooting habitats results in a decrease of species and biodiversity, negatively impacting the necessary interactions between organisms required for a healthy ecosystem (“Population Growth”).  Once bountiful, thriving habitats for plants and animals, they are now being converted from lush forests to concrete to fulfill the “American Dream.” 

President Richard Nixon once said “One of the most serious challenges to human destiny…will be the growth of the population…Whether man’s last response to that challenge will be a cause for pride or despair in the year 2000 will depend very much on what we do today” (Chamie).  Nixon’s words are a perfect summary of the attitude that we must hold:  We as citizens must work hard together to solve these issues now, or we risk living in a dystopian future that could have likely been avoided.

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Matthew Joseph Doty
University of Notre Dame

Dear President Biden,

With heartfelt gratitude, I write to thank you for recognizing the global emergency and national security threat embodied by the climate change crisis. The April 22nd announcement that the United States will achieve “a 50-52 percent reduction from 2005 levels in net greenhouse gas pollution in 2030” reveals that climate truly is the center of US foreign policy.  The wisdom in recognizing that our nation’s economic stability is inextricably dependent on mitigating the anthropogenic rise in global temperatures is commendable. However, while American financial independence is crucial for any successful climate mitigation plan, and your plan to develop new markets for clean technology as an industrial incentive is prudent, these mitigations will not alleviate the most significant contributor to carbon emissions which is human population growth.  

When analyzing the effects of climate change, the increased carbon emissions attributable to having one additional person in the world are ignored, as is the fact that neither lifestyle changes nor technological efficiencies can balance this increase.  In 2009, Paul Murtaugh and his colleagues demonstrated that “just one child can produce 20 times more greenhouse gas than a person will save” by reducing, reusing, and recycling.  Similarly, Seth Wynes and Kimberly Nicholas reported in 2017 that the single most significant means for lowering one’s carbon footprint is to have one fewer child.  Reducing the size of a family by one is equivalent to an average savings of 58.6 tonnes of equivalent CO2 emission.  This savings is 25 times greater than the carbon emission savings realized by living car-free! It seems reasonable that any serious plan to perpetuate the hope and opportunity of the American lifestyle for future generations must incorporate strategies for population stabilization and reversal, also known as negative population growth.

The multiple negative impacts of population growth include the destruction of farmlands, the decimation of natural habitats, and pollution of freshwater sources.  Among the most critical to the concern of climate change is the impact on feeding people.  The growth in the US population results in 5,400 new people (beyond replacement) per day, which is approximately 2 million people per year. For each new person, one acre of natural habitat or farmland is lost, which means that there are more mouths to feed with less land to grow that food.  This exponential increase requires fertilizers to enrich the soil and increase production. However, fertilizers are made from fossil fuels which are among the primary sources of CO2 emissions.  This cycle needs to be broken, but the only way to do so is to reduce the population to a sustainable size.

Negative population growth can be achieved by many methods, some more effective than others. For example, history has shown that draconian programs, such as China’s one-child policy, are impractical in sustainably reducing the population and almost certainly would not be tolerated in the United States. However, there are other alternatives.  For example, repeated studies have shown that more highly educated women reproduce less frequently.  Therefore, it seems sensible to develop programming and policies that support the education of women and incentivizes women to pursue educational goals. I believe such an initiative would be well received and would simultaneously address two critical national concerns.

In summary, negative population growth is critical to a successful plan to combat climate change.  As a member of the generation that will be most affected by these changes, I thank you for considering these ideas and implore you to consider ways to stabilize and decrease our national population so that we have a chance of leaving an even better country for our children.

Respectfully,

Matthew J. Doty

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Harrison Hall
Liberty University

Dear Mr. President,

I am writing first to applaud you for your attention to the much-needed protection of the environment and establishment of climate considerations as an essential element of foreign policy. Maintaining a healthy environment and halting climate change are issues which affect citizens of the United States, as well as every inhabitant of the planet. However, I believe the root cause of these problems is being overlooked and has gone unmentioned in recently proposed executive action – that is overpopulation.

According to the Population Reference Bureau, the world population is projected to reach 9.9 billion by 2050, an increase of more than 25% from the 2020 population of 7.8 billion. Oxfam has predicted that by this time, the earth will be unable to sustain food production to support the growing world population. Environmental issues caused by overpopulation in the United States include disappearing wildlife as well as depletion of natural resources, including water. However, the most significant consequence of overpopulation in the United States is the release of harmful gases from agriculture, industries and vehicles leading to climate change.

To best address these environmental problems, the focus must be in curbing population growth in the United States and around the world. I would like to offer the following suggestions to do so:

1. Create a commission dedicated to decreasing population growth.
2. Educate regarding family planning and provide assistance to do so in other countries.
3. Provide free access to contraceptives in the United States and abroad.
4. Provide monetary incentive for families to have fewer children.
5. Reduce immigration into the United States.

In order for a problem to be solved, dedicated people must accept the task. A commission must be established to work towards stabilizing our nation as well as the world’s population to effectively control climate change. Statistics show that in poorer nations, populations are predicted to rise at a greater pace. Because our climate is shared, this issue must be addressed at a global level.

Providing education on the social and health consequences of bearing many children is key. People in all parts of the world must be made aware of and have free and easy access to contraceptives. Additionally, we must educate students by implementing sex education programs in schools as well as funding such programs overseas.

Today in the United States families are given incentive to have more children in the form of tax credits. I propose the child tax credit be limited to two children and greater tax incentives be allotted to families with one or no children.

Lastly, in an effort to curb global warming, the negative effects of immigration into the United States must be acknowledged and addressed.  Energy saving technology has reduced per capita CO2 emissions, but emissions continue to rise due to population growth in our country and even more so due to immigrants entering the country. A staggering number of immigrants, often illegal, come to America from countries with very low per capita CO2. They enter the United States, one of the highest per capita carbon producing nations in the world. As such, once in the United States, they themselves greatly increase the amount of carbon they produce.

Overpopulation must be addressed in order to save our beautiful planet for future generations. I implore you, Mr. President, as a world leader, to implement measures in America, along with assisting abroad, in matters concerning population control.

Thank you for your time and your consideration of my proposals.

Sincerely,

Harrison Hall

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Jack Lee
New York University

Dear President Biden:

I am writing to you today to request you add a concern to your policy discussions on the environment. As a citizen living on the East Coast, watching first-hand as hurricanes transition from occasional events to annual occurrences and being under threat of my hometown being washed away by rising coastal tides, taking care of the environment has long been a priority of mine. That being said, I’d like to start by showing my appreciation of your administration’s active recognition of climate change as a real problem. Undoubtedly, your actions on environmental policy will be a game-changer for the health of our planet. However, I would like to highlight a concern of mine that you don’t seem to talk much about in your environmental plan—overpopulation.

Overpopulation plays a role in the environment in two key ways:

• Consuming limited resources like land, nutrients, fossil fuels, and minerals
• Releasing waste products including pollutants and greenhouse gases

It’s pretty intuitive—the more people there are on the planet, the more resources will be used—more mouths to feed and more machines to be powered in order to facilitate our lives. This both takes away from the finite pool of resources our limited planet provides and adds to the already overwhelming pollution present in our atmosphere. This can cause strife for many people across the globe. What’s more, the truth is that Americans consume more resources and create more waste than the average global citizen. According to Washington State University, the United States composes only 5% of the global population, yet uses 23% of its energy. The average American also:

• Consumes 159 gallons of water per day, while half the world lives on 25 gallons
• Generates 52 tons of garbage by age 75
• Has the highest carbon footprint at 16 tons, compared to the global average of 4 tons

These numbers are nothing to sneeze at. We as Americans are largely responsible for the changing climate of our planet. As we consume resources and release waste disproportionately more than the rest of the world, we have a heftier duty on our shoulders to serve the globe.

While there are many ways to lower the footprint of the United States, controlling overpopulation can play a pivotal role in limiting our impact on the environment. In 2011, about 45% of the 6.1 million pregnancies in the U.S. were unintended, according to the Guttmacher Institute. This is significantly higher than many other developed countries. This means nearly 3 million extra mouths to feed in an already crowded world. What’s more, these unintended births can be easily prevented by providing easier access to sex education and contraceptives. On another front, over one million immigrants come to the United States each year, according to the Pew Research Center, where they use significantly more resources than they would have in their home countries. Combining both these sources of population growth, America is one of the fastest growing more developed countries, according to the Population Reference Bureau.

Both these factors in population growth are preventable. President Biden, I hope you take these concerns to heart and add them to your discussions on the environment. We all want a brighter future, if not for ourselves then for our children. It is about time America limits the luxury it enjoys at the expense of the rest of the world.

Sincerely,

Jack Lee

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Angela Yu
Georgetown University

Dear President Biden,

In the midst of your public response to the COVID-19 pandemic and gun violence attacks, overpopulation has been pushed to the bottom of the national agenda. While it may seem counterproductive to address population growth at a time of somber death counts, the issue has an urgent time limit. The complexity of overpopulation has largely been simplified by politicians and the news media as the sinister perpetrator of housing and job shortages. However, the true impact of an unsustainable population manifests itself in every policy issue, especially in the area of environmental preservation. The increased demand for natural resources from fossil fuels to lumber has only accelerated the progress of climate change and resulted in the loss of countless species. 

The world population has grown at a staggering rate in the twentieth century; in 2010, it reached 7 billion and is projected to hit 9 billion by 2045. In the United States, new immigration policy proposed by your administration would lead the way for further population growth. Other factors such as the culture of overconsumption and lack of family planning education contribute to the urgent issue as well. The result is an extreme degradation in quality of life, especially for underprivileged families; limited natural resources has made fulfilling basic human rights such as access to clean water and adequate shelter an increasingly impossible task.

At its root, overpopulation is an environmental crisis that has been in the making since the global industrial revolution. Unsustainable population growth and climate change are closely intertwined issues that fuel each other. In short, a greater population creates an increased demand for automobiles, electricity, and other goods produced with fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide emissions from human activity accelerate global warming, leading to increased intensity of flooding and droughts. Frequent natural disasters coupled with poor farming practices have led to the erosion of valuable farm soil. From 1982 to 2015, the area of USDA defined prime farmland shrank by 25.8 million acres. The lack of healthy soil leaves the land more vulnerable to floods and droughts, which in turn worsen erosion. This vicious cycle has made feeding the growing population an extremely unsustainable process.  

As a teenager growing up in the United States, I have witnessed the impacts of overpopulation in my community. I volunteer for my county’s Department of Environmental Protection where we work to address the negative consequences of increased population density. Despite the department’s best efforts to host stream cleanups and promote recycling habits, our waterways have grown more polluted, causing vital organisms to slowly die off. While we clean up litter from parks, massive condos are built across the street, bringing more waste production from its residents. I’ve faced the realization that I might spend the rest of my life watching the environment decay around me in order to accommodate human inhabitants. 

