Rant: Doc: Population

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that U.S. population will grow from 303 million people
today to 400 million as early as 2040. While many industrialized nations, including Japan
and most of Western Europe, are experiencing population growth slowdowns due to below
replacement birth levels and little immigration, the U.S. is growing so fast that it trails only
India and China in total numbers.
Advocates for U.S. population stabilization, including some environmental organizations
and leaders, fear that this ongoing influx of new arrivals is forcing the nation to exceed its
“carrying capacity,” stressing an already overburdened physical infrastructure. David
Durham of Population-Environment Balance says that Americans who care about the
environment should insist on reducing immigration, to recognize “ecological realities such
as limited potable water, topsoil and infrastructure.” He also cites studies showing that a
permissive U.S. immigration policy drives up fertility rates in the sending countries “which
is the last thing these sending countries need.”
I wonder how long it will take the starry eyed politicians of Qld to realize that population
growth in an area has drawbacks, such as over use of resources like water, congested
roads,increasing pollution, and the inevitable loss of the natural environment.

doc