Population Growth Impacts on the Environment

NB: We do not resell your papers. Upon ordering, we do an original paper exclusively for you.

NB: All your data is kept safe from the public.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Literature review
Methodology
Ethical Considerations
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Problem Statement

The environment plays a significant role in life. Meanwhile, humans influence natural environment they live in through pollution, and greenhouse effect which has become part and parcel of our everyday life. It goes without saying that our growing populations does not only indicate that people use more and more resources, but also engage in activities that negatively affect the environment.

Thus, pollution of the environment through human activities thanks to a growing population is the main issue. Today, the fact that the population is growing steadily is the reason of the environment to change drastically. This paper highlights the negative impact of population growth on the natural environment in the following areas such as air pollution, water pollution, ozone layer depletion as well as global warming.

It is important to note that the research will focus primarily on those adverse effects on the environment brought mainly by growth of human population.

In the following elaboration of the problem statement, the underlying assumptions will that, the negative effects are a direct result of human activities whose ripple effect necessitates pollution. In other words therefore, if the world population could not have grown, the negative environmental effects could not be taking place.

Air pollution is one of the most burning and important pollution problems and issues worldwide. “Increasing population growth creates more of these pollutants whose major source is burning of fossil fuel, larger number of vehicles and industrial production. Growth in population translates to more fossil fuel burning activities which in turn cause air pollution” (1994, p. 333).

The air pollution of the earth atmosphere which is increased day after day, affects air quality; it purity is vital for human health. Human health’s affects include lung diseases and other respiratory diseases. Enger & Smith (1994, P.333) for instance confirm this as the case

“In October 1948, the pollutants from a zinc plant and steel mills became trapped in the valley, and dense smog formed. Within five days, seventeen people died and 5910 persons became ill in Pennsylvania’s city of Donora is whose location is in a valley”.

Based on the above example, it is clearly seen that air pollution has a negative impact on any human health. As it has already been mentioned earlier in the paper, the air pollution can influence the quality of the air human beings breath. Normally, the atmosphere is comprised of “79% nitrogen, twenty percent oxygen and one percent carbon dioxide” (1982, p. 11).

But air pollutants such as toxic air composed of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide have become part of air thanks to human activities directly linked to population growth.

For instant, Tolba (1982, p. 11) stated, “in1970-1986, global emission rate of oxide of nitrogen increased by almost one-third, while emission of sulfur dioxide increased by approximately eighteen percent.” Given that emission of the above substances is higher nowadays than it was then; it is possible that the air human beings breath today is more contaminated than ever before.

Water pollution is also one of the crucial pollution issues directly linked to growth in human population. Water pollution is a direct consequence of the rapid growth of the population on the Earth. There is sufficient prove that agricultural and industrial activities taking place for the sole purpose of maintaining the growing population in require water as the main input.

Additionally, human activities resulting from increased population growth have put a strain in water resources besides destroying water catchment areas. Furthermore, such activities make wastewater as well, and, consequently, wastewater becomes the cause of the water pollution.

These activities pollution from agricultural chemicals used in farming activities and industrial waste discharge to water bodies most of which have a direct link to the water table. The resulting effects include highly salted water resources whose consumption leads to increase of toxic substances in living things-both plant and animal.

In China, for instance, “millions of people live in the drainage basin of Huaihe River; the untreated waste water from paper mills, breweries, chemical plants and tanneries finds its way directly into the Huaihe River” (Tolba, 1982, p. 550).

A study by the Henan provincial medical college discovered that the death rate in the given area is 30 percent higher; “malignant tumor rate is more than twice as much as the national average” (Tolba, 1982, p. 550).

What is more, agricultural water pollution nitrates, pesticides , phosphorus being its main components, have a bad impact upon the health of people, and forms the main components washed by rain water from agricultural farms to water bodies. Although pesticides in most cases are usually believed to kill insects and other pests, they also affect people.

Tolba (1982, P. 550) stated, “In 1986, in Sri Lanka as a whole, 66 per cent of deaths by poisoning were due to pesticide poisoning.” The above fact is proof enough of the detrimental effects of population linked agricultural activities that impact negatively on the environment vis avis life.

