Is there an opinion as to how many people our planet can support?

Question

I don't understand. what is hercules? apart from a myth.

could you be more specific?

at the risk of sounding extremely controversial are you sure answer 2 that humans won't control the earth? and turn it into a wasteland?

I don't want to join you in creating ww3 thanks anyway. but it seems like a retarded idea.

Answer 1

it could potentially support a hundred billion people if we used the land well. but we wouldnt. we should keep it under 10 - 20 billion for econonmical means. we should stablise our current population by sharing wealth insted of bring children into a life of poverty.

look at these:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_population

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overpopulation

Answer 2

There are many OPINIONS. But I can say for sure that Earth can support as many people as it is supporting right now. The environmental extremists would disagree though. They say we are living on borrowed time, using up resources faster than Earth can replace them and that will catch up with us and billions will have to die to restore the balance. I say that is nonsense.They are saying how many Earth could support without technology. Basically by hunting and gathering and only organic farming. That is the same kind of thinking that made Paul R. Ehrlich write in his 1968 book, "The Population Bomb", that, "in the 1970s and 1980s hundreds of millions of people will starve to death". My high school chemistry teacher at the time said there would be famine in America by 1980. It did not happen because people found ways to grow more food. And we will continue to find new and different ways to support our population that go far beyond what Earth could support naturally.

Answer 3

YES - years ago the United Nations figured 5 Billion was a long term sustainable level - we are currently over that at 6.5 Billion+. And you can see the problems.. global warming, poor air quality, deforestation, urban sprawl.. most people think the only concern with population growth is food - but this is not the case..
Many scientists actually feel a better number is more like 500 Milllion...

Personally I feel we are overpopulated all ready ( I agree with the United Nations) I only had 1 kid because I refuse to contribute more to the problem..which interestingly isnt only birth rate but our longer lifespans.

Answer 4

at a good standard of living, a bit lower than current EU consumption levels - then a long term sustainable human population is probably about 3bn.
This is calculated on living on the renewable energy receivd from the sun.
The current human population boom is literally fueled by cheap, but finite, fossil fuel. Without that we need land to grow clothing, plastics & fuel as well as crops; and the use of agro-industry fertilisers and peasticides and pumped water has made a lot of land unproductive without artificial inputs.

Last hours of ancient sunlight.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Hours-Ancient-Sunlight-Transformation/dp/0340822430/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/203-3478105-5679106?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194266352&sr=8-1

Answer 5

wel if you dont count the dangerous mountainous area maybe about 8-12 billion
if the sea level dosent stop rasing 8-9 billion. the max would be almost 21 billion in all but there will be noway to feed every one so the last one not happening.

Answer 6

I read in some journal that there is a point at which we (the population) consume more than our planet can sustainably replace.

That point occured in the year....... 2007!!

Something HAS to change!

Answer 7

The WWF have done calculations on this, called One Planet. According to their calculations we are using more than the planet can sustain. Search for their web site for more details.

Answer 8

@ the rate that society is going now, who knows?. Scenarios: 1. People that make things happen. 2. People that watch things happen. & 3. People that wondered what happen. You be the judge, & come up with your own conclusions.

Answer 9

If we weren't meant to be here, then simply we wouldn't be. We will never outgrow our planet, as nature, im talking volcanoes, hurricanes, earquakes ect keep us under control, as does disease and illness. If an aerea became over-populated, famine would cull the numbers, its natures way.

Answer 10

yes im going to start world war 3 to bring down the population of the world care to join me??

where to nuke first... hmmm