Changes in the Earth due to Humans

1
Changes in the Earth due to Humans
desertification
Our Land

• Each year, 24,000 square miles of productive land
  are turned to desert.
• Half the worlds tropical forests have been
  cleared. Within 50 years there may be no native
  forests left.
• 70 of grasslands have been degraded, overgrazed
  and converted to desert.
• Loss of natural habitats and other human caused
  activities cause extinction of about 20,000
  species per year.

2
Our water (the worlds trash dump)

• gt50 of the worlds wetlands have been drained,
  built upon or destroyed.
• 1/3 of our coral reefs are dead, 1/3 are dying.
• Thousands of lakes are too acidic for fish. Many
  thousands more are depleted of oxygen.
• Our drinking water exceeds contamination
  standards.

3
Our air

• Temperature rise due to Gobal warming.
• Depleation of Ozone sheild.
• SMOG!

4
World Population

• Today about 6,500,000,000 (6.5 billion) people
• Current growth rate 1.3 per year
• Projected population in 2100 about 10 billion
  people
• Carrying capacity of the Earth at American
  consumption rates lt300 million.

5
Developed vs. Developing Countries
6
US vs. Mexico

• Zero or negative population growth countries
  Austria, Belgium, Germany, U.K., Denmark, Sweden,
  Italy, etc.

7
Main Cause of Population Growth
Unwanted Fertility

• 500,000 births per day
• 1/2 of these are unplanned
• 1/4 are unwanted
• Bush has removed U. S. funding for international
  birth control.

8
Causes of Population Growth
2. High Desired Famliy Size (Effect 1 billion
people) decendents!!!

• Largest Monogamous Clan
• John Eli Miller from Pensylvania, 95 year old
  survived by-
• 7 children
• 61 grand children
• 338 great grand children
• 6 great great grand children
• GRAND TOTAL 410 decendents
• gt 1000 in another 10 years

• Family size reduction
• Govermental policy
• CHINA- limits numbers of children per family.
• Female behavior
• KENYA- family planning reduced family size from
  6.8 to 4.8 in 12 years.

9
Causes for Population Growth
3. Population Momentum (Effect 2.8 Billion)
10
What can we do?

• Reduce unwanted pregnancies by strenghthening
  family planning programs
• Demand more government funding for family
  planning!
• Reinstate government funding for international
  birth control.
• Oppose Bush and the Republican agenda!!
• Reduce demands for large families
• Promote birth control womens education
  status alternative life styles that dont
  involve procreation.
• Address population momentum
• Increase age at first reproduction
• Decrease TEEN PREGNANCIES
• 900,000 per year in the US
• 470,000 births
• 330,000 abortions

THANK YOU!