Is it such a good idea to stop world hunger, with the human population soaring?

My name is URL · 24-12-2010 03:35AM

http://www.optimumpopulation.org/blog/

It's not really a case of feeding everyone.. it's about making them realise that there's a finite amount of resources available to sustain their offspring.

Numb.Muzik · 24-12-2010 03:38AM

eat the poor ... its like 2 stones with the one bird ....

Duiske · 24-12-2010 03:46AM

Too many people on the planet ?

Its estimated that around 110 billion people have been born into this world since humans first arrived from space evolved. It would be a tight fit, but you could pack all these people into an area the size of Wales.
Now consider that there are only 6 billon people on the planet at present. Does not seem such a huge number when you look at it that way.

CorkMan · 24-12-2010 03:50AM

Duiske wrote: »

Too many people on the planet ?

Its estimated that around 110 billion people have been born into this world since humans first arrived from space evolved. It would be a tight fit, but you could pack all these people into an area the size of Wales.
Now consider that there are only 6 billon people on the planet at present. Does not seem such a huge number when you look at it that way.

Eh, Around the time of Christ there were only tens of thousands of people on the planet.

stupidusername · 24-12-2010 03:51AM

Many experts have gone into detail about how within a shockingly short amount of time the earth will no longer be able to sustain the population, so I'm not even going to argue with the people saying of course there's enough food for everyone.

Many people have also taken a look at over population and some countries have actually tried to tackle the problem, YES IT IS A PROBLEM. I can't remember what country it was but I remember a program talking about somewhere that at one point the government enforced sterilisation as punishment for any crime committed. And you could argue till you're blue in the face about China and how that's going.

The only real thing I want to point out is, when we think of any problem that the human race faces, what we ideally (although it will never happen in our infinite superiority :rolleyes:) should do is look at the way any other species lives. Take for example any animal when it comes to being hungry and trying to survive. My example here would be pigeons. Pigeons don't wait until spring to breed like many birds, but they will breed as long as there is a food supply in their territory. If there isn't, they won't. It's as simple as that. If you can survive and your offspring have a good chance at surviving, you can breed.

And yes I am comparing the poor in these poor countries to animals. Be offended if you choose, but I would consider it much more intelligent not to keep reproducing when you can't even provide for yourself.

wild_cat · 24-12-2010 03:53AM

I'm very concerned about over population in relation to what its doing/going to do the environment, sprawling urban areas, more deforestation to grow more food, increased waste that has no where to go etc

But I don't think those that are here should starve. I'm just not going to have children myself its as simple as that and people should be more educated on the matter! Its also another reason why abortion should be legal.

Btw each child increases YOUR carbon foot print by 40,000 tonne.

OutlawPete · 24-12-2010 03:55AM

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VinnyTGM · 24-12-2010 04:05AM

There is some good points in this thread about overpopulation, I personally think that the world is overpopulated.

Something has to be done, Obviously you can't just start killing people, but something has to be done.

In relation to Africa, the situation wouldn't be so bad there if the population wasn't so high, I know they have been taken advantage of by a lot of other countries, but the pop. needs to come down a lot.

rossie1977 · 24-12-2010 04:07AM

you could fit every person on the planet into an area the size of texas comfortably, everyone would have their own one story 1000sq foot house with a front and back garden

we still use a tiny fraction of our resources e.g in ireland ~17% of the land is arable, we use 0.03% of that to grow crops, in the us 18% of the land is arable but only 0.2% is used for crop

RussellTuring · 24-12-2010 04:08AM

I think I just lost faith in humanity. Yep, it's gone.

As has been said already, there is more than enough food to feed everyone on Earth. The problem is that it's not distributed evenly. There are about 800 million people who are malnourished but over a billion who are overweight. If you really care about overpopulation, stop eating so much. If, however, you are just worried that this planet isn't big enough for all of us then the solution is to do what you can to help improve education in underdeveloped countries, as education tends to reduce the numbers of children people have.

Also:

Duiske wrote: »

Too many people on the planet ?

Its estimated that around 110 billion people have been born into this world since humans first arrived from space evolved. It would be a tight fit, but you could pack all these people into an area the size of Wales.
Now consider that there are only 6 billon people on the planet at present. Does not seem such a huge number when you look at it that way.

When exactly was it that we "first evolved"?

wild_cat · 24-12-2010 04:10AM

VinnyTGM wrote: »

There is some good points in this thread about overpopulation, I personally think that the world is overpopulated.

Something has to be done, Obviously you can't just start killing people, but something has to be done.

In relation to Africa, the situation wouldn't be so bad there if the population wasn't so high, I know they have been taken advantage of by a lot of other countries, but the pop. needs to come down a lot.

I'm glad other people are concerned about over population when I mention it the odd time people think i'm talking nonsense. When David Attenborough says something you'd think people would listen.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7996230.stm

dsmythy · 24-12-2010 04:12AM

RussellTuring wrote: »

I think I just lost faith in humanity. Yep, it's gone.

As has been said already, there is more than enough food to feed everyone on Earth. The problem is that it's not distributed evenly. There are about 800 million people who are malnourished but over a billion who are overweight. If you really care about overpopulation, stop eating so much. If, however, you are just worried that this planet isn't big enough for all of us then the solution is to do what you can to help improve education in underdeveloped countries, as education tends to reduce the numbers of children people have.