Perhaps one of the biggest casualties of negative effects of population growth and pollution is the Ozone layer. Apparent destruction of the Ozone layer through carbon emissions is the main cause of global warming. More population means more industrial products. In order to meet the demand of a growing population, it is only prudent to scale up industrial activities which in turn lead to release of more greenhouse gases.

Scientists believe that accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is the main cause of global warming. There is enough evidence that global warming is responsible for the rise in temperatures and unpredictable weather and climate patterns. Evidence of these adverse effects is all over the planet for all to see. For instance, in July 1995, a heat wave killed seven hundred people in Chicago and its surroundings alone.

Additionally, the melting of polar ice caps is likely to cause a rise in sea level which will be disastrous both economically and socially. For example, Sachs (1993, P69) stated that the planet may experience “sea-level rise of 0.3 to 0.5 m by 2050 and about 1m by 2100.” It, therefore, means that in future, people might suffer from flooding in case the sea level rises.

Higher air temperatures influence ozone density as well. It leads to ozone drain. Ozone depletion would result in even more ultraviolet radiation. It turns out that the decreased ozone level will damage human health, as well as their biological life.

“Human health effects include increase the rate of skin cancer and increased damage to the eyes’ cataracts”. According to Tolba (1982, P35) study, “scientists hold that cataracts rise from 0.6percent to 1 percent of ozone depletion.”

While population increase is advantageous in some instances for example in economics, its adverse impacts on the environment far outweigh its merits. It is important to note that water pollution, air pollution, depletion of ozone as well as greenhouse effect, are the result of direct human activities whose origin is due to increased population.

Human beings have as a result become the victims of environmental impacts, directly or otherwise. However, once can reduce the effects of population growth on the natural environment by making protection of the natural environment more high as well as by using new technologies. In light of the above, environmental protection has become a priority for many nations.

Before arriving at a sustainable and long-lasting solution, it is important to acknowledge that pollution growth has detrimental impacts on the environment.

Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to reinforce the widely held belief that population growth has both negative and positive impacts on the environment. The study will however put emphasis on the negative effects since negative effects of population growth seem to outweigh the positive impacts.

This study therefore aims to unmask the real issues concerning population growth and the effects on the environment as well as the trends associated with it. Additionally, the study will be seeking to highlight on importance of population growth impacts on the environment.

Furthermore, the study will seek to raise awareness on environmental matters besides reinforcing the fact that there it is necessary to take the environment serious since some effects are irreversible.

Research Questions

Throughout the research, the study will be seeking answers to the following questions:

What are the environmental effects of population growth on water resources?
What are the environmental effects of population growth on air?
What are the environmental effects of population growth on the ozone layer/ atmosphere?
What are the environmental effects of population growth on land resources?
To what extent is growth of population responsible for environmental destruction and what is likely to reverse the situation?

Rationale of the Study

Given importance of the environment to life on the planet, research on environmental issues is always prudent. Precisely, this research on the effects of population growth on the environment is crucial for environmental studies in every level. The findings in this research may proof crucial to decision making by all environmental safety stakeholders.

Besides, it is only through thorough understanding of the population-environment effects dimension that concerned parties can make informed decisions concerning environmental protection efforts. Furthermore, this research will add to the body of knowledge on population effects on the environment and will act as a base to further research in the same field.

Objectives

The research will aim to achieve the following objectives:

To research and increase understanding on environmental effects of population growth on water resources
To research and increase understanding on environmental effects of population growth on air
To research and increase understanding on environmental effects of population growth on the atmosphere/ozone layer
To research and increase understanding on environmental effects of population growth on land resources
To research and increase understanding on environmental effects of population growth on the extent to which population growth is responsible for environmental destruction and what is likely to reverse the situation

Literature review

Environmental pollution is one of most serious challenges facing the world today. According to Hill (2010, p. 26), rapid growth in population, industrialization and urbanization have the biggest impact on the environment. Complexity defines the relationship among the above factors.

However, there is general consensus among experts that the size of population and its growth exacerbate the human impacts on the environment. It is important to note that most of these impacts are negative.

