Global Warming linked to Overpopulation?
The largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world is an animal in the wild, they are the ones who developed "sophisticated" societies, they are human beings. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, "Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the primary greenhouse gas emitted through human activities. In 2012, CO2 accounted for about 82% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from human activities...[while] CO2 emissions come from a variety of natural sources, human-related emissions are responsible for the increase that has occurred in the atmosphere since the industrial revolution" (Carbon Dioxide Emissions. (2014, April 17). Humans are responsible for the rapid production of greenhouse gases that is accounting for global warming which one person can have an astounding impact to the Earth based on their actions they commit. According to the Cool Climate Network University Government NGO Partnership at the University of California, Berkeley, the average amount of carbon dioxide released per household in the U.S. per year is 48 tons from transportation, housing, food, goods, and services (Jones, C. (2011, August 3). A lot of carbon dioxide is being released by people and with the population continuing to produce more and more children, their carbon footprint will have a greater impact than the world had before they were even born. For example, according to the Center for Biological Diversity, "A 2009 study of the relationship between population growth and global warming determined that the “carbon legacy” of just one child can produce 20 times more greenhouse gas than a person will save by driving a high-mileage car, recycling, using energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs, etc" (HUMAN POPULATION GROWTH AND CLIMATE CHANGE. (n.d.). More people means more carbon dioxide emissions, can lead to climate change; thus, have devastating effects on the planet everyone lives in.