Blog #10: Why Population Dynamics Matter

Summary:
Technological innovations and societal changes have allowed infant mortality rates to drop and people are living longer, healthier lives. There are consequences, such as the world's governments are struggling to deal with the growing population. Illnesses are being treated and maintained, pollution is steady, food shortages are common, and conflict is always on the rise. According to the World Wildlife Fund, humankind is already overusing renewable resources from the Earth by fifty percent. More children are surviving past infancy, which creates problems with the increased population. Less than a century ago, infant mortality rates where higher, so this was not seen. The more people on this planet, the more our planet will suffer. For example, jobs, food, and education are not guaranteed as planned. Governments and private organizations need to stress the importance of education of family planning. Reducing population growth will lead to sustainable lifestyles. To have a world where everyone is supported, women need to be educated on food waste and contraception use. The United Nations recognized this need for action in a recent report, which stated that "we must act now to halt the alarming pace of climate change and environmental degradation, which pose unprecedented threats to humanity." Humanists believe all of those who are born into this world deserve the right to be free without pain and suffering. There is powerful support for family planning so this can be a reality for everyone. Poor countries are especially useful in implementing contraceptive use. In developing nations and poor countries  it is difficult for the family to feed, clothe, shelter, and educate their offspring. Decreasing unwanted pregnancies will also decrease the rate of poverty. All population dynamics effect everyone, but the natural leaders such as humanists, want our planet taken well care of. Only humans have the ability to protect the Earth.

Analysis:
Even though people are living healthier lives, and treatments for diseases is maintained, everything comes with a consequence. Everyone loves the aspect of having healthy children, but with more births and longer living individuals comes with a price. The growing population is detrimental to our resources and they are depleting due to the increased numbers of people. It is difficult to hear that already our Earth has stretched her limits by fifty percent of natural, renewable resources. The idea of limited food, education, and readily available jobs is not only an American dream, but is everyone's dream in life. We all want to succeed and prosper, because it is our human right. The United Nations brought up a good point when talking about unprecedented threats to humanity. Family planning is now the leading effort in reducing family size and unwanted pregnancies. Implementing this health standard will decrease population size all over the globe. This is what our world needs. And it needs to be readily available. Poor countries are especially needing contraception and family planning education, because they are the ones with higher amounts of children and the most limited resources on the planet. Poverty rates will also decrease with family planning, and our developing nations are at high risk of losing it all due to their excess rates of poverty. Humanists believe change cannot come unless we are all able to protect our world and its resources. They do not rely on religion, and this is especially beneficial to their efforts in population control. Religion is useful in many ways, however their plans would not be reached if they were to rely on an outside agent of guidance. They are realistic and Humanists have one main goal in mind: protect our planet and its inhabitants. 

Source:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/roy-speckhardt/why-population-dynamics-m_b_5106596.html
Published 4/9/14

Blog #9: US: Send Development Aid to the Sahel Region of Africa

Summary:
The Sahel region has become a center of international attention with the UN calling its security situation, "alarming." 12,600 peacekeepers were sent to stabilize the region. The aid is needed desperately holds a high amount of terrorist activity. Mali is one of these territories which holds high numbers of terrorists. Of the 25 countries ranked most likely to become failed by the UN, 13 are within Sahel. Projects helping through means of relieving conflict are the key way in preventing terrorist activity. Development assistance is also helping to stabilize the region. Farmers lose 50 percent of their crops getting them to the market, developing/paving the roads will help this problem. Less poverty will mean higher standards of living for the growing population. It will also improve poor governance and weak democratic institutions. Most importantly, development aid will solve the problem of overpopulation which poses a threat to the stability and economic prosperity of countries within the Sahel region. By 2050, population in Sahel will increase between 20-30 percent. This threatens over 100 million with starvation, destabilizing the Sahel and results in civil war. The African Institute for Development Policy reported, "by increasing the drastically low usage of contraceptives through development aid, population will go down, starvation, abuse of women and overall conflicts will decrease." Family planning programs are thought to reduce total population by 18 percent and this increases the contraceptive rate by 2 percent.Overpopulation attributes to drought and limited resources, so the Sahel desperately need stability and assistance.