There is a lot of literature available on the specific adverse impacts of human population growth on the environment. However, before tackling any brief analysis of the available literature, it is important to understand the basic meaning of environmental pollution.

Gallagher (2008, p. 50) defines environmental pollution as contamination of physical and biological components of planet earth including the atmosphere resulting to adverse effect of normal environmental processes.

McKinney et al. (2007, p. 10) concurs with the above definition by defining environmental pollution as the introduction of contaminants to the environment that in one way or the other lead to organism discomfort and damage to the environment. The human element comes in through excessive use of resources in a rate that exceeds the natural replenishing by the environment.

McKinney et al. (2007, p. 10) adds that factors including urbanization and rapid population growth have put more demands on the planet’s resources stretching the available resources to a point that it is experiencing deficits. It is important to note that while exploiting natural resources, irresponsible use of these resources by these populations is what amounts to pollution.

With world population projected to reach 9 billion by the year 2050, environmentalists contend that most of the environmental problems the planet is facing today are as a direct result of population growth.

Trends including loss of forests such as the rain forest, depletion of fisheries and effects on air and the atmosphere has its origin in the population numbers of the world (Hill, 2010, p. 26). To help put into context the issue of environmental pollution, this review will look t a few works on the issue.

Population growth and environmental pollution on water resources

The planet is increasingly becoming a water stressed place. Growing populations especially in the developing world and need to establish industries and residential places have led to destruction of water catchment areas (Sinha et al., 2008, p. 1). Additionally more agricultural lands have come up to cater for the increasing demand for food from the growing population.

Agricultural farms according to Hodges, L. (1977, p. 67), are some of the main sources supplying toxic chemicals to water catchment areas. Construction of industries has increased in response to increased demand for goods. These industries are the major culprits in waste discharge into water bodies including lakes, rivers and seas (Syen, 1994, p. 61).

One of the most dominant adverse effects of human activities on water on the plane is global warming. Global warming due to greenhouse gas emissions is responsible for unpredictable weather patterns and scarcity of rainfall in many areas of the planet (Sinha et al., 2008, p. 2).

In some parts of the world there has been acidic rainfall that is as a direct result of emissions from industries of gases such as nitric oxide. As mentioned earlier, water pollution produces ripple adverse effects especially affecting health of people around the affected areas.

Population growth and environmental pollution of land resources

As stressed so far, human activities mainly through increased population are responsible for destruction of the environment. Land pollution includes degradation of the planet’s land resources through improper waste disposal, unorthodox agricultural methods, mining, and emission of poisonous gases (Peter et al., 1996, p. 99).

Plattenberg (2007, p. 90). sums land degradation through population growth as taking place through urbanization and industrialization.

Concentration of population in urban centers is primarily responsible for the increased demand of machines that use the combustion engine. Mechanization in almost every field has grown with the growing demand for goods to meet the growing population.

As a result, manufacture and use of industrial machines such as factories, vehicles, aircraft and agricultural machines is almost out of control. Collectively, these machines need infrastructure that must pass through land some of which is water catchment areas or wildlife reserves (Rana, 2006, p. 56).

Land degradation as a result of increased human population also takes place through agriculture mainly through introduction of pesticides and other chemicals contained in fertilizers (Sinha et al., 2008, p. 3). Increased demand for food is responsible for establishment of large agricultural farms.

These farms use these chemicals exclusively in their agricultural practices, effectively contaminating soil. Additionally, over production has led to barrenness of large tracts of land which usefulness in the long-run is considered to be minimal.

As industrial production increased due to population growth, so do mining. Mining is directly linked to industry as it produces fuel and raw materials for manufacture of goods that growing populations need. As a result, land in various parts of the world spot damaged landscapes, with toxic water and waste and which line barren agricultural land is of minimal importance (Syen, 1994, p. 78).

While production of millions of solid waste takes place every day in the world, few authorities have capacity to safely dispose it off. Rising energy need by growing populations especially urban is responsible for growing nuclear power hence nuclear waste while demand for housing is responsible for a rise in asbestos waste. These have detrimental effects on the environment especially land resources.

