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Not Enough People
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Mar 22, 2024 10:03:43   #
Old Coot
 
jerryc41 wrote:
It seems that a declining population could be a big problem in the near future. A large population causes problems, but so does a smaller population.

"Population crash
Think of global population problems and you might think of the growing number of people in the world – currently about 8 billion – and our collective toll on the planet. But due to people having fewer children as countries become more prosperous, the real demographic problem may actually be falling populations. Demographers have now projected that within about 25 years, three-quarters of countries will have birth rates that are too low to maintain their populations. While this may be good news for the environment, having fewer working-age people to support those who are older presents a big issue. Maintaining economic and societal stability will be one of the key challenges of this century."

Another shortage - sand. Yes, there is a shortage of the right kind of sand for glass, electronics, and cement. Maybe the next shortage will - salt water. 😁
It seems that a declining population could be a bi... (show quote)

I remember the song,, “Purple people eaters”. Must be the prediction is coming true.

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Mar 22, 2024 10:21:21   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
BigDaddy wrote:
I suggest buying a large roll of Aluminum foil and wrapping your head in it before the Purple People Eater descends from the heavens and eats ya'll up.


That has been shown to be only 14% effective.

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Mar 22, 2024 10:36:13   #
Harry02 Loc: Gardena, CA
 
jerryc41 wrote:
It seems that a declining population could be a big problem in the near future. A large population causes problems, but so does a smaller population.

"Population crash
Think of global population problems and you might think of the growing number of people in the world – currently about 8 billion – and our collective toll on the planet. But due to people having fewer children as countries become more prosperous, the real demographic problem may actually be falling populations. Demographers have now projected that within about 25 years, three-quarters of countries will have birth rates that are too low to maintain their populations. While this may be good news for the environment, having fewer working-age people to support those who are older presents a big issue. Maintaining economic and societal stability will be one of the key challenges of this century."

Another shortage - sand. Yes, there is a shortage of the right kind of sand for glass, electronics, and cement. Maybe the next shortage will - salt water. 😁
It seems that a declining population could be a bi... (show quote)


Then we need to work on our weird capitalisms.
Food is too high. Rent is too high. Wages too low.
"We'll have kids when the economy gets better."
So far, not this century!


One of the biggest problems with sand is pollution.
There a few Red states that it is illegal to use their sand in construction. Too many chemicals and carbon.
Many times a crook will sell beach sand. In colder areas, the water in the salt freezes, cracks, repeats.
Goodby foundation.

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Mar 22, 2024 10:36:19   #
BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
 
JoeBiker wrote:
A thousand years ago, humans and their domesticated animals made up 2% of the mammal biomass on earth. Now, it is 90%. (source: The Human Age by Diane Ackerman)

Economist think populations need to grow; I (and Diane Ackerman) think there are more people on this planet than this planet can support.

I don't know Diane Akerman but I see she is a poet. I prefer to listen to what real scientist like Dr. Richard Lindzen, Dr. Steven Koonan etc have to say about this crap than a fake scientists like Bill Nye the Science Guy or some Poet Population expert.

On that note, it makes sense that their is an upper limit to world population. I think it's impossible to get there because there is a natural control on population size in all forms of life.

Humans however, and unlike all other forms of life have amazing abilities to adapt to things. For example, India not that long ago had like 200 million people and famine was common across their land. Today they have over 1.3 BILLION people and they are food EXPORTERS. In addition, world food production has been increasing steadily and the world is living better because of it, and despite rapid population growth.

So, we have a ways to go before getting our panties in a bunch over if/when Malthusian predictions of population collapse might occur.

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Mar 22, 2024 10:41:06   #
Harry02 Loc: Gardena, CA
 
cahale wrote:
Then perhaps those who are now the working population should manage their own retirement NOW. Then they won't have to worry about who's going to take care of them. It worked for me.


Keeping the GOP thugs away from our Social Security and Medicare would fix most of that.

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Mar 22, 2024 10:54:24   #
dbrugger25 Loc: Raleigh, NC
 
dbrugger25 wrote:
Texas, USA has 26,882,000 square miles. At 640 acres per square mile, that is 17,200,480,000 square miles. That, divided by 8 billion is 2.15 acres per person. The USA has enough fresh water and agricultural capacity to feed all those people.

The problems are related to economic capacity and distribution of necessities. In fact, if those problems could be solved, the Earth can support several times its present population, even if all those people lived in North America.

What I have noticed is that all those predicted crises. that never materialized have resulted in many more laws being passed to limit our freedoms and control our lives. Each has resulted in massive government spending that usually benefitted no one except the industries that made huge profits from each crisis and, of course, more power for the elected officials and agencies that run the countries.
Texas, USA has 26,882,000 square miles. At 640 ac... (show quote)


There is an error in the above It should say 17,200,480,000 acres, not square miles. I regret the misleading error.