Analysis:
It is clear the Sahel need assistance, as do many other countries. This country in particular has trouble maintaining peace due to the increase numbers of terrorism and even drug cartel traffic. This region is subject to completely deteriorate in the near future due to its economic, political, and population crises. Assistance is the only way this area will not fall apart. What is interesting is the amount of factors which will help the Sahel flourish. Developing assistance is extremely important, because farmers are losing crop due to the lack of paved roads. With limited resources this poses major threats against the Sahel's success. All developing nations need development assistance in some shape or form, because it is as equally important to their society as are other factors. They are estimating by 2050 the population will increase exponentially, and this is only going to hurt them. They are already on the brink of losing everything, so increasing the population is detrimental. In the article, the AIDP say the use of contraception will also help lower the population. In the past articles, contraception is a major tool in decreasing the population. It has become a necessity among most overpopulated regions of the world. Every developing region needs family planning and education to help them realize health and their impact on their country.

Source:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jack-cahn/us-send-development-aid-t_b_4698602.html
Posted April 8th, 2014

Blog #8: Population Explosion Affecting Water Supply In FCT

Summary:
Engr. Jiniya Bidda Anto, director of the FCT Water Board spoke of challenges facing them. Some questions were risen when speaking on this topic. "Why is that some areas do not have regular water supply?" Some parts of Wuse and Maitama don't get water supply during the day versus other places. When there are high volumes of people, the pipes are not able to produce enough for it to reach the population. As the water demand rises, the resources may not always be plentiful. Roots have also grown into the pipes in these locations of Africa. The constriction of the roots on the pipes may reduce the flow of water. What will the board members do about the abandoned water projects in the FCT? They would excavate the broken, and limited pipes if they could, however the ground beneath the pipes will not allow this to happen. Boreholes, or or holes in the ground would disturb the foundation. What may sustain water for small quantities of people will not be able to bore the weight for large numbers. How do they measure customer consumption? They are trying to find the best method to measure their water consumption. The members of the board say they wish to educate others to ration their water supply so it is conserved and equally distributed to the rest of the population. Their government is spending a lot of money on water purification and engineering. They need help with proper service, and due to the lack of cooperation they may take their pipes away and disconnect themselves. With very few area councils in the FCT having access to clean/potable water, they are planning on damming the Usman River where water supply is constant, and they can even provide electricity. They wish to increase the numbers of treatment plants and they are done with the first few stages. This will help speed the process along in the future. They do not wish to create boreholes, but they want to dam the river where the supply is constant and replenished.

Analysis:
It is obvious there are several issues facing Africa's water supply. The FCT board is trying to answer difficult questions with tactics to increase their clean water distribution. Overpopulation seems to be a factor when talking about the depletion problems. Increase numbers of people living in areas with underground water pipes will equal more strain on their resources. Clean water is a necessity for a healthy life, so they should be able to reach a conclusion eventually about this problem. The foundation of where the pipes are laid strikes me to be very interesting. They need more funds to dig up the old, root consumed pipes and lay a new ground where the new, stronger pipes are able to fit and will not create foundation problems. How will they be able to fit this in their economy's budget? This issue was not discussed in this article, however they need financial assistance to start this project. Educating the members of their society is key when discussing consumption problems. Everyone should conserve water, no matter which country they live in. This is a resource that should not be taken for granted because we all deserve equal right in having it readily available to us. Creating a dam in the Usman River would be important to their methods in consumption. This can also provide valuable electricity to the residents and can benefit them in the near future. Once they have acquired the funds to make this dream come to life, that is where the water will flow much better and they will not have this issue anymore.

