Community interactions and education in regulating population growth

Population Growth and Human Activities on the Environment

This paper explores the impact of population growth and human activities on the environment and earth's ecosystems. The result of the research conducted suggests community interaction and education may enable population growth at a speed that will not destroy delicate biosystems. Research also suggests without some intervention, population growth can become uncontrolled, which would result in large-scale damage to the environment or shortages of natural resources. These ideas and more are examined in the passages below.

Dynamics of Population Growth through Community Interactions

Community interactions provide the ideal forum for studying the dynamics of population growth. It is through community interactions that researchers can identify cultural and ethnic factors that may contribute to or detract from community and population growth. Communities in need of assistance in the way of extra hands to farm the land or search for labor, as is the case in many developing countries, may command a higher population growth than in areas where population growth has lead to overcrowding and excessive pollution and drain on vital supplies (as is the case in some Asian regions) for example (Birdsall, Kelley & Sinding, 2001).

Mulligan (2006) explores the logistic population growth of 500 cities in the world, showing population growth varies from city to city, contingent on whether cities have high or low economic development. There are signs based on urban logistic growth research suggesting population growth can be controlled and monitored through community clubs and political organization that is inclusive rather than dictatorial in nature (Mulligan, 2006). What this means is human beings can adapt and monitor population growth by exploring the impact of population growth in various regions of the world and among the world's largest cities (Mulligan, 2006). Population growth need not be excessive if human beings join as a community to grow in a respectful and practical manner.

Concept of Regulation of Population Growth through Community Interactions

Rapid population growth proves a "strong deterrent to per capita economic growth and development" (Birdall, Kelley & Sinding, p. 24). There is ample evidence that third world countries tend to "benefit" when population growth slows, because this allows for more time for the economy to catch up to the rapid increase of people living in or adjacent to formerly natural environments (Birdall, Kelley & Sinding, p. 24). Community interactions in the world's largest cities consisting of education related to the process of ecosystem destruction and the removal of natural resources can help deter population growth in areas where natural resources are in decline and pollution is on the rise (Mulligan, 2006). Communities that understand the toll population growth has on the environment are more likely to take action to protect the environment and conserve natural resources by monitoring population growth and encouraging restoration of the environment rather than encouraging larger families (Mulligan, 2006). Community actions are more likely to be tolerated than mandates that declare population growth must be limited by force (Mulligan, 2006).

Conclusion

Ample evidence suggests community interactions have a direct relationship on population growth. This relationship may be positive or negative depending on the types of community interactions people engage in. The more education people receive about the effects of population growth on economic logistics, environmental ecosystems and the biosphere, the more likely people are to manage population growth.

On the other side, the less educated people are and the less resources they have, the more likely population growth is to grow unchecked and without balance. More attention to education and information in third world countries may help mitigate population growth to a level that is sustainable and beneficial rather than devastating to the environment. This will require much in the way of information gathering, information sharing and effort by local and national governments to become involved in population logistics.