Download Why Might the World Face an Overpopulation

Why Might the World Face an
Overpopulation Problem?
• Malthus:
– Pop. Growing faster than food supply
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Today: 1 person, 1 unit of food
25 years: 2 person, 2 units of food
50 years: 4 persons, 3 units of food
75 years: 8 persons, 4 units of food
100 years: 16 persons, 5 units of food
Neo-Malthusians
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Recent pop. Grown (20th century)
– 2 arguments
1. Gap b/t pop. Growth and resources is wider in
some countries
2. World pop. Growth is exceeding lots of resources
Malthus’s Critics
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Unrealistic
Pop. Growth does not equal problems
Sufficient resources if distributed equally
More people = greater power
World Health Threats
• Epidemiologic transition- distinctive
causes of death
Epidemiological Transition
• Stages 1 & 2
– Stage of famine
– Black Plague
– Cholera
Figure 2-23. Cholera in Soho, London, 1854. Dr. John Snow mapped the
distribution of cholera victims and water pumps to prove that the cause of the
infection was contamination of the pump near the corner of Broad and
Lexington streets.
Epidemiologic Transition Stage 3 &
4
• Degenerative and human created
diseases
– Decrease in infectious disease deaths
– Increase in chronic disorders
• Polio
• Cancer
Epidemiological Transition Stage 5
• Re-emergence of infectious diseases
– Why? Evolution
• Become resistant to drugs and insecticides
• malaria
– Why? Poverty
• TB
– Why? Travel
• Traveling more/easier