Source:
http://leadership.ng/business/360937/population-explosion-affecting-water-supply-fct
Published 3/30/14

Blog #7: Students Are Now Competing Across Continents to Reduce the Most Emissions, and Waste, in Their Schools

Summary:
Students are working hard to make sure our population is sustainable, and their efforts are continuing to increase. In 2003, one school campus began their plan of action to raise awareness on energy consumption and has since been very successful for other schools. The Green Cup Energy Challenge includes 314 schools, making it the largest electricity reduction competition of K-12 schools in the world. Across the country they have conserved over 1.5 million pounds of CO2 from our atmosphere. They wish to make improvements to operations and facilities also while engaging students in social settings. Recycling is a major effort they are wanting to improve as well, to reduce energy use. On average, this program saves upwards of $100,000 in a month of one city. More cities and towns across the world should recognize The Green Cup Challenge to help the environment, economy, and school communities. Saving money and lowering the amounts of CO2 in the world one place at a time will conserve resources. With support, schools could have the ability to cut emissions, continue to save money, and continue to inspire other institutions to make conservation a priority.

Analysis:
This article is very interesting, and although it is not located in other countries around the world, it is important to realize the impact these schools are making on a global level. CO2 emissions travel and hurt our ecosystems and environment. When they speak on conserving resources, this is where global perspectives are important. Lowering emission levels will help with resources. With increasing population rates, we need as many resources as possible to maintain life around the world. While CO2 levels are higher in cities, these emissions travel long distances and cause harm to life wherever they eventually end up. The Green Cup Challenge is an important program for schools, because it teaches the younger generation how to maintain a healthy environment and this program may benefit all aspects of life in the next few decades, and we may even see a difference in the amount and quality of our resources. Economically, this program has a high budget due to the amount of savings they see from the reduction of CO2 emissions. This large budget is small in comparison to how much money this program saves. More schools around the world should become a part of this program in order to globally change our resources and helping our ever-increasing population problems.

Source:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/veronique-pittman/students-are-now-competin_b_5010655.html
Published on 3/22/14

Blog #6: Gates' Prediction About Ending Global Poverty Is Built On Progress Already Made

Summary:
Bill Gates and his wife Melinda recently participated in the annual shareholder letter of their foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. They predicted by 2035 there will be almost no poor countries left in this world, and even if there are still poor people in every region, they will be in countries that are self-sufficient. They have been actively involved within the issues related to poverty amongst populations through their work with their foundation. They base their predictions on three myths: Firstly, there is a myth that poor countries are destined to remain poor forever. He demonstrates the progress made throughout the developing world. In the last quarter century, the percentage of very poor people has decreased by more than half and within the next quarter century it should go down again to more than 70%. The second myth is that foreign aid is wasteful. Less than one percent of the United States' budget  is spent on foreign aid, which equals around $30 billion. This money is helping build  foundational changes such as, building schools, roads/irrigation systems, providing life-saving vaccines, family planning, and other health services. Foreign aid from our society has decreased child-mortality rates, and in twenty more years it should continue to fall as low as developed nations. Foreign aid is an investment which helps these developing nations obtain greater sufficiency. The third myth states, "that saving lives leads to overpopulation." It starts with the basic knowledge that people in poor countries procreate more than those in developed countries. Improving economic conditions of poorer people provides them with certain incentives to reduce the size of their families which controls overpopulation. These three myths shows progress which has been made in the last decades, and the collective work will help lift our world out of global poverty. 

Analysis:
After reading this article, it is clear these myths are largely supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as many other people around the world. While poverty is a major issue around the world, especially in developing countries, there are underlying factors which help or hurt this problem. The myths are which struck me the most. Poor countries should not remain poor if our economy can boost them out of their hole. It can be done, because there has been an increase of help around the world. A major point within the text showcases the aspect of investments for foreign aid. It is our duty to help others who are struggling, and this is becoming a view which is very popular in growing populations. Investments on aid is a wise decision. With poverty being a major problem worldwide, aid will help pull developing, poor nations out of crisis and create more stability. Overpopulation is a myth of this article, and I would disagree with the above quote from the text. Saving lives will not lead to overpopulation. This term seems somewhat vague, due to the numbers of factors which are attributed to overpopulation. Reducing family sizes such as the one child policy in China, is a major factor in reducing overpopulation. The three myths are important to the crisis of economics and global poverty, and it is clear they are mostly true across the spectrum of the globe. With the support from Bill and Melinda Gates and their constant research with their foundation, it is clear poverty will continue to decrease. If the studies are correct, in the next twenty five years, poverty should be drastically decreased. I am interested in seeing if their predictions will come true.