For the sake of future generations, I urge you to address overpopulation as part of the United States’ efforts to combat climate change. Population control must be integrated into all domestic and international policies regarding environmental protection. Measures to curb population growth should be written into global warming treaties. In addition, promotional campaigns must be developed to educate Americans on the devastating consequences of the current population trend. Research surrounding overpopulation has already been progressed by groups such as Negative Population Growth. All that’s left to do is listen to the data and take governmental action to tackle the issue head on. 

Thank you for taking the time to hear from an American youth fighting for her generation’s future.

Sincerely,

Angela Yu

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Nicole Giannetta
Ohio State University

Dear President Biden,

The time to take action against overpopulation is right now! This impending and urgent issue in our country has been overlooked for far too long, and if action is not taken immediately, when will change ever be made? It is critical to put this issue at the forefront of your administration’s discussions regarding the environment, specifically climate change.

According to the United States Census Bureau, between the years 2017 to 2060 the United States population is expected to grow from 326 million to around 404 million people. This averages an increase of around 1.8 million people per year. Furthermore, there is a projected annual population growth of 0.7 percent in the U.S. during the 2020s. This number is substantially larger than other developed countries such as Japan, whose population is decreasing, and Eastern European countries, whose populations are also projected to decrease.        

The United States only has a finite amount of land, and our population cannot continue to grow forever. It is important to stabilize our population to sustain our way of life and preserve the environment, because some of the most devastating effects of overpopulation have already begun to affect us. One of the largest consequences of overpopulation is increased water pollution and decreased access to clean water. Less than 1% of freshwater is readily accessible for use. However, according to the “Global Outlook for Water Resources to the Year 2025,” by 2025 around half of the world will be facing water-based vulnerability. Furthermore, we will soon be facing a global water crisis as fresh water is being consumed ten times faster than it is being replenished in several major countries, including the U.S. With a lack of fresh water also comes the threat of extinction for many species that inhabit freshwater ecosystems. According to the World Conservation Union, 34% of fish species are in danger of extinction. Most of these species live in freshwater.

Another major consequence of overpopulation is an increase in intensive farming, a practice that yields more output per unit of agricultural land. This technique poses a huge threat to the environment, killing plants and insects, negatively affecting marine life due to polluted runoff, decreasing biodiversity, and increasing deforestation.

Lastly, one of the most detrimental effects of overpopulation is the exhaustion and exploitation of natural resources. There is only a limited number of resources on the planet, and with the number of humans growing, the deficit of natural resources is also growing. The unrestrained use of natural resources has led to an increase in the emission of greenhouse gases, which has extensive effects. Not only does an increase in greenhouse gases result in mass extinction and deforestation, it also causes global warming. Climate change is one of the single biggest threats to our planet. The United States alone accounts for five percent of the world’s population, while contributing around one quarter of all carbon dioxide emissions, a harmful greenhouse gas. The Global Population and Environment Program at the Sierra Club said, “As developing countries’ contribution to global emissions grows, population size and growth rates will become significant factors in magnifying the impacts of global warming.” Despite the many individual choices that people make to reduce their carbon footprint, these efforts are being undermined by uncontrolled population growth.

Our planet is the most finite resource we have, and it has become increasingly clear that overpopulation is one of the greatest threats to the environment. I am urging you, President Biden, and your administration to take action starting today to combat this global crisis.

Sincerely,

Nicole Giannetta

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Janathia Renee Henry
Savannah College of Art & Design

Dear President Biden,

The population is out of control. So much so that not even two Earths would be enough to sustain everyone. The United States alone surpassed a tenable population years ago. If we continue to act as though the resources the planet has to offer are not limited, we will be in for a rude awakening. Deforestation, water pollution, and climate change are just a few issues to name that we are facing, which is why I am writing to urge you to consider overpopulation as one of the leading causes. Earth is a planet full of consumers, and yes, the Earth does give, but what happens when people take more than it can provide? 

The population of the United States is expected to grow from 326 million (as of 2018) to 404 million by 2060. This influx of people will call for more land to be acquired, meaning clearing more trees to build over. As a result, the natural habitats of animals would be disrupted and destroyed. Not only will deforestation contribute to climate change, but it will also be a factor in other environmental problems such as soil erosion.  Soil erosion will result in dry land, making it arduous to grow crops and feed an ever-increasing population. The dry land would also mean less space for farmlands and a decrease in water quality.

Unfortunately, this will create more trouble as our rivers, lakes, and oceans are already deteriorating in quality. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American produced 4.9 pounds of waste per day in 2018. Multiply this by 326 million and add on the millions of children born within the past two years, and you’ve got yourself yet another environmental issue caused by overpopulation. Many of these wastes find their way into our waterways, making removal difficult. The bigger the population, the bigger the consumption, the waste, and the pollution. This kind of pattern has also actively contributed to the threat of climate change. Nonrenewable energy sources are used to satisfy this excess population’s need for energy. As a result, carbon emissions and the burning of fossil fuels have increased, and the gases will most likely last thousands of years in the atmosphere. Due to this, the Earth is getting warmer and excessive industrialization and amplified greenhouse gasses are making it hotter!

Efforts to reduce population growth (in addition to developing sustainable technologies and encouraging sustainable lifestyles) would require you to implement new strategies.  Provide free and universal access to sexual and reproductive health care, including contraception, to people of all socioeconomic backgrounds. Birth rates will decrease if education and family planning services are supported. At the same time, encourage adoption as an alternative, thus assisting thousands of children who are currently without a family. Push Americans to place a greater emphasis on the quality of life offered to children rather than the number of children brought into the world.

I believe it is best if these strategies are marketed in such a way that Americans do not feel forced to participate, but rather protected if they do. We must try to reduce the population to a sustainable level. A larger population would only result in more pollution and deforestation to the point of detriment. If we do not lower and ultimately reverse the population growth, we will only continue to use up the scarce resources we are already stretching out to depletion. I genuinely hope you incorporate a way to restrain overpopulation in your plans, not only for the sake of the planet but the human race.

Sincerely,

Janathia Henry

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Attalia Harmony Rogers
University of California – San Diego

Dear President Biden,

Overpopulation is a very important matter that must be included in your administration’s discussions concerning our environment.  I am certain you are aware that when you took office, the population in the United States was over 330 million.  And I use the word was, because that number has increased since the population in the United States grows over 1.6 million people each year.  The bottom line is our renewable resources can only sustain a population of 150 million people.  So what about the other 180 million who are impacting the environment?  Something has to be done, Mr. President, because this is not a viable scenario when you take into account consumption levels due to overpopulation.

The population is consuming renewable resources at a rate that is twice as fast as can be regenerated.  We have less land to grow food.  Greater greenhouse gas emissions, as well as increasing land, water, and air pollution pose threats to the environment.  And global warming is a dangerous byproduct.  Overpopulation leads to less open land – not to mention the destruction of habitats and species loss.  Contrary to what some say, climate change is real and we have to do something while we can.  Your administration has to begin seriously discussing how to move forward to combat these ever-growing challenges.

Climate change is taking a toll on our environment, to say the least.  Weather patterns are changing across every region in this country.  Some of the most severe weather events have been occurring in recent years and continue to increase in severity.  Across this nation, we have had more severe heatwaves, droughts, floods, and fires than seen in history.  With climate change even the availability of our freshwater is declining.  Many ecosystems are either being destroyed or becoming uninhabitable, which ultimately threatens food production.  A couple of solutions include ending fossil fuel use and developing alternative energy – i.e., solar farms and electric vehicles.  Even though your administration should discuss ways to reduce emissions, if we want to more permanently affect climate change, we are going to have to discuss ways to tackle overpopulation.  We cannot take one step forward with regard to climate change and two steps back as it relates to overpopulation.

To reduce the number of people automatically means to reduce future emissions.  We have to educate people about ways they can help the environment.  One solution is to encourage people to have smaller families.  If people had just one fewer child, scientists claim this would be the most effective and immediate way to combat climate change.  Therefore, family planning services should be one aspect of the discussions.  Reducing the family size and slowing the population growth gives everyone the best chance of limiting climate change and protecting Earth for the next generation.

Simply put, we have to take much better care of Earth so that there is even any Earth left for our children and grandchildren.  Your administration’s discussions should center around accomplishing two things.  One, we need to curb climate change, and two, we need to slow the population growth.  If we can successfully accomplish these two overarching tasks, we stand a better chance of helping the environment and leaving more of a sustainable future for generations to come.

Sincerely,

Attalia H. Rogers

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Allison Laney Barnes
University of West Georgia

Dear President Biden:

Congratulations on your election to the office of President of the United States. It is my belief that two of the many reasons you were elected are your stance on climate change and human rights.

I am writing this letter to let you know about my concern for overpopulation and its effect on climate change and the environment. I believe that it is the fundamental human right of all children to have an equal start in life. However, I also believe that overpopulation around the globe will have an adverse effect on our environment and climate. There is a close link between population and climate change as every additional person increases the amount of carbon emissions. More people mean a greater demand for oil, gas, coal, and other fuels which only adds to the greenhouse gases.

Many of the negative changes to our climate and environment are caused by deforestation so that land can be converted to agricultural use in order to feed the growing population. Global warming is a current threat to us all as it changes weather patterns, causes heat waves, floods, and droughts. The shrinking of glaciers and ice caps is also caused by climate change and affects the amount of available fresh water, destroys aquatic ecosystems, contributes to the rise of sea levels, and causes the extinction of some species. Poor crop yields are usually the result of soil degradation, and this is especially critical for poorer populations.

Countries like America contribute greatly to all the problems listed above. Industrial development, population growth, and dangerous environmental problems tend to go hand in hand. We are looking at the possibility of global conflicts over safe drinking water and food production if conditions do not change. Therefore, I believe that you can be a leader of great change. Please consider the following actions as you develop your plan for moving forward:

• Family planning should be made available to everyone. Currently, 40% of U.S. children live in poverty (Dillard, 2020). According to Dillard (2020), unequal opportunities become unequal lifelong outcomes.
• Family planning could be used to educate the population about health issues as well as population growth. We need to be concerned with building for the future through more resilient generations.
• Poor family planning hurts public health, creates overcrowding, contributes to environmental problems, and to the spread of diseases like Covid -19 (Dillard, 2020).
• If each family would have one fewer child, population growth would decline. However, this does not mean reducing the birthrate in certain groups of people but reducing it through information and resources.
• There is a need to improve the health of women and children and to develop full gender equity.

Working with both parties of Congress and with other world leaders can lead to a brighter tomorrow for our planet if we all concentrate on what is best for our world.

Thank you for your leadership and your consideration of my concerns about overpopulation, the environment, and climate change.

Sincerely,

Allison Laney Barnes

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Landon Trey Crabtree
Tennessee Technological University

Dear President Biden:

Firstly, I want to thank you for taking your time to read this letter. During your campaign trail, you promised a “clean energy revolution.” A revolution that would not only boost the U.S. energy sector and create jobs, but help both the United States and the world get off the current track of irreversible climate change as a result of the surplus of carbon dioxide being emitted into the air. Not only did you promise a clean energy revolution: you delivered with Executive Order 13990: “Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science To Tackle the Climate Crisis.” While I am extremely grateful to have a President who takes the future of our world and mankind into serious account, I am hesitant to believe that just a clean energy revolution will do justice for the future concern of our environment.