Many experts deem as safe burying such waste to the ground. However, there are many proven and unproven adverse effects to the land on which this disposal takes place (Rana, 2006, p. 60). There have been reports that disposal of some of these wastes takes place in third world countries on land where unknowledgeable poor people undertake various activities.

Population growth and air/atmospheric pollution

Atmospheric and air pollution is one of the most direct results of increasing population. Growth of the industrial sector and production of combustion engines in every sector of the economy effectively raising greenhouse gas emissions (Gallagher, 2008, p. 58). The more population demands grow, the more emissions released into the atmosphere.

Compared to two centuries ago when the population of the world was less than a billion people and the industrial revolution was at its infancy, the current situation of air and atmosphere is wanting in terms of cleanliness and purity.

Increase industrial activities due to population growth are responsible for ozone layer depletion and contamination of air. Additionally, there have been instances of acidic rains which is detrimental to agriculture and buildings.

Methodology

Research Hypotheses

Generally, this research will take place on the hypothesis that despite recorded merits, population growth adversely affects the environment and that most of environmental pollution is directly linked to population growth. Specifically, the research will take place on the following hypotheses:
Population growth has adverse environmental impacts on water resources
Population growth has adverse environmental impacts on air
Population growth has adverse environmental impacts on the ozone layer
Population growth has adverse environmental impacts on land resources
Controlled population growth is key to reversing the adverse effects population growth has on the environment.

Participants/Sample

Most of the participants in the research will be professionals in both governmental and non governmental bodies charged with study and implementation of environmental policies and trends. All participants will participate voluntarily after they have met the qualification criteria.

Most the participants will be high-ranking people with thorough knowledge on demographic trends and their resultant impacts that they have on the environment. There will be efforts to ensure gender balance among participants. However, prior knowledge to the population and environmental degradation will apply above anything else.

Before the interviews, there will be initial interviews with personnel from three environmental bodies in the caliber of UNEP and/or EPA. In line with the replication logic the interview models and questionnaires will undergo modification to suit any additional issues obtained from the initial round of interviews.

Research Design

To perfectly understand the issue surrounding the population growth and its contribution of pollution of the environment, this research will apply semi structured interviews on professionals in various field and departments in the country that is related to environmental matters.

The use of semi structured interviews comes in hand because most of the professionals targeted prefer for one reason or another to give face to face interviews compared to filling out different kinds of questionnaires.

Additionally exclusivity associated with both governmental and non-governmental environmental protection agencies render mailing of questionnaires inadequate in the quest to retrieve important information on population growth and its impacts on the environment.

Furthermore, the less structured nature of semi structured interviews will allow for a flexible engagement with respondents effectively facilitating unprompted discussions of all the issues associated with environmental pollution due to population growth.

In line with the rationale of the study of providing a basis for research, semi structured interviews are likely to give more elaborate information on population growth and environmental pollution that will be crucial in establishing the basis for action research as well as for the development of questionnaires and hypotheses.

Despite their semi structured nature, the interviews will be open-ended and will use a standardized questionnaire for the sole purpose of providing guidance and commonality without restricting the participants’ answers.

Collection and analysis of interviews will mainly rely on the replication logic common in international research. The interviews’ structure will concentrate and focus on the objective identified in section 1.5 above. The replication model will help in building a referent model to help in identifying key concepts concerning population growth and its contribution to environmental pollution.

In keeping along with application of semi structured interviews and use of the referent model, research assistants will first discuss the interviews’ initial framework with interviewees with special emphasis given to their assessment of population growth and its contribution to environmental degradation.

In follow-up interviews with individual interviewees, there will be presentation of information that was obtained initially, and updating of the model will take place where it is necessary and appropriately.

Instrument: Questionnaire

As mentioned in the research design section, the semi-structured interviews that the study will also use a questionnaire. The questionnaire will enhance the interview probe through provision of guidance to the interviewers. The questionnaire will contain 15 questions designed to extract information from the interviewees on the main issues on population growth impacts the environment.

It is important to note that the questionnaire will not be administered directly to the participants, rather, the interviewers will tape record the information obtained from the participants by asking questions contained in the questionnaires.

