If the entire global population ceased to reproduce would earth's ecosystem stabilize, or is it too late?

Question

If we did cease to reproduce (sex is not the subject, population is!) the population would decrease, as it does normally, we just would not be adding to the population, so eventually humans would become extinct. However extinction is not what I am after in asking this question. The bigger picture entails reducing our population because overgrowth destroys life in practically any situation. The earths ecosystem as we know it now, has not been around for long, if you consider how old the experts believe our planet is. I think humans can destroy the ecosystem...or possibly set about a chain of reactions that may now be too late to stop.

Answer 1

If you consider the fact that the sun is a star, and all stars eventually die, and the sun is really old, and the all life on Earth is dependent on said sun to survive...

Then does it really seem all that wise to try and save a doomed planet? I'd sooner invest all that philanthropic energy into education, so that the human race has enough some-what competent members... to perhaps even devise a way to save man kind (and even our furry little woodland friends) from extinction when the Sun becomes another black hole.

Answer 2

Almost no matter what happens the Earth's ecosystem will continue. It has already survived asteroid impacts, an ice ball earth, continents moving around etc. There is almost nothing man could do to actually kill off all life. That really is not something we need to be worried about.

The important way to look at the problem is from the human perspective. What kind of world is be best for humans? In my opinion a world that is not choked with pollution and one that has a fairly stable climate with plenty of energy, food and water for everyone. Unfortunately we are on a course that will make those things scarce and will make humans miserable.

There is absolutely no point in getting rid of humans. We are as much part of the ecosystem as any other organism. We are on the wrong path and we need to change if we do not want our offspring to have miserable lives.

Answer 3

Yes and no. The ecosystem is never really static, it is just changing faster than usual right now, due the the impact of the growing numbers of people and their growing technological power. If the population stopped growing and technology stopped growing, meaning things like the number of people too poor to drive cars does not change, then it would still not stabilize. That is because we need to burn fossil fuel to maintain out technological lifestyle, and that burning is continuing to change the balance of nature, that is increasing the CO2 in the atmosphere.

Answer 4

Global population is not really the problem. Right now you could move every human being to Florida and each one would have about 400 square feet. The rest of the world would be empty.

The real problem is how much waste and heat is produced to keep all 6 Billion of us happy. Every new thing produced causes a tiny amount of pollution and global warming...multiply that by billions upon billions of new items produced each year and it adds up to a bleak future for our kids and grand kids.

The best way to slow down the drain on resources is to stop buying junk. How many McDonalds Happy Meal toys do our kids really need? Stop rushing out to buy the newest stuff....thrift stores are jam packed with last year's newest junk....

Recycle...Reuse...Wear it out or in the future we will do with out.

Answer 5

The problem isn't in our reproduction rate. It's in the destruction we are bringing to the planet's ecosystem. An effective solution would be to stop doing that, not to stop reproducing.You know the old saying: make love, not nonbiodegradable polymers.

Answer 6

Considering that sex feels good..it will never happen ! Beer works for me . 3rd world countries don't have that option !

Answer 7

it would stabilize but it would take a long time

Answer 8

Its too late.