Overpopulation and Energy Consumption

As the price of energy continue to climb to all-time high records, the general public has failed to notice that it is the rapid rate of population growth that is to blame for rising prices of oil and gasoline. Every year, an additional 77 million people are added to consume more energy (Smith). One may say that there is more demand for energy as population climbs. Basic knowledge of the law of supply and demand, one may be able to conclude that higher demand nets higher price. The situation is made worse because there is only a limited supply of oil which is used to run vehicles and most electrical power plants.
Developing countries which also have higher population growth have energy consumptions rates that are also rising (Smith). The demand for energy such as oil is good for oil producing countries since oil has become a very expensive commodity. Countries that do not have much oil deposits would have no choice but to purchase oil from oil-producing countries which are mostly from the Middle East. This constitutes a climb in the Middle Eastern economies and a drop in the economic performance of non-oil-producing countries.
As more people use up energy from fossil fuels, more greenhouse gas is produced which contributes to global warming. Global warming then adds a plethora of other economic problems. Abnormal weather conditions have been messing with the growth of certain crops and some animal species are finding it hard to adapt to the changing climates.

Overpopulation will ultimately lead all sorts of other problems. It may lead to hunger when a country’s production of food is no longer able to provide for its people. Because of hunger, crime will rise, waste management will become out of control and disease will spread. There are many other economic hazards associated with rapid population growth. One should only think carefully to identify what these negative effects are.
Works Cited
Smith, Jack Z. 24 June 2008. Earth Feels Pressure Of Population Growth. Courant.com. Accessed June 30, 2008, from ;http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-smith0624.artjun24,0,
6419378.story;