3 ms·

For the unlimited population growth people, I have one question: What is the carrying capacity of earth if not 8 billion. 16 billion? 80 billion? What quality

For the unlimited population growth people, I have one question: What is the carrying capacity of earth if not 8 billion. 16 billion? 80 billion? What quality of life is available on an earth with 80 billion people? If you live in western North America, it is easy to think we have a bunch of empty space available everywhere, but this is not the case on the rest of the planet.

ralph84 3y ago
There’s a lot of empty space everywhere. Entire continents are mostly empty. You may have a preference to leave those continents uninhabited, but if humans need the space they’ll use it. It will be a lot easier to colonize the Australian Outback and Antarctica than Mars.
- defrost 3y ago
  Better yet, learn to live within our means and leave these spaces as they are. To the question asked, 4 -6 billion seems a better range than > 8 billion as our current numbers and expected near future demands are straining resource and energy supplies, piling on waste and taking down non human planet cohabitors.
- sillywalk 3y ago
  "Entire continents are mostly empty." For many reasons. Big one: water. Or lack of. Or too much. Also food.
  - bryanlarsen 3y ago
    Food and water are not significant obstacles for a rich society. Desalination would increase the price of water from 0.2% of GDP to 2%. Greenhouses produce 1000x as many calories per acre for 10x the price per calorie. (And a 10x of ingredient prices would only double the final cost)
Qem 3y ago
If we manage to phase out meat consumption, and with it the need to raise farm animals, switching to a full plant-based diet, and improved public transportation to the point car use become an exception, I bet the planet could hold twice the current population without significantly raising environmental impact. We waste a lot of resources feeding and sheltering cattle and automobiles instead of people.

ralph84 3y ago

There’s a lot of empty space everywhere. Entire continents are mostly empty. You may have a preference to leave those continents uninhabited, but if humans need the space they’ll use it. It will be a lot easier to colonize the Australian Outback and Antarctica than Mars.

defrost 3y ago
Better yet, learn to live within our means and leave these spaces as they are. To the question asked, 4 -6 billion seems a better range than > 8 billion as our current numbers and expected near future demands are straining resource and energy supplies, piling on waste and taking down non human planet cohabitors.
sillywalk 3y ago
"Entire continents are mostly empty." For many reasons. Big one: water. Or lack of. Or too much. Also food.
- bryanlarsen 3y ago
  Food and water are not significant obstacles for a rich society. Desalination would increase the price of water from 0.2% of GDP to 2%. Greenhouses produce 1000x as many calories per acre for 10x the price per calorie. (And a 10x of ingredient prices would only double the final cost)

Qem 3y ago

If we manage to phase out meat consumption, and with it the need to raise farm animals, switching to a full plant-based diet, and improved public transportation to the point car use become an exception, I bet the planet could hold twice the current population without significantly raising environmental impact. We waste a lot of resources feeding and sheltering cattle and automobiles instead of people.