While climate change does play a fundamental role in the altering of our environment, it is not the only factor. This is the only Earth that we have, and we must preserve the resources on it. There is only so much we humans can do before decimating the Earth and leaving it bare and desolate. At our current rate, there have been: 32 billion tons of resources extracted, 15 billion tons of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere, 273 billion tons of ice melted, and 146 million tons of hazardous waste thrown out — just this year alone. Not only this, but according to estimates there are 26 years left until the end of seafood and 78 years left until the end of rainforests. This means that within two to three generations, the world as we know it will be fundamentally changed. My children’s children, my grandchildren, will live in this world.

And this is all at our current rate. As of May 14, 2021, the Earth’s population is 7.76 billion people. There are four babies born every single second, 385,000 every day, and 140 million a year. Projections show the world population being 8 billion by 2023, 9 billion by 2037, and 10 billion by 2057. As the population continues to exponentially grow, so will the resource consumption and energy output. As more land is needed, deforestation will wipe out species across the globe. As fertilizers make their way into bodies of water, eutrophication will kill aquatic life. More and more humans will create more demand than there is supply, and exhaust Earth’s resources.

Because of this, I urge you to recognize the importance that our population plays on the environment and efforts to curb climate change. While I do believe that legislation such as EO 13990, The Paris Agreement, and The Green New Deal are a step in the right direction to mitigating the risks of permanently altering effects on the environment, I believe that they are missing a solution to one of the biggest causes of climate change: overpopulation. What is the point of preventing and resolving climate change if human life will cease to exist because of the detrimental impact humans are leaving on the environment? Who will be there to celebrate that we curbed climate change when the human species has gone extinct (or moved) because the Earth has become an uninhabitable wasteland?

In order to truly commit to the protection of public health, the environment, and the future sustainability of our planet, I believe that the Biden-Harris administration must consider overpopulation as a quintessential factor in the administration’s plans on environmental policy— not only for our nation, but the whole world.

Thank you for your time,

Landon Crabtree

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Akshitha Ginuga
University of Michigan

Dear President Biden,

My name is Akshitha Ginuga, and I am a recently naturalized citizen of the United States. I come from a place of vibrant culture but little space to grow said culture. In my home country, uncontrolled growth is facing adversity with few solutions. While I am aware that the United States is many shy of the nearly one billion people of my birth nation, overpopulation is always a risk.

Some make broad claims that overpopulation is a benefit to society. They may argue that the future will need more workers and bolster that large populations sustain strong economies. What this school of thought discounts is the enormous strain placed on the resources of the United States. Natural resources like land, water, and energy are already facing stress in many regions.

In our current state, our climate is in a state of catastrophe. As oceans acidify, air quality plummets, ice caps melt, and weather patterns grow erratic, we must remember the root cause: humans. We have created unsustainable lifestyles and continue to pass down these habits. As your administration orients around climate protections, overpopulation must be addressed.

I admire your administration’s dedication to creating a shift to renewable energy in recognition of the climate crisis. While the shift to renewable energy is certainly helpful, the amount of energy consumed is just as important to consider. In the United States, we account for just below 17% of the world’s energy usage. Those numbers are expected to continue to climb. Without intervention, a significant population increase will pose a threat. The reality is that the renewable effort will take time, and in the meantime, fossil fuel reliance will continue. The conversation regarding our environment needs to discuss population growth.

A growing trend in the United States is water and food insecurity. Environmental factors have created areas of the United States that do not have access to healthy food. These food deserts are areas with weak crop diversification and places where food is simply too expensive. Many rely on unhealthy food that has a long list of climate and health issues tied to it. Beyond that, scientists have identified that the water supply may decrease by a third in as little as fifty years. These shortages will likely affect more than just states with historic water shortages but will span across the United States. Increased demand for water caused by considerable population growth would exacerbate this issue. Unfortunately, the United States is not able to weather sizeable changes.

It is important to recognize the relevance of population growth created by migration and birth rates. Immigrants like myself provide the nation with diversity and unmatched skills just as citizens born here do. Instead, the issue lies in unchecked growth.

Mr. President, I ask as a citizen of the United States that you include overpopulation in discussions of environmental health. We are on the brink of environmental catastrophe. Encouraging significant growth is an unsustainable option, and economic strength cannot justify the sacrifice of the environment.

Our allies are battling with high populations while working against climate change. Many struggle to find a balance and legislate policies that are extensive enough to address root causes like the status of women and the lack of environmental protections. Unlike that, the United States is in a place to prevent extreme growth and protect our natural environment and resources.

I believe that the United States values human life, and we must protect this place we call home.

Best,

Akshitha Ginuga

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Marissa Loraine Kuechenmeister
Ohio University – Athens

Dear President Biden,

Your climate change plan is a monumental step in the right direction for this country. Reducing carbon emissions and fossil fuel usage will help ensure the prosperity of our beautiful country.  That being said, we need to do more to fight our climate crisis. As of May 2021, the US population sits at roughly 332.7 million. The population has more than doubled within just 71 years. In 1950, it reached 152.3 million. Our renewable resources and waste absorption can only sustain 150 million, where we were in 1950. This is incredibly alarming news, as we are far beyond the threshold. As a country, we must work towards negative population growth.

As the population grows, so does the need for food. More must be produced at a faster rate, and more land is allocated for agriculture. This leads to over-farming: soil over-saturated with fertilizers, causing damage to the soil structure. More land requires more water, and according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 80 percent of water consumption is already used for agriculture. Irrigation is used to move this abundant amount of water to expansive stretches of land. Unfortunately, irrigated areas can become waterlogged, which kills crops. Irrigation also impacts surface air temperature and pressure, atmospheric conditions, rainfall patterns, erosion and deforestation.

As previously mentioned, agriculture also leads to deforestation. More trees are being removed than we can ever possibly replace. On the surface, animal habitats seem to be the most effected. Nevertheless, effects can be felt in the atmosphere as well. These trees help regulate the amount of carbon and water in the atmosphere. Deforested areas contain less water in the air to be returned to the soil. The soil then becomes arid, no longer supporting crops. Soil also becomes unanchored and can easily erode into nearby bodies of water. Erosion is just one more way we lose fertile soil.

A higher population requires higher energy usage. As of 2019, 80% of this energy came from fossil fuels. Obtaining coal, crude oil, and natural gas means more destroyed land and habitat loss. Coal mining specifically contributes to water pollution, as acid runoff and unwanted rock and soil are discarded into streams. Oil spills pollute drinking water and harm ecosystems. In direct relation to climate change, the burning of fossil fuels results in the production of carbon dioxide. These carbon emissions contain heat in the atmosphere, warming the earth.

It’s clear that if America remains on the same track the state of our environment will only decrease. We’re currently destroying the Earth as we attempt to sustain our current population. Researchers and scientists alike agree that an increasing population will only worsen the situation and eventually lead to downfall. To save our land, our trees, our animals, our atmosphere we need you. We need you to work towards negative population growth. America needs you to slow the population growth and help save our country.

Sincerely,

Marissa Kuechenmeister

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Eli Kurlander
Indiana University Bloomington

Dear President Biden,

During your presidential campaign, you made the fight against climate change a pillar of your platform. As you have repeatedly highlighted, climate change, which is an existential threat to humanity, has catastrophic consequences for the future of humans, wildlife, and our planet. Mitigating climate change and its disastrous effects requires creative and bold solutions; it is imperative that part of those solutions address overpopulation.

Overpopulation is undeniably a contributor to climate change, and discussions about climate change and its solutions are incomplete without discussions about overpopulation and its contribution to the climate crisis. Overpopulation is defined as having a population so dense as to cause environmental deterioration, an impaired quality of life, or a population crash. Currently, the Earth’s population is 7.674 billion people and rapidly growing (LeBlanc). Since 1900, the planet’s population has increased by roughly 374.5%, and by 2100, the planet’s population is projected to reach approximately 11 billion people (LeBlanc). This rapid increase in the planet’s population has led to overpopulation, which is a phenomenon with dire repercussions for the environment and the fight against climate change.

The relationship between the environment and overpopulation is complex, with overpopulation contributing to various environmental problems. Firstly, overpopulation is associated with deforestation as more people equates to an increased need for wood products and additional land for agriculture. Deforestation resulting from overpopulation has a plethora of negative environmental consequences, including habitat loss and the release of planet-warming carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change (Baus). Furthermore, overpopulation contributes to increased meat consumption as more people means more meat is consumed. Meat consumption is a key contributor to climate change and various environmental problems as animals, such as cattle, release methane, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere (LeBlanc). Meat production also necessitates the destruction of habitats and deforestation to allow for additional pastures (LeBlanc). As previously mentioned, deforestation adds carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and leads to a reduced ability for the planet to capture greenhouse gases (Baus). Lastly, overpopulation means more people, and more people lead to more greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases, which are a major contributor to climate change, trap heat in the atmosphere and warm the planet (Marx). Rapid population growth has resulted in an increased demand for oil, coal, and other fossil fuels, and thus, has led to an increase in the release of potent greenhouse gases into the atmosphere (Marx). The evidence overwhelmingly holds that overpopulation directly contributes to innumerable environmental problems including deforestation, increased meat production and consumption, and most importantly, an increase in the emission of greenhouse gases. These environmental problems exacerbated by overpopulation are major contributors to climate change, and because of this, solutions to curb climate change and address environmental problems must address overpopulation as well.

Mr. President, it is incumbent upon your administration to address climate change and overpopulation. Fortunately, solutions including the implementation of comprehensive reproductive health care policies, such as improved family planning services, affordable maternal health care, and comprehensive education about overpopulation exist. Through the implementation of these and other necessary solutions, overpopulation, a key contributor to climate change and environmental destruction, can be addressed to ensure a safe and healthy planet for future generations.

With hope for a sustainable future,

Eli Kurlander

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Jadon Lau
Northwestern University

Dear President Biden: 

This is my first time writing to a person of your stature, and I greatly appreciate the time you have taken to read this message throughout its entirety. I hope to bring light to an issue that I believe is paramount to the survival and quality of life for all Americans. While I understand many issues of great importance are constantly on your mind, I believe our rising population is one that is of immediate concern.

While a thriving country often has a growing population to match it, the excessive growth that has been plaguing the U.S. for decades has impacts that threaten the quality of life and economic sustainability of all Americans.  Putting an end to our strong population growth may appear to be taking steps backwards, but really, it is the only ethical way forward. Despite the benefits that come with more workers strengthening America’s powerful manufacturing and economic might, too many citizens crowd out workers of the next generation and will wreak havoc on our environment and economic footprint.