Source:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anne-goddard/gates-prediction-about-en_b_4994939.html
Posted 3/20/14

Blog #5: Why China's One Child Policy Is Actually a Brilliant Solution to Reduce Overpopulation

Summary:
The one child per family policy is a strict way of Chinese society, where the words read: "For a prosperous, powerful nation and a happy family, please practice family planning," are posted up on billboards. Many may not think this quote is valuable, however this policy is so strict, there are fines that are associated with breaking the norms of their culture. This is a self-explanatory policy, where families may only be limited to one child in China's mainland. This excludes Hong Kong and Macau. Where the policy may seem to limit a person's freedom to have as many children as they would like, it is also helping the problem with overpopulation and has proven to be improving global population. Although our world is still able to sustain life for the billions of people who inhabit the earth, areas with higher numbers of people are struggling at providing for their members. In areas with high population density, it is becoming more difficult to feed the mouths of the elderly and the young, across generations. In 2014, our Earth's population is estimated around 7.2 billion people and this number is only increasing. With this stead-fast number increasing, resources are becoming limited. Populations such as sub-Saharan Africa have tried  methods to reduce reproduction, such as contraception, but it has not worked out as well as this one child policy which considers the bearing of a second child worth a fine. Families are being discouraged to have their second child, and the effects of social media on this policy is growing support from their country. "China's current population is at 1.4 billion and the policy has managed to stop 200 million births between 1979 and 2009." This quote weighs the cost and benefit analysis of having more children in an area that cannot support a huge number of people. It may seem cruel, but it is necessary. A main problem is through their patriarchal society is through their want to have a son. With their one chance to have a child, families are turning to abortions and infanticide when the child is female. Children with disabilities are not omitted from this as well. In rural areas, this policy is more relaxed, where families may apply to have their second child if their first born is a girl. This policy is slowly turning to become more relaxed.

Analysis:
While this policy may seem too harsh for many other countries surrounding China, it is proving to be a positive method of population control for the entire globe. In the United States, this policy would be unaccepted due to the increase of liberal participation in determining policy making. I would agree with China's methods to some extent. Where they may not be able to have more than one child without a fine, it is helping them exponentially when it applies to resources. Without the extra mouths to feed, their current and growing population is benefiting. As stated in the article, the cost-benefit is somewhat fifty-fifty, because there are pros and cons to each viewpoint. Infanticide should not be condoned regardless of the policy. Families are turning to aborting their children due to their sex and physical conditions. This is not fair to their culture, and if this policy did not exist, families would not be as pressured to abort their babies. The one child policy has helped their population and it is seen worldwide as a positive when looking at it on a macro level. The policy is in need of relaxing, so allowing certain families in less-populated areas to have more than one child should be accepted if the family can provide for that child. Moreover, China's ideas on controlling overpopulation have created a dent in the world's numbers and will hopefully only improve over time.

Source:
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/william-tong/one-child-population_b_4876559.html?utm_hp_ref=uk-universities-education
Posted 03/03/2014

Blog #4: Expanding Too Quickly?

Summary:
Experts say the rapid growing population in Yemen, is facing a large challenges, because the population affects health aspects, economics, and the environment. Indicators show Yemen's population will continue to grow exponentially, due to the high numbers of individuals under the age of eighteen. UNICEF announced this statistic in 2011, and it will only become larger. Yemen's population is expected to double by the year 2050 according to a survey from the United Nations in 2012. National Population Council in Sana’a in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund held a meeting called, “Population Programs …the Reality and Future Challenges.” In this conference, Dr. Ahmed Burji talked about the negative impacts of the growth rates in this country and how external immigration and internal migration attributes to the uncontrolled growth. In the 1990s, Yemen's government introduced family planning programs and this strategy only made a dent into the population growth rate. After the North and the South unified as one country, population indicators have seen decreases in population size/growth, birth rates and mortality rates. Even though population is an issue in Yemen, the population rate has decreased to 2.9% from 3.4% in 1994. The number of people has declined, but unfortunately this is still problematic. The government in Yemen will not be able to meet the population's needs in the next ten years. This has now become a government priority. According to Dr. Ahmed Burji, their government will soon incorporate a two-year action plan. This plan will include health and population-related issues, such as family planning.