But the money has to come from somewhere to fund that education and it would come from the fund to put food straight into mouths, unless your implying more money is spent on top of what is already spent.

rossie1977 · 24-12-2010 04:15AM

VinnyTGM wrote: »

In relation to Africa, the situation wouldn't be so bad there if the population wasn't so high, I know they have been taken advantage of by a lot of other countries, but the pop. needs to come down a lot.

population density in africa is 30 people per sq km roughly around the same as the usa and half that of ireland, one 1/9th that of the uk, 1/11th that of india

stupidusername · 24-12-2010 04:15AM

wild_cat wrote: »

I'm glad other people are concerned about over population when I mention it the odd time people think i'm talking nonsense. When David Attenborough says something you'd think people would listen.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7996230.stm

I think it was actually in a program he did that I saw the bit about the country introducing mass sterilisation. It was very interesting.

K-9 · 24-12-2010 04:18AM

Global Rich List

That'll give you an idea of how rich you are. €500 a week here puts you in the top 3% in the world.

The mad thing is, the wealthier people get, the less children they seem to have.

We could probably have more free trade, drop subsidies for Irish farmers, that type of thing, but self interest will win out in the end.

Bit like the ones saying charity workers aren't doing it for altruistic reasons, it's all very well suggesting this when you live in a rich country, IMF bail out or not.

stupidusername · 24-12-2010 04:23AM

K-9 wrote: »

The mad thing is, the wealthier people get, the less children they seem to have.

Actually there's a link between how educated people are and how many children they have...as in the higher educated, the less children they have.

RussellTuring · 24-12-2010 04:25AM

dsmythy wrote: »

But the money has to come from somewhere to fund that education and it would come from the fund to put food straight into mouths, unless your implying more money is spent on top of what is already spent.

I didn't say I did or did not want this to happen; I was addressing the OP's points and proposing a solution. I personally don't think it's a very good idea to feed people only to leave them uneducated and forever dependent on the mercy of the North. So, yes: if someone wants to suggest we should turn our backs on the poor nations, I suggest we at least wait until we have supplied them with the means to support themselves.

K-9 · 24-12-2010 04:27AM

stupidusername wrote: »

Actually there's a link between how educated people are and how many children they have...as in the higher educated, the less children they have.

Well abortions are more affordable.

stupidusername · 24-12-2010 04:30AM

K-9 wrote: »

Well abortions are more affordable.

nah it's more like more highly educated girls don't want to spend their lives at home and caring for child after child, and so have less.

K-9 · 24-12-2010 04:41AM

stupidusername wrote: »

nah it's more like more highly educated girls don't want to spend their lives at home and caring for child after child, and so have less.

Well that and they usually are more aware of contraceptions and have higher incomes, so abortions are quite easily attainable.

wild_cat · 24-12-2010 04:49AM

K-9 wrote: »

Well that and they usually are more aware of contraceptions and have higher incomes, so abortions are quite easily attainable.

But in England you can get an abortion on the NHS?

Not in all cases of course but you can.

CorkMan · 24-12-2010 04:53AM

dr gonzo wrote: »

you're condoning deliberate genocide through inaction as a means of controlling world population...?

This is a moot point anyway because Africa has both the space and potential for resource production that makes their impact on us minimal in terms of pop rise however our impact on them, through financial exploitation, is devastating and now that population control takes the spotlight the people of africa are the first to be thrown to the wolves too?

BTW, I am not advocating genocide. Plenty of people are starving to death ATM, this is happening currently.

RussellTuring · 24-12-2010 05:06AM

CorkMan wrote: »

BTW, I am not advocating genocide. Plenty of people are starving to death ATM, this is happening currently.

What are you advocating?

K-9 · 24-12-2010 05:17AM

wild_cat wrote: »

But in England you can get an abortion on the NHS?

Not in all cases of course but you can.

True, Not here though.

We could have paid abortions for say, over 3 kids in Ireland.

Surely we'd have to play our part in this worldwide solution, not just Africa et al?

jugger0 · 24-12-2010 05:19AM

Probably best to just let the weak die off at this stage, its pretty sad but by giving aid we arent helping in the longterm, some parts of africa just arent meant for large populations.

wild_cat · 24-12-2010 05:28AM

K-9 wrote: »

True, Not here though.

We could have paid abortions for say, over 3 kids in Ireland.

Surely we'd have to play our part in this worldwide solution, not just Africa et al?

I'm not saying that its just developing counties etc. I think every one should be reproductively responsible.

CorkMan · 24-12-2010 05:29AM

RussellTuring wrote: »

What are you advocating?

That every nation has a population size that is sustainable.

wild_cat · 24-12-2010 05:33AM

CorkMan wrote: »

That every nation has a population size that is sustainable.

One thing we forget is that nature has its own way with dealing with over population like the mass flu pandemic in 1918. Even with medical advancement this can still happen.

RussellTuring · 24-12-2010 05:41AM

CorkMan wrote: »

That every nation has a population size that is sustainable.

I think few people would be against that motion. Do you have any suggestions for how we may achieve this?

Irish Guitarist · 24-12-2010 06:24AM

The biggest strain on the worlds food resources are the first world countries, especially Americans with their supersize meals. If everyone in the world got the same amount of food there would be enough to go around. The average American diet could easily feed three African people.

What's worse than eating too much food is buying it then wasting it. I often see discarded fast food just lying in the street. I'm sure most people here have seen a half full tray of curried chips lying on the footpath. I've seen kids throwing food at each other in the street too. Another time a scumbag threw a pint of milk at me in the street. As far as I'm concerned if anyone has to starve it should be these people.

Is it such a good idea to stop world hunger, with the human population soaring?

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