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Mar 22, 2024 12:04:00   #
alberio Loc: Casa Grande AZ
 
dbrugger25 wrote:
There is an error in the above It should say 17,200,480,000 acres, not square miles. I regret the misleading error.


But you could put them all inside Texas.

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Mar 22, 2024 12:39:43   #
JFCoupe Loc: Kent, Washington
 
Balance is the ideal that we should try to keep in mind. Over population, under population, are both challenges. Too cold, too hot, also challenges.

I am not a scientist, but it does seem clear that warmer than historical temperatures have happened the last few years and will probably continue. Risk is reduced ice caps at the poles, warmer ocean temperatures, more extreme weather patterns. Man made emissions do seem to be a piece of the puzzle. Should we take steps to get man made impacts back in balance? Seems reasonable in my humble opinion.

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Mar 22, 2024 12:56:09   #
Haenzel Loc: South Holland, The Netherlands
 
JFCoupe wrote:
Balance is the ideal that we should try to keep in mind. Over population, under population, are both challenges. Too cold, too hot, also challenges.

I am not a scientist, but it does seem clear that warmer than historical temperatures have happened the last few years and will probably continue. Risk is reduced ice caps at the poles, warmer ocean temperatures, more extreme weather patterns. Man made emissions do seem to be a piece of the puzzle. Should we take steps to get man made impacts back in balance? Seems reasonable in my humble opinion.
Balance is the ideal that we should try to keep in... (show quote)



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Mar 22, 2024 12:57:04   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
Harry02 wrote:
"We'll have kids when the economy gets better."


That's an excuse, not a reason. That expression goes back over a hundred years. Can you afford clothes? Can you afford food?

When our son was born, my wife quit her job. We had one less income and one more family member. We seem to have managed.

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Mar 22, 2024 13:30:38   #
nervous2 Loc: Provo, Utah
 
tuatara wrote:
Ignorance, especially the wilfull type, is the biggest danger. Knowledge about these subjects is constantly improving, sometimes voiding what we thought we knew, and being 78 is no excuse for not trying to keep up.


At my age, I don't worry too much about all the doomsayers. I try to live responsibly and I try to enjoy it, but I don't stay awake nights fretting about it all. I'm really not as nervous as my name might imply.

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Mar 22, 2024 13:31:03   #
Real Nikon Lover Loc: Simi Valley, CA
 
I remember when I was a kid the teacher said we have 3.5 billion people on this planet. Sounds like someone has been busy since there are 8 billion now. There are some who thought that nasty "Cocoa Puffs" virus would greatly reduce our population. That failed. This planet has a way of cleaning itself up and knows when to shed a few pounds. Man seems to do that just fine without much help. Lets just hope I have a camera on hand to capture the next cataclysmic event.

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Mar 22, 2024 13:45:51   #
dbrugger25 Loc: Raleigh, NC
 
alberio wrote:
But you could put them all inside Texas.


Yes, you could with room to spare. I said 2.15 acres per person. If the available land per family were considered it would be in excess of 4 acres. I know that a lot of Texas is mountains, desert and badlands. My comment was just a statistic. We all know you can deceive with statistics. BUT, if 8 billion people were living in the USA, and we didn't have jackasses running the country, or a selfish people, we could house and feed the entire Earth population with ease. There would need to be a lot of logistics to work-out.

It would be a far better world for everyone if greed, inhumanity and terrible governments didn't exist.

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Mar 22, 2024 13:51:20   #
Real Nikon Lover Loc: Simi Valley, CA
 
dbrugger25 wrote:
....It would be a far better world for everyone if greed, inhumanity and terrible governments didn't exist.


Amen. Will Rogers said "There are plenty of honest politicians until they are elected." and "Once a man holds a public office he is absolutely no good for honest work."

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Mar 22, 2024 15:31:22   #
alberio Loc: Casa Grande AZ
 
dbrugger25 wrote:
Yes, you could with room to spare. I said 2.15 acres per person. If the available land per family were considered it would be in excess of 4 acres. I know that a lot of Texas is mountains, desert and badlands. My comment was just a statistic. We all know you can deceive with statistics. BUT, if 8 billion people were living in the USA, and we didn't have jackasses running the country, or a selfish people, we could house and feed the entire Earth population with ease. There would need to be a lot of logistics to work-out.

It would be a far better world for everyone if greed, inhumanity and terrible governments didn't exist.
Yes, you could with room to spare. I said 2.15 ac... (show quote)

👍👍👍

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