Wednesday 9 November 2011

1 in 7 Billion


© National Geographic Magazine

If you’re one in a million you’re considered very special so imagine being 1 in 7 billion. This is no longer a dream, this is reality. There are now officially 7 billion humans on the planet.
Last week, October 31st 2011, saw the human population reach 7 billion according to the United Nations Population Division. This has been due to a combination of people living longer, people living healthier and better medical support. This should be an achievement and people all over the world are celebrating the birth of the 7 billionth human but what strain is this having on our planet? Can we survive with so many people?
According to the Huffington Post there is only half an acre of productive cropland on the planet for every person on earth. Its common knowledge that we are running out of fresh water and with climate change increasing areas susceptible to floods and droughts, the area available to grow crops will become even more sparse.
Efforts are being made to try and inform the uneducated and developing countries. This has been ongoing for many years and will take many more to complete, but the developed world, you and me, also have a role to play. We know what the impacts are and we know how we can help reduce the ever growing population. We need to take action and try to work together to ensure we can all survive on earth and most of all create a sustainable living environment.
If planet Earth stands a chance of surviving we as a population need to become more environmentally conscious and be aware of the products we purchase and the type of foods we eat. This should no longer be seen as being green and rather a way of life which is just as ordinary as going to sleep.
Finally the President of the United Nations Foundation, Timothy E. Wirth, addressed the current situation in a recent speech which I think reflects perfectly what needs to be done to combat our ever increasing population.
“In a world of 7 billion, it is more important than ever that we address fundamental issues of poverty and inequality. We know that investing in women’s reproductive health and voluntary family planning is one of the most cost effective means to tackling our most pressing global development challenges.”
To hear the complete speech click here.
© Randy Olson @ National Geographic
 How are you going to help?