You have stated in your Presidential Vision to “Tackle the Climate Emergency” and “Tackle Climate Change,” both of which are directly affected by the exponential increase in the American population. A strong economy cannot last without the resources required to make the very building blocks it is built on. Currently, there are around 330 million Americans. Studies have shown that with our current resources, America can support less than half of that, at just 150 million (World Population Balance). To add, in forty years, the U.S population is predicted to reach over 400 million people (Statista). In a survey taken by the USDA in 2019, close to 15 percent of all U.S. households either had insecure or low food security. This number is sure to increase as our population puts an ever-increasing burden on America’s agriculture and infrastructure systems. These effects will ripple throughout all of American society, having irreparable impacts on the very livelihood of many citizens. By 2060, we are on track to exceed the current physical limitations of the ground we live on by almost three times. What will happen when clean water and food shortages occur? When the cost-of-living increases to astronomical heights? When unclean air and congestion become normal life?

Is this the America you want?

Not for me. If we do not take action now, this future will soon become a reality. While the procedures taken to reduce our carbon footprint and finding novel renewable energy sources are small steps forward, there are more direct actions you can take now to secure America’s future.

One of the ways to effectively curb the population growth is to clamp down on immigration. Currently, there are more than 1 million immigrants who come to the U.S. every year (Pew Research). Moreover, too many illegal immigrants sneak through the borders, threatening not only our economic viability, but also the credibility of those whose aim is to protect American citizens. In order to achieve the goal of stopping the population growth, as president, you can push for legislation that will strengthen our borders and cut down on the majority of immigrants allowed in per year.

Another solution would be to encourage adults to have a maximum of two children. This can be achieved in various ways, including introducing education that would inform citizens of the benefits of smaller family sizes, cutting tax benefits for families with more than two children, and increasing the know-how and ability to access affordable birth control.

These solutions are just a few of many, and a plethora of others exist to support this cause. I am looking forward to the rest of your presidency and am sure you will make the best choices not only for the now, but also the future generations to come.

Sincerely,

Jadon Lau

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Toheed Mahmood
Bunker Hill Community College

Dear President Biden:

Last year during the coronavirus pandemic, bodies of water such as the canals of Venice were crystal clear after decades, skylines of megacities across the world were visible for once, and animal populations of various species increased. However, these environmental benefits came at the catastrophic pain of millions of people in the form of societal changes, political upheavals, and economic pressures.

Today, I write to you about an issue which concerns the livelihood of not just every American, but of every human. Climate change as a result of global warming is a reality we already face in its various forms such as forest fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, natural resource depletion, degradation of environments, and extinction of species—with the worst yet to come. However, even with the drastic yet temporary transformations of society during the coronavirus pandemic, carbon dioxide emissions only fell 6.4% in comparison to the yearly 7.6% decrease needed to curtail only the worst impacts of climate change. The conclusion? The coronavirus pandemic is proof that even our best current efforts are insufficient to combat climate change: new approaches are necessary.

As with treating viruses, the goal to solving problems should be to treat the disease and not the symptoms. Fundamentally, climate change is a result of human activity. A guaranteed method of reducing climate change is to prevent overpopulation. This would have even more environmental benefits than what occurred during the pandemic without the immense costs to human life. Furthermore, this is in addition to the variety of other societal benefits through avoiding issues such as resource shortages of food or water, unhygienic living conditions, increased crime rates, and mass migrations. All of this is because of the fact that the best way to solve problems is to prevent them from occurring in the first place. 

However, talking about problems can only get us so far; it is the solutions which create change. Hence, I urge that your administration consider the following actions:

1. Ensure that whatever solutions are partaken, that the United States uses its considerable resources and power to help other nations follow in our footsteps. For creating such change cannot be done alone; it is a collective effort put forth by each nation.
2. Implement and enforce stricter immigration policies. Because the unfortunate reality is that 1 million immigrants are added to the population each year and, at current rates, the Pew Research Center calculates that 82% of the U.S. population increase by 2050 will be due to immigrants.
3. Improve sex education, access to contraceptives, and access to family planning resources. For 44% of all pregnancies are unintended, only 61% of those end in abortion, and the annual cost of unintended pregnancies in the U.S. is $5 billion.
4. Provide incentives, implicit or explicit, for families with less children.

Enacting on overpopulation and climate change now is our best solution to prevent further existential harms. To this day, U.S. government policy has been one of accountability, and right now the U.S. still has a chance to take action in order to stay true to its principles. For the transgression of our principles would be an even greater loss.

Sincerely,

Toheed Mahmood

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Carly Meulenberg
Olivet Nazarene University 

Dear President Biden,

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I appreciate your open-mindedness in hearing about the issues that impact our nation and our world, such as overpopulation. Just a decade ago, humanity’s population was viewed as a time bomb: humans only had a few hundred years before the earth was completely depleted. In recent years, the population rate has decreased, leading many to think that overpopulation is not a relevant or impactful issue; however, there is still strain on the environment from overpopulation and potential for tremendous catastrophe (Nierenberg).

Overpopulation has many negative effects on the environment. Humans destroy habitats, demolish forests, and encroach on the habitats of animals in search of farmland, space, and resources. In addition to a dwindling amount of farmland and food source, half of the world’s original forests are gone, destroyed and depleted to satisfy the needs of the monstrous human population (Nierenberg). Another necessary element that is decreasing at an alarming rate is water: the lifeblood that causes our earth to pulse and move. According to the environmental group The Sierra Club, more than 386 million people around the world face a scarcity of water, as overpopulation depletes reservoirs that will never be replenished (“Global Population Growth”). Overpopulation is exhausting necessary human resources and destroying the environment.

In addition to having disastrous effects on the environment, overpopulation directly correlates to the increase in climate change, as well as the catastrophic ramifications that come with it. Many people ignore the role overpopulation plays in climate change. The average amount of Carbon Dioxide produced around the world per person is 4.8 tonnes, but every person in the United States produces an average of 16.2 tonnes of C02 per year, which is over three times the global average (Roser, Hannah Ritchie, and Max). Multiply 16.2 by 330 million and you have an astonishing number that highlights the unbelievable amount that the United States contributes to climate change.

The climate change to which the United States is contributing wreaks havoc on our world: dwindling amounts of resources, destructive changing weather patterns, and declining habitats for animals. According to an IPCC report sent out in 2018, the world must take drastic action to combat climate change (“Climate Change”). This report pleaded to the world to take this issue seriously and to act before 2030, before irreversible damage is done to the world’s ecosystems (“Climate Change”).

Electric cars and solar panels are not sufficient munitions in the ferocious war against climate change; lawmakers must address the issue of overpopulation. As the earth’s population continues to grow, resources will be depleted and CO2 output will increase. The earth’s temperature will rise and ecosystems will continue to suffer. Crops will fail, forests will burn, sea levels will rise, and humanity will continue to travel in a frightening direction. Do not ignore the important role that the human population plays in the fight against climate change and in the fight to save our planet. Billions of expectant eyes from the United States and around the world are watching you and waiting expectantly to see how you will respond. It is crucial that your administration creates policies that will curb the alarming rate of population growth in our country, which will then be a sign to the rest of the world. It will be a sign that we as Americans care: we care about our country, we care about humanity, and we care about our world. President Biden, the time to act is now, before it is too late.

Sincerely,

Carly Meulenberg

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Connor Joseph Stutz
Hillsdale College

Dear President Biden,

Your plan to reach net zero carbon emissions as a nation by 2050 will certainly help drive the United States in a positive environmental direction. This goal can reduce the nation’s effect on global warming and will hopefully set an example for other countries to do the same. However, this is neither a permanent nor comprehensive solution to the planet’s well-being. To eradicate the negative effect that humans have on the environment, the solution must be derived from the problem’s underlying cause: population growth.

As one would intuit, the world population has grown rapidly in the past 100 years. As more countries industrialize, the technology and practices that increase life expectancy and decrease the child mortality rate become widely available. According to the estimation that Colin McEvedy and Richard Jones provided in 1978, the world population increased by roughly 1.5 billion people between 1 A.D. and 1900 but it increased by 4.7 billion from 1960 to 2020. This may be a form of positive progress, but this statistic is alarming with regards to resources. Just as populations of organisms have carrying capacities in their ecosystem, there is a limit to the number of humans that can live on Earth.

Our planet has a finite number of natural resources that will have to provide for an increasingly large number of people. As our population grows, we will find that the scarcity of our natural resources will follow the same trend. The agricultural industry is one example of how overpopulation depletes resources. To feed more people, the agriculture must have more farmland, or be more efficient with the land that they already have. Unfortunately, the industry’s solution to the former is deforestation. Approximately 80% of all deforestation can be linked to the agriculture industry. Not only does this destroy the habitats of countless organisms, but this negates the plans that you have made to eliminate carbon emissions. The photosynthetic plants that are being destroyed for the land they dwell on release the carbon dioxide that they have consumed. This accounts for about 12% of all greenhouse gas emissions. The second solution to the agricultural problem is to be more efficient with the existing farmland. The industry has developed ways to do this such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides, but unfortunately these have a negative effect on the environment, just as deforestation. Fertilizer runoff – along with clothing production and sewage disposal (more industries affected by overpopulation) – is one of the main causes of eutrophication. Eutrophication creates dense growths of oxygen consuming aquatic plants, effectively killing the animals that live there. As you can see, the agriculture industry has numerous effects on the environment, both direct and indirect. If overpopulation were not an issue, then the agricultural practices that destroy the planet would not be necessary.

Fresh water is another natural resource that humans are extremely reliant on. Roughly 2.5% of our water resources are fresh water, and only a small portion of that is drinkable. Due to overpopulation, one commentator projects that most of the world population will be living with water shortages by 2025. 2025 is four years from now.

Reducing carbon emissions as a country will play a role in the conservation of our environment, but we must find a solution to overpopulation if we are to truly eliminate the negative effects that humans have on our planet.                                              

Sincerely,

Connor Stutz

Anelyse Regelbrugge
Lewis and Clark College
$2,500

Looking at the impacts of contemporary U.S population growth, one might reasonably recoil at the shady ethics involved in justifying the social and environmental grievances that almost inevitably ensue. Strangely, however, ethics are often absent in the American discussion about population growth; instead, economics dominate the conversation.

Unsurprisingly, many economists loudly proclaim the national benefits of population growth. A Forbes article contended that the increased demand generated by more people is fulfilled by a corresponding increase in laborers to bolster service and production sectors, which, the article maintains, facilitates economic prosperity (Ozimek). Wharton School went even further when, after considering that most future U.S population growth is predicted to stem from immigration, rather than native births, they stated that we should not only embrace growth, but strive to escalate it by inviting more working-age immigrants.

Despite this costs-benefits approach, I believe that such arguments reflect a myopic consideration of the variables, especially since they only tackle one of the three UN Pillars of Sustainable Development: economy, society, and environment (UN). Without addressing all three, I feel that any discussion about the ramifications of U.S population growth is ineffectual.

What about the last two pillars: environment and society? Economic arguments tend to base their predictions upon current resource availability statistics, but it is fallacious to assume that such values will remain constant in an era of environmental degradation and climate change. Already, we humans consume far more resources and exude far more waste than what Earth can support (Dimick). Adding people to our country means more resources needed, and, contrary to the assertions of economists, having a larger national working force won’t help us meet that demand if there are no natural resources left from which to draw upon.

