Overview of U.S. Overpopulation
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce U.S., there was an increase of 0.21% in the U.S. population. The combination of birth, death, and net immigration increases the U.S. population by one person every 40 seconds. Meanwhile, the objective is to expect one person from international immigration every 130 seconds.
Causes of Overpopulation
The leading causes of overpopulation in the U.S. are ecological degradation, lack of female education, falling mortality rates (life expectancy), and improved living standards. These factors favor high fertility.
One of the other main factors contributing to the U.S. overpopulation is immigration. After world war 1, there was a massive increase in the U.S. population. International immigrants are one of the leading causes of the overpopulation of the United States.
Effects of Overpopulation on the U.S.
More population means increased demand for resources, like health care, food, and more need for energy and transportation. All these factors lead to ecological degradation, increased conflicts, and increased risk of large-scale pandemics and disasters.
Overpopulation has severe ill-effects, like deforestation and an increase in pollution. It also affects the employment rate because, as we know, as the population increases, people will have fewer employment opportunities.
Unemployment
Due to the rapidly increasing population, the economy has transformed into mass unemployment and low employment. As a result, the ratio of laborers increases compared to the population; due to a rise in the labor force, unemployment and low employment increase.
Poverty
Overpopulation means capturing more ground. It can lead to landlessness and increased poverty and adversely affect people’s well-being. Due to landlessness, less fertile land will be left for cultivation, leading to a food shortage.
Effect on Environment
Overpopulation affects the environment in many ways. Due to overpopulation, people cover more ground which means deforestation and destroying habitats of other living organisms, which play an essential role in our ecosystem. Due to overpopulation, pollution increases and affects our environment in many ways, like climate change and global warming.
Health Problems
Overpopulation leads to significant health problems. In an overpopulated area, it is easy for airborne diseases to spread; people are at high risk of catching a disease like HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, etc. Due to overpopulation, water pollution also increases, leading to many problems for people. There will be overcrowded living and malnutrition, and it will also be challenging to provide health care facilities to every single individual.
The Solution to Reduce Overpopulation
We must reduce overpopulation; a nation should take some awareness measures. Like, as generously funding family planning programs. They should take steps to improve health care and reduce infant and child mortality. Make laws regarding child marriage and raise the legal age for marriage at least 18 years and launch family planning programs everywhere, even in remote areas.
References
Glen Colton, Over-Population is America’s Biggest Environmental Threat, TC Palm, https://www.tcpalm.com/story/opinion/contributors/2019/06/24/overpopulation-americas-biggest-environmental-threat/1521908001/
Authors at Fair, The United States is already Over-populated, Fair, https://www.fairus.org/issue/population-environment/united-states-already-overpopulated