The human species is endowed with more brainpower and creativity than any of our animal neighbors on the planet. These intellectual powers, through the use of technology, have allowed mankind to adapt to and actively change his environment.
Technology is partly responsible for explosive population growth and primarily responsible for the resulting damage to Earth's resources. While animal energy requirements are limited to the consumption of food derived directly from biological systems, man in the early 1700's learned how to exploit coal deposits to supplement the energy resources already obtained from agriculture and the forests. As can be seen from the graph on the previous card, the industrial revolution coincided with the extreme human population explosion we now experience. Population growth then accelerated as oil and gas fuels were exploited for mankind's use. Thus a clear link exists between the problems of global warming and overpopulation - this can be seen simply by studying the historical CO2, methane, and population curves in this program.
The problem we now face is too many people on Earth, who are using technologies that are destructive for the long term health of the global biosphere. Exponential growth of anything (population, deforestation, oil consumption, national debt?) cannot continue forever on a finite size planet! ***
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