Already, over 10 percent of U.S homes struggle with food insecurity (USDA). How will we conjure up enough agricultural yield to satisfy an additional 70+ million people by 2060 (US Census)? Freshwater, clean energy, and arable land – the building blocks of resource production – exist in insufficient quantities to meet such fantastic demands (Dimick).

Instead, we will be forced to rely increasingly on technologies to grow, harvest, process, and transport necessary commodities. If current trends continue, this means more pesticides, herbicides, genetically modified organisms, Co2 emissions, and energy expenditure, all of which will exacerbate our damaging national waste output (Dimick).

As we develop newer, more desperate ways to exploit nature, the environment is bound to suffer the consequences, and so, eventually, will society. Our veneer of national security is beginning to crack under the strain of the social injustices that increase the longer the American people remain complacent. Dwindling supplies of clean water and fresh air, and shortages of food and land will inevitably increase costs of living, proliferating issues of social inequity, as environmental goods and burdens become unequally distributed among a teeming populous.

By the time the U.S population hits 400 million, I will be 60 years old, but I’ll feel the impact well before then. Firstly, my future career will be affected, since my intended majors are environmental studies and environmental law. The kind of work I’ll be doing will directly respond to the many ethical and legal violations that arise as consequences of a bustling human population exhausting its environment.

American ecosystems will undoubtedly be changed during our climb to 400 million, as the spread of humans and the waste we generate causes diverse plant and animal species that existed in my childhood to be poisoned and crowded out of their habitats (Dimick). Climates and geographies will change in response to human actions, and the ecological U.S of 2060 will likely be very different from that of today (Dimick). Thus, my environment will be a second impacted area of my life.

As if these concerns weren’t enough, population growth will affect my future health, as well. Denser populations result in more severe air, water, and land pollution, not to mention the increased risk of contagion that accompanies overwhelming urban concentrations – demand for medical services will be higher than ever (“Urbanization Effects”).

Using the Three Pillars of Sustainable Development as a reference, increasing U.S populations can only be interpreted as a woeful omen for the future of our environment, society, and, yes, economy. In a future where there are more people vying for jobs, resources, space, and services than the amount of those things available, the opportunities, choices, and freedoms of Americans will be more limited than those of the past several generations. Population growth portends ill for those of us who will be among the 400 million U.S citizens in 2060.

Jessica Wen
Rice University
$1,500

As everyday Americans continue to shape the future of our country, we must also take a look at the potential consequences. Improved medical technologies, lack of family planning, and unchecked immigration are just a few of the contributors to the ever-increasing population of the United States. In just 40 years, experts predict that the U.S. population will increase by over 70 million. At this rate, natural resources will be rapidly depleted, the effectiveness of medical care will be compromised, and the overall quality of life will be drastically reduced. It is imperative that we start analyzing the effects of overpopulation now, before it is too late.

Already, we are exhausting the earth’s natural resources by consuming them at a rate faster than which they can be replenished. As the population increases, so too will the amount of food, water, and energy needed to sustain the population. The efforts put into obtaining these resources, such as farming and mining, will lead to the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere as well as damage to ecosystems and arable lands. Climate change, which is already a major environmental concern today, will worsen, as a larger population will require the burning of more fossil fuels. Food will become scarce, and freshwater sources will become even more difficult to access. Not to mention, the clearing of lands in order to accommodate urban sprawl will lead to deforestation and massive loss of biodiversity. These environmental consequences will have detrimental effects on one’s quality of life. Most Americans, including myself, will have to adapt to living in more polluted areas where resources are limited and difficult to obtain. This will ultimately force individuals to become aware of their environmental impact and encourage them to live much simpler lives.

Overpopulation may also have a significant impact on modern day healthcare. Advancements in the medical field, such as vaccines and treatments for serious illnesses, have increased the human lifespan over the last couple of decades. However, overpopulation will lead to negative effects on human health. For example, the pollution of air as a result of overpopulation will put Americans at a higher risk for developing asthma or other respiratory illnesses. Similarly, the pollution of water will increase the likelihood of contaminants entering our bodies and negatively affecting our health. Because resources are limited, we can also expect food and water shortages throughout the nation, which will lead to malnourishment and congenital birth defects. Perhaps the most pressing concern of overpopulation in regards to health is the spread of disease. The more humans there are, the closer they are together, and the easier it is for diseases such as tuberculosis, and COVID-19, to be transmitted. As an aspiring healthcare professional, I am deeply concerned about our country’s future. It is time for us to trust the science that supports the fact that overpopulation is unsustainable and dangerous. If population growth is left unchecked, I believe that other healthcare professionals and I will spend the majority of our careers addressing the consequences of overpopulation. 

Lastly, overpopulation will have grave effects on our economy. In the past, population growth was a source of economic and industrial progress. New ideas, stronger workforces, and capable leaders came about as a result of a growing population. Now, we are in danger of suffering from the consequences of overpopulation. The number of jobs available will not increase quickly enough to accommodate the speed at which the American population is growing. As a result, unemployment rates and living costs will skyrocket. Many Americans will be thrown into poverty, and they will not have the resources they need to improve their living conditions. This is especially concerning for younger and future generations. We may be the ones to suffer through the consequences of an exponentially increasing population. It may be extremely difficult for us to find jobs and provide for our families.

The United States is on a dangerous path. The consequences of overpopulation can and will endanger the environmental, medical, and financial aspects of our lives. If the U.S. population does in fact exceed 400 million by 2060, we may be looking at massive habitat loss, strain on medical institutions, and a high unemployment rate, all of which will severely decrease the quality of life of Americans. 

Solana Adedokun
University of Chicago
$1,000

Gently, I crack my eyes open and notice the soft beams of morning sunlight illuminate my room through the blinds of my window. I slowly turn my head to look at my digital clock: 7:45 AM on June 28th, 2060. I notice my breathing. Normally, it’s the shallow breaths of an athsmatic, like it has been for most of my life, but lately I can’t catch my breath at all, even with the help of my inhaler.

I rise out of the bed, stretch my arms high in the air, and start my morning routine to get ready for work. I take a shower, brush my teeth, and make my way downstairs to eat breakfast. As I’m munching on my cereal, I look over at the news on the TV: more violent demonstrations. “Too many Americans” the news anchor says while shaking his head, “and not enough resources”. I shake my head as well. The United States becoming overpopulated has done nothing positive for the country and has diminished my quality of life. My asthma has gotten worse not only because of the lower air quality from the increasingly high vehicle use in my city, but the surge in population has led to more smokers becoming prevalent in cities like mine, destroying any chance of me being able to properly manage my asthma.

I speed walk to the subway, feeling slightly lightheaded from the smog, but my pace is broken when I step in a hole on the road. I look down at my feet. The sidewalks are mangled from the wear and tear from protest after protest. They happen because the government is stuck in a deadlock of what to do about the massive increase in the population. The spirit of the congressional debates seem to permeate into the minds of my fellow passengers on my subway ride to work. Some believe the onus is on the families to manage the amount of children they have so they shouldn’t receive government benefits while others believe the key to solving the issue is to open up more family planning centers and set up more places for women to get aboritions. The few outspoken radical thinkers believe the country needs to implement a law similar to China’s one-child policy.

When I first heard these discussions when I was younger, I decided to seriously reconsider what I wanted my family to look like. So, early on, I decided that I would adopt one child instead of bringing more children into the world.

After the subway, I arrive at my job, settling in for the long day ahead. I just recently got this job and I still have imposter syndrome. After getting an undergrad degree then going for my masters and PhD, I thought I would never have to worry about not having a job, but in America it has been harder and harder to secure well-paying positions because of the population increase. I was laid off from my last job because my company was going bankrupt and I had to scramble to find a new job. It was already extremely hard to get into many colleges and programs when I was younger, now many undergraduate and graduate programs and jobs are nearly impossible to get into. My younger siblings have mentioned to me time and time again how hard it had been for them and their friends just to get into programs at colleges and universities that were once easy for me and others my age to get into. Even many job positions are cutthroat just to get an interview.

I shake my head and stare out the window. The sky is gray, but blocks away the lights from a massive protest are illuminating the sides of buildings. The demonstrators want to push Congress towards a solution to this issue. I wish too, that a solution could’ve been found earlier to prevent this catastrophe.

Cavin Alderfer
Colorado State University
$1,000

This April, the U.S. is conducting its 2020 Census. Population scientists and demographics experts predict that, in accordance with the trend we have seen in the past decades, the population of our nation will continue to increase at a considerably high rate. Such significant population growth will certainly be accompanied by both positive and negative side-effects. However, in my opinion, the negative consequences will far outweigh the positive benefits, both for our nation and my own life, as our alarmingly high rate of population will, if not addressed, lead to higher unemployment rates, extensive environmental devastation and increased depletion of natural resources, and a decline in social infrastructure and the standard of living.

The primary source of our significant population growth, for an extensive period of time, has been perpetually increasing immigration rates. According to a United Nations study, taken in 2015, the U.S. leads the world in immigration rate, and it’s unlikely this status will change anytime soon. While immigration should certainly not take on the full blame for our unsustainable population growth, if it combines fully with the steady growth of our native population, the effects on our economy will be devastating. As an incoming college freshman seeking to pursue an engineering career in the future, I am worried about the detrimental effects our population growth may have on my career field and others, particularly on the unemployment rate within these fields. The notion that economic growth and the creation of new jobs accompany population growth, though pleasant to consider, is undeniably unrealistic. With such unsustainable population growth, our nation will be unable to avoid higher unemployment rates and perhaps even economic stagnation, which I feel may impact my life, as well as our nation overall, in a negative way.

Perhaps above all else, it is the environment that will suffer most from our growing population. Habitat destruction and air and water pollution will accompany any and all attempts to make our nation suitable for population expansion. Even now, however, the U.S. is already among the top five in the world in hydrological and atmospheric pollution! As an aspiring environmental engineer, I am concerned that our nation’s population growth will create or intensify environmental issues that scientists will be unable to effectively address, and without proper government attention, these problems will only grow worse. Personally, I do not want to have to face a future world afflicted by global warming and habitat loss. Our nation’s current environmental state is already alarming enough! However, with our nation’s population growth rate continuing to increase, such concerns may soon become our reality, and materialize as issues I’ll have to encounter as an adult.

Finally, I believe that our nation’s unsustainable population growth will, for the reasons discussed in the previous two paragraphs, contribute to a decline in the quality of our nation’s social infrastructure and standard of living. With such a high rate of growth, our healthcare, education, and transportation systems will be unable to effectively address our nation’s needs in a quick and efficient manner. This will, in turn, result in a decline of our nation’s standard of living. Our country has always promised its citizens the best chance to achieve enjoyable living conditions through hard work. However, I fear that, as I progress through adulthood, our nation will be unable to meet the high standards it previously set for itself due to rising unemployment and declining social infrastructure and environmental integrity. The promise of the “American Dream” may no longer be one our nation can make. 