Analysis:
With Yemen's population growing exponentially, this is obviously a major problem when it comes to all aspects of life. Regarding economics, resources, and interactions among the community of this culture is directly affected by their growth. It is clear they are in desperate need of family planning, which is thankfully about to become incorporated in the next few years. After further analysis, Yemen is undergoing major problems with their growth. If their population were to double within the next three or more decades, then their country will only see further problems. With programs such as the "Population Program," conference, this should help push them into the right direction. Family planning has only helped somewhat when it comes to population control. If Yemen's government were to implement better methods of birth control or give access to information, this may help their population much greater than it has in the past. With these methods, it should hopefully bring them into a world with greater economic stability, better sanitation, and increased amount of resources.

Source:
http://www.yementimes.com/en/1758/report/3522/Expanding-too-quickly.htm%20target=
Published February 25, 2014

Blog #3: Some Futurists Aren't Worried About Global Warming or Overpopulation

Summary:
Pollution is a main culprit of global warming, however some do not believe this is a real issue. There are upwards of 200,000 new people being born into the world each day. Forests are being demolished, and this is not a new issue. Environmentalists have studied the destruction of deforestation for many decades. There have been warnings for many years in support of how devastating global warming is to our world. 10,000 species a year are disappearing as well and this number is only growing. Increasing numbers of Futurists are not worried about this growing problem. These individuals are more focused on the creation and formation of new technologies which will surpass each of their lives. The article also points out the idea where our world has always been skeptical of issues, because they do not believe it will happen. In fact, technology is changing everyday and is updating more frequently than we would like to believe. As mammals, humans do not evolve as fast as our growing technological advances. In fifty years, subhumans will have been created and science fiction novels and movies will be brought into the real world. It may seem as if Futurists do not care about the environment, but this is not true. They do realize the harm of global issues such as global warming, but they believe our Earth is strong and can withstand many forces of nature and human impact. Technological growth, increased prosperity from globalization, and maintaining world peace are critical issues of the future. This does not necessarily include global warming, overpopulation or environmental degradation.

Analysis:
A direct quote from the article reads, "All this begs the question: Will this new phase of human existence require as many resources from the planet as we are currently using? Will we continue to eat food? Breathe air? Depend on water? Procreate? The answer is probably not." This quote from the article is a major point Futurists tend to focus on. Even though they admit there are global issues for our Earth, they are not usually concerned with this, rather they are focused on the technological advances. These Futurists follow trends of technology and they believe this is the key for humans in the next decades to hundred years. Beyond each of our present existence, they tend to lean predominately towards how they can better our world with man-made objects. After further analysis of this article, I do not usually follow their beliefs, however I can see how they are concerned with technology versus global environmental issues. I myself do not look deep into the future when it comes to technology, because I am focused with the "now" and future setting of our personal interactions and global health. With this being said, technology is important to our societal and global growth, but what good would these advances be without mother nature? If we look into it further, the land and resources we use as individuals will affect the resources needed to advance further with computer-based sciences. With all of the lives being born into this world each day, and the decreasing number of natural sources, what good would life be if we could not use our surroundings to further our technology? This is an issue I focus on, because I am so strong for human interaction and the health of mother nature (or what's left of it). 

