Population and the Environment Chapter 21 Gene DeMaio.

Population and the Population and the EnvironmentEnvironment

Chapter 21Chapter 21

Gene DeMaioGene DeMaio

Demography – The Study of Demography – The Study of PopulationPopulation• Is studied extensively by scientists in many Is studied extensively by scientists in many

different types of fieldsdifferent types of fields– Biologists study factors that effect fertilityBiologists study factors that effect fertility– Medical scientist analyze causes of deathMedical scientist analyze causes of death

• Sociologists study factors that effect Sociologists study factors that effect population trends population trends – Social Norms and values that effect mortality and Social Norms and values that effect mortality and

fertility such asfertility such as• Fertility (level of reproduction) – laws, religious and moral Fertility (level of reproduction) – laws, religious and moral

valuesvalues• Mortality (level of death) – nutrition, health care, living Mortality (level of death) – nutrition, health care, living

conditionsconditions

• Demographers observe components of a Demographers observe components of a population (size, density, distribution, population (size, density, distribution, stratification) to try to predict and understand stratification) to try to predict and understand reasons for change in a populationreasons for change in a population

Studying the Population Studying the Population todaytoday• Main way of gathering info about the Main way of gathering info about the

population is a Census, population is a Census, – required by the U.S. every 10 yearsrequired by the U.S. every 10 years– Census is a counting of a populationCensus is a counting of a population– Censuses are aided by vital statistics, records Censuses are aided by vital statistics, records

of births, deaths, marriages, & divorcesof births, deaths, marriages, & divorces• Populations in developing nations Populations in developing nations

– Leading Cause of death among children in Leading Cause of death among children in developing nations is Malnutritiondeveloping nations is Malnutrition

– 18% of children in these nations die before 18% of children in these nations die before age five (11x the percentage in developed age five (11x the percentage in developed nations)nations)

– Controlling the population of these nations may Controlling the population of these nations may be linked to reducing hungerbe linked to reducing hunger

Thomas MalthusThomas Malthus

• Believed that the world population was Believed that the world population was growing faster than the food supply.growing faster than the food supply.

• The gap between the food supply and the The gap between the food supply and the population would continue to grow until population would continue to grow until thee was nowhere near enough food to thee was nowhere near enough food to feed the population.feed the population.

• Supported controlling population growth, Supported controlling population growth, but denounced Birth control. but denounced Birth control. – Went against the churchWent against the church– Instead he said to postpone the age people Instead he said to postpone the age people

marry and limit the number of children that are marry and limit the number of children that are bornborn

Karl MarxKarl Marx• Disagreed with MalthusDisagreed with Malthus• In an ideal society an increase in In an ideal society an increase in

population would lead to greater population would lead to greater wealth due to an increased work wealth due to an increased work force.force.

• Capitalism did not operate under Capitalism did not operate under these conditions, they used financial these conditions, they used financial resources on building skyscrapers resources on building skyscrapers and roads rather than for housing and roads rather than for housing and equal distribution of foodand equal distribution of food

• He did believe that communism He did believe that communism would operate under these conditionswould operate under these conditions

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Demographic TransitionDemographic Transition

• A rapid decline in deathrates followed A rapid decline in deathrates followed by a dramatic increase in population.by a dramatic increase in population.

• A natural part in the development of A natural part in the development of nations.nations.

• Occurs in three phases:Occurs in three phases:– Pre-Transition – High birthrates, High Pre-Transition – High birthrates, High

deathrates, Little population growthdeathrates, Little population growth– Transition – Deathrates decrease Transition – Deathrates decrease

sharply, birthrates stay high, significant sharply, birthrates stay high, significant population growthpopulation growth

– Post-Transition – Birthrates decrease, Post-Transition – Birthrates decrease, Deathrates stay low, little population Deathrates stay low, little population growth.growth.

• Drop in deathrates can be caused by Drop in deathrates can be caused by improvements in Healthcare and living improvements in Healthcare and living conditionsconditions

Population ExplosionPopulation Explosion• A rapid increase in the A rapid increase in the

world populationworld population• The world population The world population

has grown nearly 7x has grown nearly 7x more in the past 200 more in the past 200 years than it had in all years than it had in all of previous history of of previous history of the earththe earth

• Could lead to side Could lead to side effects predicted by effects predicted by MalthusMalthus

• Counties have Counties have supported birth control supported birth control and family planningand family planning– China enforces a strict China enforces a strict

one child per family law. one child per family law. This leads to a decrease This leads to a decrease in populationin population

Population Pyramid, Population Pyramid, Momentum of Population Momentum of Population GrowthGrowth

Baby BoomBaby Boom• After WWII, Birthrates began to After WWII, Birthrates began to

dramatically increase.dramatically increase.

• Death rates decreased after the warDeath rates decreased after the war

• Soldiers had been separated from there Soldiers had been separated from there wives for very long, post war economy wives for very long, post war economy encouraged purchasing homes and having encouraged purchasing homes and having children.children.

• Fertility rate eventually declinedFertility rate eventually declined

• Demographic TransitionDemographic Transition

• Lead to momentum for further growthLead to momentum for further growth

Zero Population Growth Zero Population Growth (ZPG)(ZPG)• After the Baby boom fertility rates After the Baby boom fertility rates

drastically decreaseddrastically decreased

• Although birthrates are still greater Although birthrates are still greater than deathrates in the US, than deathrates in the US, sociologists have predicted a sociologists have predicted a possible state of ZPGpossible state of ZPG– The # of deaths = the # of births and The # of deaths = the # of births and

the # of immigrants = the # of the # of immigrants = the # of emigrantsemigrants ?