At the moment, I do not place extensive blame on our nation or any other group for that matter for allowing such significant population growth to occur. However, I sincerely hope that efforts by our federal government will be made in the future to reduce this growth to a more sustainable level. If such efforts are not made, I’m confident that the effects on our nation’s citizens, our environment, and, if I may, on the future aspirations I have for my life, will be devastating.

Kaysan Frueh
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
$1,000

Since its founding, the United States’ population has grown exponentially. While the growth rate has been decreasing within the last few decades due to the decrease of immigration and the birth rate and death rate beginning to cancel each other out, the US is far from having an optimum, supportable population level (New York Times). Our country is reaching uncharted territory as we enter a fifth phase of demographic transition about which we can only hypothesize. While the last census may show hope for manageable population growth, our population growing by even the 0.5% rate gained last year is problematic as our country can only healthily sustain a finite number of people (US Census Bureau). Also, as population increases, the resources that the US has stays the same, and so do those of the entire Earth. There are only so many resources for the American people to share. Our ability to maintain a sustainable population is critical in shaping the future of all Americans. I see the impacts of U.S population growth affecting me most prevalently through decreased job opportunities, a potentially lower standard of living, and negative environmental impacts.

As a soon to be high school graduate, I look forward to continuing my education and landing the perfect job. However, our population growth and technological advancements are making non-technological jobs scarce and many professions highly competitive (MIT Technology Review). Since the US is a developed country that is viewed as a beacon of opportunity, I will be competing with Americans and people from all over the world for a job in the US. This could make a significant impact on my life through unemployment and other setbacks derived from intense job competition. Furthermore, an economist writing for the Economists Discussion webpage noted that “not only does increased competition for work make it tougher to find a job, employers can hire employees for a lower wage because there are more applicants than jobs to go around”. I may be faced with reduced job opportunities and competition, but population growth will add another dimension that could diminish compensation. I hope that I can be economically stable and have a reliable occupation, but with our population growth, I cannot be assured of this. 

I live in Issaquah, Washington, a small town incorporated in 1892 with a population of 600, based on the mining industry (Downtown Issaquah). Since then, the town has been growing exponentially due to Boeing, Microsoft, and other industries expanding in the area. The population is now almost 40,000 people crowded into one small town of 13.2 square miles with a growth rate of 2.9% (World Population Review). Since I have lived in Issaquah, I have seen firsthand the effects of overpopulation, like the increasing amount of developed land, the pollution from crowding and traffic, even new invasive species inhabiting the area due to climate change. This backyard case study has made me realize that the future health of our environment will be determined by our ability to manage our population growth now. Our lifestyle pollutes and destroys valuable ecosystems, resources, and habitats that support plant and animal life as well as human life. Since we need a healthy, functioning environment to live, we must take action to protect it, or our future will be made extremely uncertain. 

There is no question that Americans have a high standard of living. We want to eat well, own a big house with a yard and fill our garage with cheap products. A report by the Australian Science Foundation indicated that an “average middle-class American consumes 3.3 times the subsistence level of food and almost 250 times the subsistence level of clean water”. As a society, we are not aware of the destructiveness and unsustainability of our daily practices. If we continue living like this, magnified by increasing population, our future standard of living is in jeopardy. Our Earth does have substantial replenishable resources; the responsibility to organize and manage them sustainably falls on humanity. A study published by BBC news reported that “if everyone on the planet consumed as much as the average US citizen, four Earths would be needed to sustain them”. 

Since the American way of life requires an extremely large amount of resources, I hypothesize that population growth will lower the American standard of living. If growth continues, critical shared resources like air, water, and the food supply will come under even greater stress, and the price for these basic resources could skyrocket. To elaborate on one example, the water supply is becoming stressed as demand is exceeding the finite supply of this resource. Scientist Rick LeBlanc hypothesized that “2/3rds of the world’s population [will] be living with water shortages by 2025” and with increased water pollution, the supply of clean water will decrease significantly. Day by day, the demand for basic resources is expanding, which can be directly attributed to population growth – it is a ticking time bomb. We have the data and the facts, it is up to us to change the outcome and ensure a prosperous future. If action is not taken in the US, I may find myself without a job, fighting for resources, and experiencing a markedly lower standard of living. We hold an immense responsibility to manage the Earth’s resources, and since population is a crucial, defining factor in this process, we must manage it to an optimal level. Individual, government, and global action must be taken.

Works Cited

Debasish. “14 Major Negative Effects of Population Explosion.” Economics Discussion, 11 Aug. 2019, www.economicsdiscussion.net/population-explosion/14-major-negative-effects-of-population-explosion/4461.

Dovers, Steven, and Colin Butler. “Population and Environment: a Global Challenge.” Australian Academy of Science, 7 Nov. 2019, www.science.org.au/curious/earth-environment/population-environment.

“Issaquah History.” Downtown Issaquah, 31 Dec. 2019, downtownissaquah.com/issaquah-history/.

“Issaquah, Washington Population 2020.” Issaquah, Washington Population 2020 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs), 2020, worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities/issaquah-wa-population/.

LeBlanc, Rick. “The Environmental Impacts of Overpopulation.” The Balance Small Business, 31 Aug. 2018, www.thebalancesmb.com/how-overpopulation-impacts-the-environment-4172964.

McDonald, Charlotte. “How Many Earths Do We Need?” BBC News, BBC, 16 June 2015, www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33133712.

Rotman, David. “How Technology Is Destroying Jobs.” MIT Technology Review, MIT Technology Review, 12 June 2013, www.technologyreview.com/2013/06/12/178008/how-technology-is-destroying-jobs/.

US Census Bureau. “Population Estimates Continue to Show the Nation’s Growth Is Slowing, Release Number CB19-198.” The United States Census Bureau, 30 Dec. 2019, www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2019/popest-nation.html.

Vigdor, Neil. “U.S. Population Makes Fewest Gains in Decades, Census Bureau Says.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 31 Dec. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/12/30/us/usa-population-growth-decline-census.html.

Nicolas Genna
Oakland University
$1,000

The United States continues to grow at exponential rates and if predictions are correct regarding our future population, this isn’t going to slow down. In fact, experts are predicting that our population will exceed 400 million by 2060. In my opinion this is bad for our country, but it isn’t just my opinion. There are many facts as to why this could be extremely harmful to our country. Experiencing over population in the United States can lead to problems that will affect the land, the economy, the government, energy consumption, and people directly. Our largely growing population is definitely doing more harm towards our country than good overall, and a multitude of research supports this.

Something that is very surprising is that our country’s population is actually considered by many to already be too large let alone growing to be even larger. It is estimated that the United States can only sustain a population of around 150 million regarding current consumption levels. Also, if everyone were living as an average American, it would take almost 4 planet Earths to produce renewable resources and absorb the wastes needed to support us. This is mainly because people living in the United States are using renewable resources twice as fast as they can be regenerated. When it comes to land the more people living in America means the more built land and highways that will be used by people which means less land available for growing food. Although this would be extreme circumstances, it is possible that we could run out of open land for food growth all together if our population continues to grow and take up space. Not only do people use up space, we also use up energy. The more the population in the United States grows, the more our energy consumption will grow, which isn’t necessarily just bad for our country, but is also potentially bad for the planet as a whole. An aspect of our country that might not seem like it would be affected by population is our government, but it absolutely is. When it comes to government, overpopulation affects representation in our democracy. The more people we have in our country, the more people each member in the House of Representatives has to represent which dilutes our citizens’ representation. Looking at a big picture perspective, our population growing at exceeding levels will inevitably lead to more greenhouse gas emissions, pollution of land water and air, less open land, overcrowding, species loss, and habitat destruction.

When it comes to my life personally, I definitely think I will be directly affected by the growth of the population in the United States. I believe the aspects in my life that will be most affected will be regarding food, land space, and renewable resources. Clearly, as an American I take up built land space in our country. The more people living here cuts into our space for growing food. So, either I will be affected by the drop in food availability that we no longer have room to grow, or my needed land space will be cut into personally. Also, if our population continues to grow exceedingly, so will our use of renewable resources, meaning we will be even slower in regenerating them, therefore leading to me and all other Americans potentially being deprived of these resources. At the end of the day, I do believe there is such thing as a population that is too large, and this could lead to problems for my personal well-being as long as for our entire country.

Harrison Hall
Liberty University
$1,000

The year is 2060. Peering out the window of my apartment, I spot a faint image of the sun fighting to pierce through the thick smog. The air quality index is in the purple, very unhealthy, again today. Before heading to the car, I strap on my mask which is essential for someone like me, now with severe asthma, to use when air quality is poor. It would be best to stay inside today, but I must hurry to the store, along with the droves of others in need of hurricane supplies. Once again, I fear for my life. I fear I could lose everything. This will be the fifth major storm this season to plow through the place where I have lived all my life — Kissimmee, Florida. I remember the days of my youth, playing soccer in a green grassy field where sweet-smelling orange trees lined the sidewalks. The field, however, was long ago replaced by brick and mortar to make way for the people, many from outside of the United States, who keep coming… and coming.

The population of the United States is expected to break the 400 million mark by 2058 (US). If this projection is realized, the lives of all Americans will be negatively impacted. Personally, I will be faced with increased health problems, financial insecurities, and a fragile mental health.

The decline in air quality, relative to the increase in population, continues as cities grow unregulated (Vidal). Soot and other pollutants from construction, transport and industry fill the air and the lungs of the people living in it. This in turn causes the development of more cancers and health complications and worsening asthma symptoms. Of concern to me is ozone, found in greater amounts in areas where there are more people and consequently more cars. Ozone, highly irritating to the lungs and airways, leads to intensified asthma attacks (AAFA). This is a frightful thought for one already experiencing bouts of gasping for breath.

Financial difficulty often follows natural disasters, which will occur much more frequently due to overpopulation. Increased human activity brings increased burning of fuels which raises the carbon dioxide levels in the air. This gas builds up in the atmosphere trapping extra heat, creating the greenhouse effect. This heat causes climate change which scientists warn “will lead to more intense hurricanes and storms, heavier and more frequent flooding, increased droughts and more severe wildfires” (“Air”). Natural disasters result in injury and enormous cost in personal property damage. Florida is already notorious for hurricanes. With a continued rise in such occurrences, I would constantly be faced with fears of impending disaster and financial ruin.

Social interaction and mental well-being will be negatively impacted due to lack of natural beauty to enjoy. In addition to unclean air outdoors, the plowing down of forests and clearing of lands to make room for swarms of humans leads to considerable shrinking of green spaces and loss of wildlife. This kind of aggressive development in the next fifty years may usher in the extinction of one third of the world’s animal species (Ewing). Studies have shown that experience with nature increases a person’s happiness, social interaction, and positive state of mind (“How”). Without the green grass, bright flowers, and a variety of wildlife to enjoy, my life will lose its color in more ways than one.