Data collection Procedure

Apart from tape recording, interviewers will fill in excel sheets with information obtained from the tape recordings. Interviewers will also take notes during interviews which will be useful in data tabulation and analysis.

Apart from use of semi structured interviews, the research will also use secondary information obtained from existing research findings in sources such as journals and online data banks, government publications and magazines.

Methods of Data Analysis

Analysis of data entered in excel sheets by interviewers will take place through SPSS software and its techniques. There will also be the application descriptive statistics to summarize and analyze data recorded in order to identify the reigning trends in population growth and its contribution to environmental pollution.

Ethical Considerations

Consent

All participants will have to sign consent legalizing their participation and giving permission for the use of their responses in the study. Consent will include clauses that will allow participants to withdraw from the study at any time provided they give notice in advance. The consent letter will detail the purpose of study besides giving clarifications concerning confidentiality.

Debriefing

There will be no debriefing in this study since no documentation of participants will take place. Because of the confidentiality and anonymity that will underscore this study, any debriefing will be in breach of these very terms.

Withdrawal from the investigation

As mentioned in the consent letter section, all participants will be eligible to pull out of the study on whatever grounds at any stage.

There will be a clear articulation of the withdrawal procedure in the consent letter. Participants will also be allowed to withdraw from the study by canceling interviews before the study begins. In case of a withdrawal, there will be a retraction, return or destruction of the particular interview related to the affected participant.

Confidentiality

Handling of all responses and participant personal information voluntarily given will meet the confidentiality criteria as outlined in the consent letter. Use of personal information will be purely voluntary and its use will in no way infringe participants’ privacy rights.

Conclusion

Limitations and Suggestions for Further Study

The study will take place over a period of two months and coupled with its nature, it is bound to face some challenges. Some of the challenges will surely include:

limited Financial Resources

The research will be a private study devoid of major sponsorship from established bodies. Considering the costs associated with such studies including travelling, purchase of materials and hiring professional research assistants, financial strain is likely to come up.

Distance covered

It is likely that respondents reside and/or work in different locations which will make it a little difficult to conduct interviews. More often than not interviewers will need to travel long distances to conduct an interview at a time.

Language barrier

While majority of respondents speak English, it is possible that some of them, especially those in international bodies like the UN will be speaking other languages other than English. In such cases therefore, an interpreter will come in handy. Conducting an interview with an interpreter may prove a little cumbersome which to some extent, is a challenge.

Time Schedule

The research will follow the following time schedule

Timetable:

Date
Prepare proposal by
Completion of literature review
Completion of fieldwork by
Completion of analysis by
Presentation on
Completion of final report by

Resources Needed

For successful completion of this research project, a lot of resources are necessary. However, monetary resources, computers fitted with software such as SPSS, papers for questionnaire drafting, vehicles, bags for carrying materials, pens and a temporary office will come in handy.

Personnel

The research will make use of research assistants who will mainly consist of social research students in higher educational establishments and institutions of learning. In the analysis of data, the researcher will be engaged in the professional SPSS analysis that will assist in producing the necessary statistical parameters as the research will require.

References

Enger, E.D & Smith, B. (1994). Environmental Science: A study of Interelationships.New York: McGraw Hill.

Gallagher, K. (2008). Handbook on trade and the environment. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Hill, K. M. (2010). Understanding Environmental Pollution. New York: Routledge.

Hodges, L. (1977). Environmental pollution. New York: Cengage Learning.

McKinney, L. M. et al. (2007). Environmental science: systems and solutions. London: Sage Publishers.

Peter, B. et al. (1996). Environmental problems as conflicts of interest. Berlin: Springer Verlag.

Plattenberg, R. (2007). Environmental pollution: new research. New York: Sage Publishers.

Rana, V.S. (2006). Environmental pollution: health and toxicology. New Jersey: Cengage Learning.

Sachs, W. (1992). Planet dioalectics:Explorations in environment and development. New York: St Martins Press.

Sinha, K. et al. (2008). Environment Pollution & Health Hazards. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Syen, O. (1994). Environmental management handbook. New York: Thomsons learning.

Tolba, B. (1982). Saving our planet: challenges and Hopes.New York: Thomsons.

Click Here To Order Now!