Source:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zoltan-istvan/some-futurists-arent-worried_b_4786325.html
February 18, 2014

Blog #2: It's About Time: WHO and Partners Release Programming Strategies for Postpartum Family Planning

Since 2010, the World Health Organization has been trying to develop methods for family planning after the birth of a first child. These voluntary methods of family planning have been on the horizon for some time. This blog was written and centered around a few key factors: Mitigate missed PPFP (Postpartum Family Planning) opportunities across continuum of care, organize health services to allow time for family planning counseling, maximize availability of community based care, and expand range of family planning and exercises. Women need family planning too, even after they have their child. Twelve months after having a baby, mother and her child are especially at risk of falling ill. Postpartum women have a high unmet need of family planning. Tracking postpartum contraceptive use is essential, especially in rural areas. Making sure these women are able to reach information on contraception can help them make informed decisions. Global standards for care is directly correlated to worker's trainings on offering assistance to mothers.Government support is essential for proper funding programs. Without government aid, many women would not be ensured the right to their methods of family planning. The WHO's framework is revolved around strategies to ensure the health of others. Action is needed in order to implement these findings by the WHO and PPFP. Programs must be able to everyone. Helping countries to identify the right solutions for their problems and employ the best strategies in their unique situations will help make this a success.

Analysis:
After reading this article, it is clear women who are new mothers are more in need of family planning than many other demographics in society. All around the world, people are welcoming new lives and this is increasing our world population. Overpopulation is controlled by contraceptive use and with the increase in family planning programs, this is helping our growth substantially. Without contraception, I would not want to know how many births would have occurred. As a woman who relies on birth control, I am a firm believer in the use of these methods. They not only help society in the United States, but globally this is an increased issue for all women and all ages. It is difficult to imagine a world where the WHO is not constantly changing the way we view health and wellness, especially when it comes to birth rates. The availability of government funded programs is a huge issue for all women and families.

Sources: 
http://www.ghspjournal.org/content/early/2014/01/27/GHSP-D-13-00156.full.pdf (Published 2014)
http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/family_planning/articles/en/ (Published 2014)

Blog 1: Kiribati: Tiny island's struggle with overpopulation. 2/7/14

According to BBC News, the Pacific Island chain of Kiribati is largely populated place; one of the most dense in the world. Because of the large numbers of the island's inhabitants, Kiribati is at risk of disappearing due to climate change. Surrounded by the ocean, Kiribati's land is constantly diminishing because of erosion from the water's edge. The territory is similar in size to India, however most of the population of each island making up Kiribati is located on South Tarawa. This island alone is home to over 50,000 people and its population density is similar to Tokyo or Hong Kong. A direct quote from the article states: "We've a relatively stable climate at the moment, but a shift in weather patterns, that pushes us into the hurricane belt, that could wipe us out," Kiribati's President Anote Tong told BBC. A major issue within Kiribati's islands also shows there is limited sanitation, water, and food. The island's tropical location is cause to an increase of rain water and constantly overflows underground aquifers. The water is consistently tasting like salt according to the inhabitants, which poses them at risk. This water is undrinkable if it becomes contaminated. Waste is washing up onto the beaches after high tide subsides, showing the immediate dangers of pollution. Tabao Awaerika, the secretary to Kiribati's president states they should go back to the old ways of living in order to save their home.

Analysis:
After reading this article, it is clear there is danger amongst Kiribati's inhabitants. Overpopulation is a problem which is constantly increasing amongst developing countries, and Kiribati's islands are just the tip of the ice burg. Within the article it also states only 20% of the population in Tarawa have jobs which still poses a risk for the people living in this area. Because there is so little people working, the island is losing money for repairs they are in constant demand for. Climate change is a key limitation of overpopulation and has also been positively correlated with the shifts in global temperature. More and more people are being born and there is little space for them to thrive. Small islands such as Kiribati is a prime example of how overpopulation needs to be controlled. How do we accomplish this? In comparison to China and Japan with the one-child rule, it is obvious they have change the way the world is economically and even more importantly in my opinion, the number of people in the world. Just imagine how many people would have been born if they had not put this rule into place. Although they have changed the world's population, it is not enough to control overpopulation worldwide.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-26017336

Topic: Overpopulation

I am interested in learning more about overpopulation and how it affects societies (environmentally, economically, family relations, and resources).