Nicolas Zampaglione The convenience of going to a local market or online shopping prevents many from understanding that resources are not as plentiful as they seem. Established in 1972 to educate the American public on the dangers of overpopulation, the non-profit membership organization Negative Population Growth estimates that a population of about 150-200 million people would be optimal for the United States. Until we can begin to utilize renewable energies on a mass scale, the depletion and rampant unregulated use of fossil fuels will have numerous effects and could even trigger economic recessions. Americans must open their eyes to these impending consequences and change this course. In my home state of Florida, rampant overdevelopment has caused the loss of habitat such as beautiful coastal areas—now forever gone. Expired Deadline Passed. University of Chicago With such unsustainable population growth, our nation will be unable to avoid higher unemployment rates and perhaps even economic stagnation, which I feel may impact my life, as well as our nation overall, in a negative way. Natural disasters result in injury and enormous cost in personal property damage. My childhood spent in nature, something I would love to give to my children, is becoming a thing of the past. Not the lack of it per say in the U.S. , but the unhealthy nature of it. In ten, twenty, or thirty years, how will the overpopulation of America touch my life? Entries must be received by April 20, 2018. If the U.S. population does in fact exceed 400 million by 2060, we may be looking at massive habitat loss, strain on medical institutions, and a high unemployment rate, all of which will severely decrease the quality of life of Americans. The United States becoming overpopulated has done nothing positive for the country and has diminished my quality of life. Additionally, I am thankful that I was given the opportunity to take part in the contest. This will ultimately force individuals to become aware of their environmental impact and encourage them to live much simpler lives. As oil production continues to remain in lockstep with population growth, we are in the midst of a global environmental crisis: disastrous weather events and receding coastlines are evidence enough. Log In. As you put more and more people into the world, the value of life not only declines, it disappears.” Truer words have never been written. Not only will this make it harder for the human population to exist, this usage and growth will only increase emissions, climate change, and biodiversity loss (Cambridge University Press). Overpopulation may also have a significant impact on modern day healthcare. Too much emphasis is placed on creating environmentally safe methods of retrieving resources instead of teaching youth how to preserve resources. Click on each name to view the text of the winning essay. Couples would be able to take these factors into consideration before starting a family. Climate change, which is already a major environmental concern today, will worsen, as a larger population will require the burning of more fossil fuels. If that time comes, it will be me and my friends that are sent out to fight. Litvinov, Amanda. This is especially concerning for younger and future generations. Accessed April 03, 2019. https://climate.nasa.gov/causes/. Many people, including lawmakers and politicians, fail to even recognize this massive problem. I would like to start off by stating how grateful I am for this opportunity. If we continue living like this, magnified by increasing population, our future standard of living is in jeopardy. Our largely growing population is definitely doing more harm towards our country than good overall, and a multitude of research supports this. Photography Scholarship Contest. et al. Members of Congress, in the face of this population growth-induced crisis, I ask you to act. For example, the pollution of air as a result of overpopulation will put Americans at a higher risk for developing asthma or other respiratory illnesses. padding-top: 10px!important; As the population increases, so too will the amount of food, water, and energy needed to sustain the population. Though immigration has recently become a divisive, hot-button issue, for the sake of preserving the resources and prosperity of this country, political parties must unite over this issue and slow immigration. background: linear-gradient(rgba(255,255,255,1) 45%, rgba(255,255,255,1)); ...Comments Off on NPG is Pleased to Announce the Winners of Our 2015 … An almost prescient article from 2008 identified the susceptibility of emerging infectious diseases from animal origins and its relationship with population density. Perhaps it is in the way the gentle slope of the early negatives transforms into a sheer, ever increasing cliff as the graph approaches zero. Not to mention, the clearing of lands in order to accommodate urban sprawl will lead to deforestation and massive loss of biodiversity. This scholarship is not currently active. With a growing population, we will see more and more people losing accessibility to clean natural resources. The Class Size Debate: What the Evidence Means for Education Policy | Featured Research | Research | Goldman School of Public Policy | University of California, Berkeley, 23 Sept. 2015, gspp.berkeley.edu/research/featured/the-class-size-debate-what-the-evidence-means-for-education-policy. display: inline-block;} Not the lack of it per say in the U.S. , but the unhealthy nature of it. Each congressman was recently elected into office because he/she wanted to help improve our system of government and help shape the future of our nation. As a student training