DO NOW!

• How do you think population growth will impact: 1. The world? 2. NC? 3. Your life?

Daily Goal

Describe how humans have exceeded their carrying capacity

Explain how this causes human suffering, and what we can do to alleviate it

Agenda

Warm-Up Population Growth Video Clip Human carrying capacity

Developed countries Undeveloped countries

Population Growth Graphing Practice Notes reflection Where do you fall? Closing Exit question

7 BILLION PEOPLE!!

• http://7billionactions.org/resources.php• 7 Billion: National Geographic

Growth Rate:

How quickly a population increases or decreases

Depends on births, deaths, and migrations (people coming and going from a country)

Carrying Capacity

Maximum number of species that can live somewhere, based on the food, water, and free space

If a population exceeds its carrying capacity, species die.

Different Carrying Capacities

Key Point #1: All species have a carrying capacity. Including humans. Every species has a different carrying capacity. Humans have a carrying capacity, too.

There are only enough resources on Earth to support a LIMITED NUMBER of humans.

Human Carrying Capacity

Key Point #2: In developed (rich) countries, humans have exceeded our carrying capacity because we consume too many resources.

http://earthday.net/footprint/flash.html

American Resource Consumption

If Everyone Lived Like Americans

If everyone lived like Americans, we would need eight Earths to provide all the food, water, and free space that we consume.

Human Carrying Capacity

Key Point #3: In undeveloped (poor) countries, humans have exceeded their carrying capacity because there are too many people.

3.6 billion live in abject poverty (less than $2 per day)

Individually consume very few resources

But because there are billions of them, still exceed carrying capacity

What Does This Mean For Us?

People ARE

dying.

Someone dies of starvation every 2.43 seconds

2,200 people will die from starvation by the end of today’s class.

Leading cause of deaths worldwide

Water pollution kills 14,000 people

EVERY day

Attack on a United Nations food convoy in the Central African Republic

War for Food and Water

So What Do We Do?

Key Point #4: To avoid starvation, dehydration, and war for resources, we need to reduce consumption, reduce population growth, or both. Four main strategies:

Voluntarily cut consumption Force people to consume less Contraception, education, and women's rights in the third world Planned birth policy

So What Do We Do?

We could voluntarily cut down on our consumption.

So What Do We Do?

Or, force people to cut down on their consumption.

Political PolicyWe could try to discourage births by providing birth control...

Education...

...and increasing women's rights in undeveloped countries, where birth rates are highest.

So What Do We Do?

China has a planned birth policy:

Since 1979, citizens have been limited to only one child per

couple.

Population Growth Graphing Activity

1. Work quietly at your seat.

2. Answer all questions on the back of your graph paper.

3. Be sure to label your axes, include units, and connect your data points

Notes Reflection (GP) Do humans have a carrying capacity?

Yes.

How do humans in developed (rich) countries exceed their carrying capacity?

We use too many resources.

How do humans in undeveloped (poor) countries exceed their carrying capacity?

Even though each person uses very few resources, there are too many people (overpopulation)

Guided Practice (GP) If humans have exceeded their carrying capacity, why aren’t tons of people dying?

They are. We just don’t notice, because the USA is rich enough to make sure these problems happen to other people.

What can we do to reduce the amount of resources we consume?

Voluntarily cut consumption Force people to consume less Contraception, education, women's rights in undeveloped countries Planned birth policy (China)

Where Do You Fall? (IP)

Strongly agree Left side of classroom

Strongly disagree Right side of classroom

Unsure Middle of the room

Where Do You Fall? (IP)

It is wrong for Americans to use more than our share of resources.

Where Do You Fall? (IP)

It is bad that people in undeveloped countries suffer because Americans use more than our share of resources.

Where Do You Fall? (IP)

Americans should give up luxury items, so that we consume fewer resources.

Where Do You Fall? (IP)

The government should force people to consume fewer resources.

Where Do You Fall? (IP)

It is a good idea for Americans to spend money to create schools, teach people in undeveloped countries how to use birth control, and advocate for women’s rights.

Where Do You Fall? (IP)

The government should make a law that limits how many children we can have, or that stops some people from having children at all.

Population Growth Web

Work quietly in pairs to create your web Use your information to determine the

effects of population growth http://7billionactions.org/data Your web must include the following

effects: Aging, Environment, Urban Growth,

Environment, Women & Girls, Poverty & Inequality, Young People, Reproductive Health

Exit Ticket What is happening because humans have exceeded their carrying capacity?Which countries are experiencing the most devastation from increasing population growth? What do YOU think should be done about it?