Are Americans consuming too many of the world's resources (oil, metals, wood, food, etc)?

Answer 1

Americans are probably using more than their pro-rata share. However, when determining justified allocation of resources you have to look at more than just one perspective. For example, does an over-populated country have a right to as many resources as they can consume? If they do not address issues with over-population and hunger, do they have a right to demand resources they don't earn? Is international welfare and charity justified if the primary problem--that is, too many people vs. available resources--goes unaddressed?

Hunger, famine, disaster and disease are terrible things, but they are not the root issue. When you have a population that is unable to support itself on the resources available to it then you are going to have death and suffering. Furthermore, the more people there are the more people will die and suffer when a disaster does take place.

Over-population is the #1 issue threatening mankind's survival.