Which is the most important factor to influence the environment negatively?

Question

In my opinion, it is the overpopulation of the planet. What do you think?
http://www.articleated.com/Article/Our-Biggest-Problem---Why-few-confront-overpopulation-/1184

Answer 1

1. The sun.
2. The planet itself (volcanoes, forest fires, etc.)
3. Liberalism.

If we as humans (supposedly) came from the planet, then we as humans are a part of nature and cannot be part of the problem. A volcano causes more devastation to the environment than anything mankind has done in our entire existence.

Mankind cannot affect the planet to the degree being perpetrated. That is total arrogance on display if you believe that.

Answer 2

Overpopulation is a big one, but not the most important.

The biggest negative impact on the environment is greenhouse gas emissions contributing to global warming. Overpopulation plays a role in that, but even if we were to decrease our population, we'd still be emitting too much carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

The problem is simply that our society and technology advanced very quickly, and we didn't realize the environmental impact it was having. Now we realize it and have to do something about it.

The biggest contributors to global warming are deforestation, cars, and providing power to buildings. These are all areas where we can easily reduce our environmental impact.

Answer 3

No matter how we confront overpopulation, we're going to have to support in excess of 5 billion people on the planet for at least the next 500 years. We are going to have to solve every other major environmental problem well before we achieve a significant reduction in the population.

The biggest negative impact on the environment is not including the distributed environmental costs of products and energy in the sales price.

Answer 4

The population doesn't really matter all that much. If we had only a couple of hundred million on the planet we'd still screw up the planet if we live the way we do while we could have twice as many people on the planet and not have any global environmental problems if we'd just accept the use of nuclear power and genetic engineering (and get rid of that faith based farming (sometimes called organic farming, as if any isn't) crap too).

Answer 5

I agree. The attitude of anyone who wants to encourage people to have unwanted children they can't pay for, and offer a decent life too is insane--whether Republican, Democrat or any other sort un pseudo-religious unrealistic crazy. You can progress as a nation of mind s as fast as you want to--you can't outrun overpopulation, urban blight, suburban sprawl, energy guzzling, pollution, corporate dictatorship, bureaucracy, fresh water crises, miseducation, totalitarianism etc.--whatever you accomplish, learn or are handed, your population growth will eat up almost immediately. And you'll kill the planet, you and your international idiot cronies.

Answer 6

Humans

Answer 7

It is human irresponsiblity, hostility and indifference that cause environmental miseries. The supposedly identified among creatures to be the steward of the earth is a failure.

Answer 8

I can't pick one. I'd say a combination of overpopulation and excessive rates of consumption.

Basically, being inconsiderate and ignorant of he consequences of your actions.

Answer 9

People are really going to have a ***** of a problem when our oceans die. Over fishing, pollution from dumping garbage as well as ships clearing their bilge illegally.

Answer 10

Overpopulation is certainly a major factor and has set in to motion a collection of negative effects responsible for huge damage to the Natural world

People with no perception of reality or vision and/or, who are reluctant to change or even cooperate on behaving responsible on behalf of the Environment ,are this planets biggest problem..

the second one is over population
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Asuu81WAu4Df1CO3tXuCGAzsy6IX?qid=20070730092350AAF3L8a


This is the main cause of the third biggest problem
deforestation
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AgeqXCQuX.N8E_3cjcjTpj3sy6IX?qid=20070807161811AAOaHpS

All of the above are leading to imminent global potable water shortage
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiiCRP7L7bJKIZih0oja2Xnsy6IX?qid=20070811083951AAOVDKX

And wide spread desertification
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnGN0xxo2GzJix59WWHVxMTsy6IX?qid=20070629101716AATW9R0
.

And all of this is directly related to humanity ,not to mention industrial pollution and the effects of civilization on the Environment.

So we cannot continue to blame our present problems on Natural cycles .although they may have initiated change

People have changed local climates all over the world ,.and for a long time already,

The biggest culprit is irresponsible Agriculture and over pumping aquifers as well as over grazing

The Mexicans are changing the climate in Chiapas,
with cold nights and burning hot days because of their desperate farming for corn to feed their large families
In Africa urbanizations consumes trees ,rivers dry up ,there is less rain and climates have changed .

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiThbu8NR47pd1Il.we0I8Psy6IX?qid=20070614113913AA1E1aw

So the first concern is population growth and a desperate need to change energy requirements .
AS WELL AS changing the worlds agricultural methods to a sustainable type of agriculture like Permaculture
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AkSyKe9JDS3eSLpxsKL3mqLsy6IX?qid=20070815183923AA8E0NK


Global population growth was discussed at a meeting in Copenhagen in 1998 at a Bilderberg meeting ,the resulting recommendation called for a lowering of the world population by 60%.

The mind boggles as to how they will go about to achieve that,
but submerged solutions have been in operation since then,if not before.