to become an Air Force pilot, war will directly affect my life. This will, in turn, result in a decline of our nation’s standard of living. According to population reports by the US Census Bureau released in March 2018, (“Demographic Turning Points for the United States: Population Projections for 2020 to 2060”) “by 2030, net international migration is expected to become the primary driver of population growth in the United States.” This is due to an increased death rate with the aging population and a decreasing birth rate. Negative Population Growth (NPG), the nation's premier organization dedicated to educating Americans regarding the damaging effects of overpopulation, is seeking students interested in competing for academic scholarships ranging from $500 to $2,500. But perhaps an even more tremendous reason for concern is the 550,000 gallons of water used by Americans annually. Up to $2,000 awards available. According to the National Environmental Education Foundation, water managers in 40 states expect water shortages in the next decade. With projections showing a U.S. population exceeding 400 million by 2060, our country has a serious problem. Our country is reaching uncharted territory as we enter a fifth phase of demographic transition about which we can only hypothesize. This brief bottleneck of access to fuel had led to a recession, causing mass unemployment and economic stagnation. The US Census Bureau predicts a 0.7 percent annual growth in the United States over the next decade. Washington, DC 20515. Woods, Darian. A CIS study recently reported that U.S. immigrants produced 637 million tons of CO2 annually. The Dow Jones’ bottom line doesn’t look too horrifying against the backdrop of hurricanes and plagues. Reece Sodano Congress would better be able to monitor natural resources and environmental policy if they figure out how to keep the U.S. population from growing out of control. We have the data and the facts, it is up to us to change the outcome and ensure a prosperous future. Freshwater, clean energy, and arable land – the building blocks of resource production – exist in insufficient quantities to meet such fantastic demands (Dimick). You are the new members of the 116th Congress. The Negative Population Growth Scholarship Essay Contest is open to high school seniors and college freshmen, sophomores and juniors. Peering out the window of my apartment, I spot a faint image of the sun fighting to pierce through the thick smog. Contestants are invited to answer a population-related challenge, with their own experience and insight guiding their ideas for a solution. $2,500. In just 40 years, experts predict that the U.S. population will increase by over 70 million. … Writing this essay and doing my own research on negative population growth has helped me better understand the current situation of our world. Henry the Emotional Environmentalist. Will we have enough trained professionals to deal with the growing health problems that exist? amount. Personally, I will be faced with increased health problems, financial insecurities, and a fragile mental health. Now, over 40% of rivers, 46% of lakes, and 50% of estuaries are too polluted for fishing and swimming (“The United States Is Already Overpopulated”.) Negative Population Growth is the idea of a turnaround in the United States. Pollution, carbon dioxide emissions and deforestation are all negative effects resulting from our growing population. Our sustainability in the future is in jeopardy if we do not do something to control our growing population. We hold an immense responsibility to manage the Earth’s resources, and since population is a crucial, defining factor in this process, we must manage it to an optimal level. The continued development of a physical, well-manned barrier will lessen illegal immigration somewhat, but it’s hard to imagine that migrants won’t learn to exploit any barrier’s inevitable weaknesses. A brief study of the coronavirus’ origin, as well as that of numerous other wildlife-borne infection diseases, from SARS to Lyme, reveals the striking relationship between population growth and viral outbreaks. The current problems stemming from overpopulation such as land and resource shortages and congestion in urban areas, as well as environmental degradation, will jeopardize the future of the United States as a first-world country. One of the biggest issues we are currently dealing with is a rise in carbon dioxide emissions. As human population balloons, societies like ours intrude further into wildlife habitats, increasing the likelihood of the human-wildlife interactions at the crux of Covid-19, SARS, Ebola, and many other diseases. In our current state, our government incentivizes women to have large families and multiple kids. I’ve never won anything like this before, especially for one of my creations. NPG 2020 Essay Scholarship Contest Negative Population Growth. Finite water, finite food, finite space, finite resources. Although the national population is not the largest in the world, the conflict that it creates could become unsustainable. As human population balloons, societies like ours intrude further into wildlife habitats, increasing the likelihood of the human-wildlife interactions at the crux of Covid-19, SARS, Ebola, and many other diseases. Kaaps Viooltje Is Weer Terug, Mijn Bloemist. As a result, unemployment rates and living costs will skyrocket. }. Along with environmental issues comes public health issues, specifically a freshwater issue. The spirit of the congressional debates seem to permeate into the minds of my fellow passengers on my subway ride to work. 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