World Population Growth 1 billion 2 billion 3

World Population Growth • • • 1 billion 2 billion 3 billion 4 billion 5 billion 6 billion 7 billion 8 billion 9 billion • • • 1804 (thousands) 1927 (123 yrs) 1959 (32 yrs) 1974 (15 yrs) 1987 (13 yrs) 1999 (12 yrs) 2012? (13 yrs) 2025? (13 yrs) 2040? (15 yrs)

Sustained Growth of Humans? • Man and his direct ancestors (hominids) have graced the planet for only about three million years. • For almost all of this period the human population totaled less than 5 to 10 million individuals. • Homo sapiens have increased their numbers exponentially from 1650 to present rising to the current population of 6. 9 billion. • The population is expected to rise to 9 billion somewhere between 2040 -50. • The effects of population on our planet not only depends on how many consumers there are, but also on their consumption patterns. (ie) just because a country has a larger population doesn’t mean it does more environmental damage!

• 12 percent of the world’s population lives in North America and Western Europe and accounts for 60 percent of private consumption spending, but a third of humanity that lives in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa accounts for only 3. 2 percent. World. Watch Institute • In 1950, Americans consumed 144 pounds of meat and poultry person on average. In 2007, that shot up to 222 pounds. Factory Farming Campaign. • In 2003, gasoline consumption per capita in North America was 1, 593. 1 litres person, whereas in developing countries it was 59. 2 litres person. World Resources Institute. • The average American buys 53 times as many products as someone in China and one American's consumption of resources is equivalent to that of 35 Indians. Over a lifetime, the typical American will create 13 times as much environmental damage as the average Brazilian. Sierra Club via CNN

Sustained Growth of Humans? • The real question is how many people the planet can support sustainably. • Is there a point at which population growth is too large? • Is growth in an environment of finite resources possible? • Will humans eventually deplete the available resources leading to a massive population collapse?

A Matter of Perspective • There are no easy answers to the questions: “How many people can the earth sustainably support? ”, and “At what level of well-being? ”. (ie quality of life) • If the world were a pie perspective…

Bigger Pie • Make a bigger pie: Use technology and innovation to overcome issues related to population growth (control the environment grow our population) • Salt to fresh water (desalinate oceans) • Atmospheric cleaning devices • GMO’ s – genetically modified organisms (Could we grow more/healthier food by manipulating nature? ) • Redesign cities

Fewer Forks • Put fewer forks on the table: Reduce numbers of people (control our population to protect our planet) • Government enforced population control – China (one-child policy – major problems!) • Provide for universal access to birth control (ie) free birth control for people that can’t afford it, which especially true in the developing world • Empower women – allowing them the ability to make decisions about the size of the family

Better Manners • Teach better manners: Change people’s behaviours to consumption… • Education is a key principle • People (especially in the developed world) need to be aware of the impacts of our lifestyle choices (economics –consumption) on the environment and on other people (social) • Getting consumers to think about the sustainability of their choices: Think about where you buy products from (local vs. global) and who you buy products from (ex. sweatshop free clothing)