Decreased health, potential financial disaster and decreased social and mental health are but a few of the aspects of my life that will be affected by too many people in this country. Americans must open their eyes to these impending consequences and change this course. In response to an award bestowed upon him by Planned Parenthood, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote, “Overpopulation is solvable by means we have discovered…what is lacking is not sufficient knowledge of the solutions but universal consciousness of the gravity of the problem and education of billions who are victims” (Planned). To alter this continued path of overpopulation, it is essential that the youths of my generation, victims of the population explosion, rise and fight for a change.

Makenzie Hrabina
Edgewood College
$1,000

Some might say “the more the merrier”, but maybe not in the case of our growing U.S. population.  Have you ever considered what our lives will look like when our population is bursting at the seams?  Experts believe the population will reach a staggering 400 million by the year 2060.  I certainly consider a growing populations impact on my future now more than ever, especially as a health pandemic sweeps our nation. Will we have adequate water and food supplies, will pollution continue to get worse and how will it affect my future career? 

I do believe a growing population has and will continue to affect our nation in many negative ways.  One way I believe it will affect my life in the future is through food.  Not the lack of it per say in the U.S. , but the unhealthy nature of it.  I fear the mass quantities produced to feed a huge nation are subsequently ruined with pesticides, additives and other dangerous chemicals. Food filled with high fructose corn syrup, weed spray and GMO’s used to create higher yields of food in general are only helping the manufacturers.  Unfortunately, leading to more health problems and disease that already exist today. 

Secondly, I believe an obvious side effect of overpopulation is pollution.  This will come in many forms and will overtime increase.  I think pollution will ruin water supplies through industry pollution and run off from massive farms into fresh streams, rivers and other bodies of water. We will continue to pollute our air with vehicle emissions and with a booming population it can only get worse.  We are a country that thrives on more and bigger and better everything, we waste unimaginable amounts of everyday items.  Where are we putting all this trash and how will it effect our food, water and air in the future?

Lastly, I wonder how the growing population in this country will affect my future career.  In some cases, I feel there will be an astounding amount of competition for certain jobs and a lack of skilled persons in others.  Will we have enough trained professionals to deal with the growing health problems that exist?  I ultimately plan on pursuing a career in special education.  I worry that class sizes will continue to grow above and beyond what a single teacher can manage. Will there be enough space and money to provide more schools to meet the demand? 

There are many reasons a growing population can have negative effects on a country.  As a young person, I feel I am already seeing some of the effects firsthand.  Living in a smaller community I witness the pollution of water in our lakes, rivers and streams. We had alerts all summer to “Stay Out” due to rising concerns of algae in our local swimming holes from farm runoff .  We fear eating the fish because of water filled with toxins and trash.  I’ve watched the crops being dumped full of pesticides from above and worry that is what my family will be eating.  I witness our overflowing trash dumps from all that we waste and the sunsets at dusk producing beautiful colors enhanced from our local pollution in the air. The outbreak of COVID-19 definitely has me worried about over population in the United States, let alone the world.  I hope our current situation will prepare us for the next disaster, as the booming population growth will only mean more to care for.

Jesse Roy
Yale University
$1,000

Unchecked development, water scarcity, environmental degradation, infectious disease—such threats may seem united only by their deleterious effect on our quality of life. Yet what contributes most to the gravity of these issues is that we, humans, lie at their root. Specifically, the overpopulation of the United States, as well as of the world at large, has left future generations vulnerable to an ominous environmental, economic, and epidemiological landscape. I fear that we are heading toward a perilous future ravaged by the unsustainable human population growth to which we have grown accustomed.

In ten, twenty, or thirty years, how will the overpopulation of America touch my life? To tackle this question, I will first consider overpopulation’s consequences on quality of life. Currently, I am fortunate to live in a peaceful environment where resources like water and natural produce are readily accessible. Minutes from my home, I can enjoy a walk through the park, unperturbed by the noise and air pollution of highways and construction sites. A short drive away, a local farmer sells fruits and vegetables fresh from his fields.

My neighbors and I need not look far, however, to comprehend the fragility of our environment’s future. As the population of my state and my country reach historic levels, the signs of overpopulation only become more apparent: residential complexes replace forests, agricultural lands and recreational spaces; deer, foxes, and raccoons, displaced by endless strips of suburbia, find their habitats compromised; and amid this growth, water tables run dry, depleted by too many users. A short, congested trip on I-95, a concrete symbol of America’s ever-bustling, ever-growing population, brings me to New Jersey, the most densely populated state in the country. Crossing the state’s border, I am welcomed by vast power plants, conscripted to fuel an energy grid that drains natural resources. If my region’s population continues its upward trend, the tranquil natural environment I have always known will soon perish, acre by acre.

Another way America’s growing population will impact my life is by intensifying the climate crisis. As the Center for Ecological Biodiversity states, in our fight against climate change “we not only need smaller footprints, but fewer feet.” ^[1] Given the average American’s outsized carbon footprint, especially in comparison to other developed and developing countries, reducing our population is imperative. If the US follows its projected upward population trends, as it has for decades, our energy demands will strain our supply, likely resulting in a further dependence on nonrenewable resources and heightened carbon emissions.

As a Delawarean, I fear that rising sea levels, a product of climate change, could one day swallow up my state’s coast, displacing thousands of residents and changing the face of my densely developed home state. Seaside summer camps I used to frequent as a child may too disappear. Globally, rising seas will engender throngs of climate refugees and thereby exacerbate the United States’ immigration boom. Already, the Pew Research Center projects that future immigrants and their descendants will constitute 88% of the nation’s population growth within the next 45 years.^[2]

One final consequence of America’s unbridled population growth perhaps stands out as the most timely: the heightened risk of pandemic. To date, the novel strain of the coronavirus has claimed tens of thousands of lives at home and abroad and devastated several fragile economies. Locally, thousands of residents in my small state have been infected, and one of my family members has tested positive. Life has changed for millions of Americans, and we can only hope an end is in sight.

A brief study of the coronavirus’ origin, as well as that of numerous other wildlife-borne infection diseases, from SARS to Lyme, reveals the striking relationship between population growth and viral outbreaks. At the root of the coronavirus crisis lie the population-fueled trends—residential and infrastructure development, and consequent ecological degradation—earlier acknowledged in this essay. As human population balloons, societies like ours intrude further into wildlife habitats, increasing the likelihood of the human-wildlife interactions at the crux of Covid-19, SARS, Ebola, and many other diseases. Moreover, as Americans cluster into dense cities, and greater numbers of people travel, our landscape becomes ever more vulnerable to pandemics.

As a young adult soon to join the American workforce, it is my hope that our nation recognizes the need to curb our growing population, the root cause of issues as grave as climate change, wildlife degradation, and viral outbreaks, so that my generation’s future will remain bright.

^[1]https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/population_and_sustainability/climate/

^[2]https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/2015/09/28/chapter-2-immigrations-impact-on-past-and-future-u-s-population-change/

Reece Sodano
Pennsylvania State University
$1,000

As a 21 year old American woman, the prospect of Americans numbering in excess of 400 million is frightening.   I am currently a sophomore in college for early childhood education, so the future of the country is important to me as it affects my future students, and my future family.  The three aspects of my life that would be most affected by this growth would be the limited resources, the effect on the environment, and the education of American children.

One earth can only produce so many crops, clean oxygen and water. With a growing population, we will see more and more people losing accessibility to clean natural resources. We are already seeing the effects with our current population, let alone its expansion. “The Global Footprint Network, whose Earth Overshoot Day fell on the earliest-ever date of August 1st in 2018, has concluded we’re consuming the renewable resources of 1.7 Earths – a 70% overshoot” (Ware, Gardner).  If we are already overshooting our use of renewable resources by a considerable amount with the current population, an increase can only lead to more soil depletion, and more waste. This affects not only my life, but the wellness of everyone’s life. This means less crops, less clean water, more polluted air, and more.

It is no secret that the world has not treated the health of our environment kindly. One of the biggest issues we are currently dealing with is a rise in carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon dioxide is produced from burning fossil fuels,  which is used by industrial factories for energy. Carbon dioxide is a totally natural greenhouse gas- at the right amount. Humans have been overloading the environment with CO2 emissions for decades. The planet can usually regulate these emissions itself, but people have provided things such as deforestation where it cannot regulate the greenhouse gases itself. This is leading to erratic temperatures, melting polar ice caps, more frequent and more severe weather, and the list goes on. “The indicators present compelling evidence that many fundamental measures of climate in the United States are changing. Average temperatures across the contiguous 48 states have increased since 1901, with an increased rate of warming since the late 1970s”(EPA). Let me remind you that this is all with our current population, let alone a growing one. Not to mention the waste that people bring. “The average person produces 4.3 pounds of waste per day, with the United States alone accounting for 220 million tons per year” (Renewable Resources Coalition).  This affects my life because it is only getting worse, and being a young woman, it is concerning for future health conditions that may arise from this, and the quality of life these drastic changes will bring to the United States.

As an early childhood education major with the aspiration to be an elementary school teacher, I know that public schools are zoning and rezoning their boundaries because they’re struggling to fit the number of kids as it is. Amanda Litvinov of the National Education Association reports a growing class size, and to make it worse, more budget cuts. The NEA tells a story of Melissa Hagen, a junior high science teacher. She lost two coworkers, and now her class sizes are around 38-41 kids per class, and that is assuming that all the other workers are there or a substitute came in. There was an experiment done in Tennessee on the effects that a class size has on a student, and the results spoke loudly. “An average student assigned to the smallest classes had a reading score nearly 8 percent higher than students in the medium-sized classes. The smaller-class students, on average, achieved 9 percent higher math scores” (Woods). Small meaning 13-17 kids and medium meaning 22-25. With a population growth, a bigger class sizes, teachers will not be able to do their job effectively, therefore leaving the incoming generations of American children without a proper education. This affects me deeply, as it is a dream of mine to be the best teacher that I can be, and to help children reach their full potential.

When I think about the future of Americans, I think about clear blue skies, and citizens not being worried about where they are going to find a clean water source, not being inundated by severe weather or extreme amounts of waste, and kids all over America being able to get the best public education that we can give them.

Works Cited

Co, About Renewable Resources. “Top 17 Environmental Problems.” Renewable Resources Coalition, 16 Jan. 2019, www.renewableresourcescoalition.org/top-environmental-problems/.

“Greenhouse Gases.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 19 Mar. 2020, www.epa.gov/report-environment/greenhouse-gases.

Litvinov, Amanda. “Budget Cuts+Teacher Layoffs=Larger Class Sizes.” NEA, www.nea.org/home/35617.htm.

Rinkesh. “Overpopulation: Causes, Effects and Solutions.” Conserve Energy Future, Amazon Services LLC Associates, 12 Apr. 2017, www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-solutions-of-overpopulation.php.

Ware, Alan, and Dave Gardener. “Yes, (Over)Population IS a Problem!” MAHB, 15 Nov. 2018, mahb.stanford.edu/blog/yes-overpopulation-problem/.

