Introduction

In one year, both 130 million babies are born (UNFPA) and 3-6 billion trees are cut down (GreenFacts). These statistics are evidence of the increase in world population over the past years and the increase in the amount of trees cut down. This data substantiates the idea that these two sets of data are related. With more people being born each day, there is a larger need for lumber and farmland to support these people. This results in the deforestation of acres of tree coverage each second. If something can be done to control the population increase of the world, much of the pressure put on farmers to cut down acres of trees for more farmland and lumber companies to cut down trees as the demand increases will be alleviated. Population increase isn’t caused solely by the amount of babies born, but it is also the result of fewer deaths worldwide as the standard of living increases and diseases are being cured. Though many lumber companies replant the trees they cut down, the likelihood that these trees will reach adulthood is not 100%. Plus, the trees that have been cut down may have supported habitats for decades. The new trees will not be able to support habitats for many years and may be stunted in growth due to the surrounding habitat. Despite all the issues with deforestation, the amount of trees being cut down and the amount of babies being born each year are both increasing.

Causes - Overpopulation

The causes for human overpopulation are a result of advancement in technology, with new technology, the death rate has decreased and the infant mortality rate has also decreased causing an imbalance in the birth rate and death rate. An increase in the amount of technology used in food production has allowed for a sharp increase in the amount of food produced world wide. New technologies such as pesticides, fertilizers, machines, etc. have allowed for an expansion in the industry, causing a decrease in deaths worldwide due to starvation. The transportation technology has also led to better distribution of nutritious food, which also led to less deaths due to malnutrition and starvation. Improvements in public health have also led to higher birth rates and lower death rates. Access to safe drinking water and the amount of vaccinations/cures for diseases has increased over past decades, allowing people to live longer and babies to have a higher chance of survival.

Causes - Deforestation

The causes for deforestation are much easier to identify as the problem is much more tangible than overpopulation. Reasons for the destruction of forests include:

• Creation of farmland

• Urban development

• Fuel

• Logging/various industries

These are all a result of the rising human population. With more people comes a larger need for food and farmland to grow food on, resulting in the destruction of forests for farmland. Housing is also needed for the growing population, especially in the areas near cities. Urban sprawl has caused many forests to be cut down for residential and commercial structures. Fuel is a necessary component of today’s society, and trees are cut down for firewood and charcoal in many countries, especially in third-world countries. Finally, logging and other industries cut down trees for wood to use for furniture, building materials, paper, and many other products. Most of these causes are a direct result of the increasing human population, showing the relation between the two.

Causes - Overpopulation

Causes - Deforestation

Solutions

A method of getting the statistics behind overpopulation and deforestation out to the public would be through advertisement. Advertisement, however, is costly, and may be disregarded by people. Instead, something like a toolbar could be implemented. A UNICEF sponsored toolbar could be preinstalled on website browsers and could show statistics in a news ticker fashion regarding the amount of trees cut down in that specific day, the amount of babies born in that day, etc. Through statistics like these, and a hyperlink to a donation page, progress might be made in achieving a more steady population increase. Of course it is not likely that we can fix overpopulation with a toolbar, however, we can get the cause out there and known to the general public.

Sources

Kinder, C. (2011). The population explosion: causes and consequences. Retrieved from http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1998/7/98.07.02.x.html

Putatunda, R. (n.d.). Causes and effects of deforestation. Retrieved from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/causes-and-effects-of-deforestation.html

Reproductive health fact sheet. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.unfpa.org/swp/2005/presskit/factsheets/facts_rh.htm#ftn12

Scientific facts on forests. (2011, May 5). Retrieved from http://www.greenfacts.org/en/forests/index.htm#2