Possible economic affectsPossible economic affects

• Greater proportion of elderly (75+)Greater proportion of elderly (75+)– Greater demand for Health care and Social Greater demand for Health care and Social

ServiceService

• Low fertility rates would lead to women Low fertility rates would lead to women spending fewer years raising children spending fewer years raising children and could increase the proportion of and could increase the proportion of married women in the workforcemarried women in the workforce– Leads to an increased work force and a Leads to an increased work force and a

more stable economymore stable economy

MigrationMigration• 2 types of Migration, Internal and International.2 types of Migration, Internal and International.• International – from country to countryInternational – from country to country

– Could be caused by a poor economy in the home country as Could be caused by a poor economy in the home country as well as a strong one in the new one. Ex. Potato famine in well as a strong one in the new one. Ex. Potato famine in IrelandIreland

– Wars/Political problems in the homeland. Ex. End of Wars/Political problems in the homeland. Ex. End of Communism lead to a migration from former USSR to Communism lead to a migration from former USSR to western Europe.western Europe.

– Is limited by the government,Is limited by the government,

• Internal Migration – within a countryInternal Migration – within a country– Can be caused by greater job opportunities in a new state.Can be caused by greater job opportunities in a new state.– Industrialization led to migration to citiesIndustrialization led to migration to cities– Climate – since the 70’s a significant amount of the Climate – since the 70’s a significant amount of the

population has moved from the “Snow Belt” (New England, population has moved from the “Snow Belt” (New England, NY, Ohio, Chicago ect.) to the “Sun Belt” (NC, Florida, NY, Ohio, Chicago ect.) to the “Sun Belt” (NC, Florida, Arizona ect.)Arizona ect.)

– Is not at all controlled by gov’t Is not at all controlled by gov’t

Human EcologyHuman Ecology• Interrelationships between people Interrelationships between people

and their environmentand their environment– Natural environment serves three basic Natural environment serves three basic

functions for humans:functions for humans:•Provides the resources essential for lifeProvides the resources essential for life

•Serves as a waste repositoryServes as a waste repository

•Houses our speciesHouses our species

Conflict View of the Conflict View of the EnvironmentEnvironment• Less developed nations are being Less developed nations are being

forced by powerful industries to forced by powerful industries to exploit their natural resources such exploit their natural resources such as fisheries, mineral and fuel as fisheries, mineral and fuel deposits and forests to meet debt deposits and forests to meet debt obligations.obligations.

Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justice

• Belief that racial minorities and Belief that racial minorities and members of low income neighborhoods members of low income neighborhoods are subjected to disproportionate are subjected to disproportionate environmental hazardsenvironmental hazards– Harlem, NY is subjected more air pollutionHarlem, NY is subjected more air pollution– Factories dump wastes into the Mississippi. Factories dump wastes into the Mississippi.

This affects the cities along the Mississippi This affects the cities along the Mississippi such as New Orleans.such as New Orleans.

Environmental ProblemsEnvironmental Problems

• Air PollutionAir Pollution– Caused by car emissions and smog in the airCaused by car emissions and smog in the air– Can cause breathing problems such as asthma Can cause breathing problems such as asthma

as well as vision problemsas well as vision problems– an estimated 700,000 deaths per year could be an estimated 700,000 deaths per year could be

prevented if air pollutants were cut downprevented if air pollutants were cut down

• Water PollutionWater Pollution– Caused by dumping wastes into bodies of Caused by dumping wastes into bodies of

water as well as oil spillswater as well as oil spills– Nearly 1.1 Billion people lack clean drinking Nearly 1.1 Billion people lack clean drinking

waterwater

Global warmingGlobal warming• Natural greenhouse gasses such as CO2 are Natural greenhouse gasses such as CO2 are

turning the worlds atmosphere into a turning the worlds atmosphere into a greenhouse.greenhouse.

• Results in polar ice caps, fiercer storms, Results in polar ice caps, fiercer storms, deserts expanding, and devastating deserts expanding, and devastating droughts.droughts.

• Governments continue to place addressing Governments continue to place addressing GW low on their agendaGW low on their agenda

• Kyoto ProtocolKyoto Protocol– 169 countries agreed to reduce their emissions 169 countries agreed to reduce their emissions

of greenhouse gasses.of greenhouse gasses.– US, produces ¼ of the earths CO2 did not.US, produces ¼ of the earths CO2 did not.

• Is caused by industrial nations, Affects Is caused by industrial nations, Affects developing nations, they are more likely to developing nations, they are more likely to have economies based on limited resources.have economies based on limited resources.

GlobalizationGlobalization

• Polluting companies may relocate to Polluting companies may relocate to countries with less stringent countries with less stringent environmental standardsenvironmental standards– Industrialization that often accompanies Industrialization that often accompanies

globalization has increased pollutionglobalization has increased pollution

• Multinational Corporations have Multinational Corporations have incentive to consider cost of natural incentive to consider cost of natural resourcesresources– Wasting resources would make little sense Wasting resources would make little sense

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How do you think ZPG would How do you think ZPG would affect the US/ world?affect the US/ world?

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Do You think that an increasing Do You think that an increasing the population would help or harm the population would help or harm

America/ The World?America/ The World?