Woods, Darian. “The Class Size Debate: What the Evidence Means for Education Policy”. The Class Size Debate: What the Evidence Means for Education Policy | Featured Research | Research | Goldman School of Public Policy | University of California, Berkeley, 23 Sept. 2015, gspp.berkeley.edu/research/featured/the-class-size-debate-what-the-evidence-means-for-education-policy.

Manu Sundaresan
University of Chicago
$1,000

Oracle of Multiply: My Future in an Overpopulated World

There is something peculiar and terrifying about the negative reciprocal function, . Perhaps it is in the way the gentle slope of the early negatives transforms into a sheer, ever increasing cliff as the graph approaches zero. What is perhaps more terrifying is its similarity to the population growth curve. But can this graph that approaches infinity be mirrored by our growth rate in a world defined by finitudes? Finite water, finite food, finite space, finite resources. Finite time to address the pressing ill that is American overpopulation.

As I write this, I enter the twentieth day of government-mandated stay-at-home orders as part of the COVID-19 pandemic response. Spending my days indoors, watching the death toll rise as demographers and epidemiologists estimate the impact of this crisis, a thought crosses my mind: would things have been different under lower population conditions? It isn’t a radical notion; fewer people interacting and serving as vectors of disease transmission leads to fewer cases of infection. But my overpopulated future may not allow for that. An almost prescient article from 2008 identified the susceptibility of emerging infectious diseases from animal origins and its relationship with population density. My dream is to enter the medical field in the future. Will I be forced to treat infectious disease in my patients? Will I have to inform someone of their grandmother’s passing? In a world with more than 400 million Americans, will epidemics like these become less the exception and more the rule? Modern epidemiology is a numbers game; the number we must focus on is that all-too-important population growth rate, and how we can bring it into the negatives our future demands.

In the face of war, climate change, and pandemics, it is difficult to emphasise the importance of our population growth on the economy. The Dow Jones’ bottom line doesn’t look too horrifying against the backdrop of hurricanes and plagues. But for the millions of Americans locked into our population growth system, economic hardship and overpopulation are familiar bedfellows. When I enter the increasingly competitive job market as an adult, I’ll be forced into jockeying for positions alongside innumerable peers. As we continue to expand our population growth, the number of available positions will continue its death march even as more people enter the job market.

British economist William Forster Lloyd wrote the seminal “Tragedy of the Commons” as a warning against an unchecked population growth rate. In the essay, he describes the inevitable burden on natural resources when an attempt to commandeer them is made by a large number of individuals. In modern usage, this tragedy has repeated itself across many spheres; the ecological, economic, and sociopolitical ramifications of an overpopulated society has repeated itself ad nauseam. In our day-to-day lives, we shall witness this play out in pollution and carbon emissions. As the national population grows, the development of mega-cities alongside continued urbanisation will contribute to massive reductions in air quality for urban centers. I had always seen myself living in a metropolitan environment in the future, with the job opportunities and lifestyle offered in cities. The effects of smog and urban pollution on public health have been well documented; from respiratory distress to carcinogenic ramifications, the United States of 400 million will be painfully infirm. But those ill effects are not restricted to cities. Across the country, the continued repercussions of climate change are producing irreversible damage to ecosystems, livelihoods, and living conditions. As oil production continues to remain in lockstep with population growth, we are in the midst of a global environmental crisis: disastrous weather events and receding coastlines are evidence enough. As these kinds of cataclysms become the norm, the working class, poor, and minorities will be disproportionately affected. Heat wave deaths already affect African-Americans at much higher rates than other ethnicities. As a person of color with respiratory health issues, these warnings serve as a stark reminder of what my future may hold. As consumption rises with our ever-growing population, global warming and climate change will result in consistent quality-of-life degradation.

This state has a simple solution; an end to population growth.

In the oft-quoted cliche, the flap of a butterfly’s wings in the Amazon can cause a tornado in Texas. In our lives today, population growth is that destructive butterfly. We can already see those currents traveling and expanding to our overpopulated future. It’s only a question of diligence, research, and action to keep us from the life-altering eye of that storm.

Bibliography

1. Infographic. USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, https://dornsife.usc.edu/assets/sites/242/docs/National_Climate_GapFact_Sheet_FINAL.pdf.
2. Krzyzanowski, M., Apte, J.S., Bonjour, S.P. et al. Air Pollution in the Mega-cities. Curr Envir Health Rpt 1, 185–191 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40572-014-0019-7.
3. Hu H, Nigmatulina K, Eckhoff P. The scaling of contact rates with population density for the infectious disease models. Math Biosci. 2013;244(2):125-34. 10.1016/j.mbs.2013.04.013.
4. Jones, Kate E et al. “Global trends in emerging infectious diseases.” Nature vol. 451,7181 (2008): 990-3. doi:10.1038/nature06536.

Brennan Thompson
United States Air Force Academy
$1,000

The Negative Effects of Positive Growth

With projections showing a U.S. population exceeding 400 million by 2060, our country has a serious problem. As our population grows, the consumption of goods increases. Food, fossil fuels, land, and other vital materials are being used beyond a sustainable rate (“Sustainable Consumption and Production”). Simply put, as our population changes, but our living practices do not, we are putting an expiration date on our planet. As an avid outdoorsman and member of the U.S. Air Force, I find myself particularly worried about my future. I am concerned that the unchecked growth of our country’s population will destroy vast areas of land, overcrowd what few natural areas are preserved, and threaten the peace of our nation. 

My entire life, I have lived in rural areas. All of my childhood, I was free to roam beautiful landscapes right out my back door; free to explore, create, and learn from the natural world around me. I feel strongly that these opportunities have played a pivotal role in determining who I am today. In recent years, I have seen my untouched desert beauty, bulldozed to build vacation properties and my mountainsides clear-cut to make room for gated communities. I want nothing more than to give my children and grandchildren the opportunity to experience a childhood like mine; the ability to explore, imagine, and learn in the beauty of nature rather than in front of a television screen. I fear this might only be a dream, however, as I see neighborhoods being built to accommodate the demand for housing for our nation’s exploding population. Where once before there had been wilderness, now there is only asphalt and “cookie-cutter” housing.

In addition to enjoying natural wonders right outside my backdoor, my family always spent our vacations in national parks. I loved looking at the towering red rocks and listening to the stillness of the day as my family crunched up a mountain trail alone. These days, our solitary family moments are interrupted by giant, noisy lines of hikers, blasting their music as they trudge along the trail. Visitors by the tens of thousands have flocked to the parks daily where only a few years prior the trails were sparsely occupied. This massive influx of people has ruined the opportunity to enjoy the still beauty of nature. I can only imagine what 2060 will look like as undeveloped land continues to dry up and even more people flock to the national parks for a sight of what our world used to look like. 

My biggest concern about our country’s unchecked growth, however, is in international relations. We have a limited number of resources on this planet and are using them at an unsustainable rate. Anyone trying to buy toilet paper these days can tell you how aggressive people get when demand exceeds supply. When fossil fuels, water, food, and so many other vital quantities become increasingly scarce, I have no doubt that international relations will become tense. Nations will become selfish, hoarding resources and waging war to get what they need and protect what they have. As a student training to become an Air Force pilot, war will directly affect my life. If that time comes, it will be me and my friends that are sent out to fight. While a hazard of the trade, it concerns me as I think how vicious things could become unless we begin taking measures to slow population growth and consumption of resources. I don’t want my family to have to deal with my life being at risk every day for something that could be avoided by taking action now. 

With current projections of a 2060 U.S. population around 400 million, our country is quickly overrunning itself. I am particularly concerned about the impact this growth will have on my life. My childhood spent in nature, something I would love to give to my children, is becoming a thing of the past. Once sparsely inhabited expanses of land are becoming suburbs. As natural spaces become fewer and fewer, people are overcrowding what remains and ruining the experience of the national parks. Of bigger concern are the future conflicts over resources that could erupt in my lifetime and find my friends and I fighting for what our country needs to survive. We need to curb population growth and I am confident that human ingenuity and the efforts of groups like NPG will allow humanity to find a way to do this while continuing to see peace and prosperity for years to come.

Zakkariyya Yandle
Wayne State University
$1,000

As of January 28^th, 2020, the population of the United States was estimated to be 329,227,746 (United States Census Bureau), and by the year 2060 the population is estimated to be over 417 million people. As this growth continues, our nation will begin experiencing the negative effects of overpopulation, effects ranging from environmental impact, biodiversity loss, pollution, depletion of natural resources, and even extinction of species. My generation will start experiencing the brunt of these effects, and even my own life will be impacted in certain aspects due to unmoderated population growth. My financial, social, and my way of living will be changed severely down the road if overpopulation isn’t curbed.

The first aspect of my life that will be affected by unmitigated population growth is food security, for both myself and others around me. John Beddington, former UK Government Chief Scientific Adviser, predicted in 2009 that supplies of food, water, and energy will need to be increased by around 50% in order to meet peak demand by the year 2030. Combined with extreme climate events (Food and Agriculture Organization), droughts and loss of arable land will only be multiplied by a nationwide population growth, making this goal extremely difficult to meet. This strain on the US food supply, and global, will begin to increase food prices and put a strain on the incomes and lives of working-class American citizens, me being one of them, and our modern way of consumption will be disrupted.

Another important aspect of my life that will be largely influenced by overpopulation is the depletion of fossil fuels/natural resources. Until we can begin to utilize renewable energies on a mass scale, the depletion and rampant unregulated use of fossil fuels will have numerous effects and could even trigger economic recessions. In the 1973 oil crisis, the US price of petroleum had risen 400% percent (U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian). This brief bottleneck of access to fuel had led to a recession, causing mass unemployment and economic stagnation. If population growth isn’t properly managed, and we don’t begin to implement renewable energies in an economical way, we will reach the peak of our oil supply and begin to face increased prices, economic depressions, and more cascading effects that will directly impact my way of life in the future.

The most important and impactful effect of human overpopulation in the United States is the environmental impact. Sir David Attenborough, patron of Population Matters, was quoted as saying “All of our environmental problems become easier to solve with fewer people, and harder – and ultimately impossible – to solve with ever more people.” According to the Global Footprint Network, “today humanity uses the equivalent of 1.5 planets to provide the resources we use and absorb our waste”. Not only is our current usage of earth’s resources unsustainable at our population, further population growth will only exponentially worsen this unsustainability. Not only will this make it harder for the human population to exist, this usage and growth will only increase emissions, climate change, and biodiversity loss (Cambridge University Press). This will directly impact my life inevitably, with all the exponential effects environmental destruction, overconsumption, and climate change have on anyone; an increase in the price of essentials, unemployment, droughts, poverty, etc.

In conclusion, the current trend of increased population growth and the associated overconsumption will make it increasingly difficult for the average American, or human in general, to continue the normal comfortable modern way of life. If we don’t make mass efforts to increase access to contraceptives, women empowerment, or family planning education, our unregulated growth on this planet will be our downfall. It won’t be an issue that you can read about happening in a third-world country either, my generation and myself will be directly impacted by this failure to mitigate overpopulation, and will directly reap the effects of it.