Reading guide (questions and their answers)

Where is most of the future growth of the population expected to occur? What types of countries? Which region(s)?

China's rapid development means that its ecological footprint is likely to continue to grow in the coming years.

Explain the cause of the demographic transition and its effects on a country's population.

Demographers are interested in understanding the reasons behind fluctuations in population growth in the past and whether they apply to contemporary or future demographic issues. The theory of demographic transition is the theory that as a country moves from a subsistence economy to industrialization and increased affluence it undergoes a predictable shift in population growth. It allows us to visualize a representation of the way some countries influence the environment as they undergo growth and development.

How can the technology factor of the equation work to either increase or decrease a society's environmental impact?

For example, the manufacturing of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) resulted in safe and effective refrigeration and air conditioning that was beneficial to human health, yet CFCs led to ozone destruction in the stratosphere. In contrast, the hybrid electric car helps to reduce the impact of the automobile on the environment because it has greater fuel efficiency than a conventional internal combustion vehicle of the same size and weight.

What do the 4 terms in I = P x A x T equation stand for, and why is each important?

IPAT equation: An equation used to estimate the impact of the human lifestyle on the environment: Impact = Population x Affluence x Technology. Impact in this context is the overall environmental effect of a human population multiplied by affluence and technology. Population has a straightforward effect on impact. All else being equal, two people consume twice as much as one. Therefore when we compare two countries with similar economic circumstances the one with more people is likely to have a larger impact on the environment. Affluence is created by economic opportunity and does not have as simple a relationship to impact as population does. The more affluent a society or individual is, the higher the environmental impact. Technology can both degrade the environment and create solutions to minimize our impact on the environment. The IPAT equation originally uses the term technology, but some scientists now use the term destructive technology to differentiate it from beneficial technologies such as the hybrid electric car.

What happens to birth rates, death rates, and growth rates during each of the 4 stages of the demographic transition?

Phase 1: A pre-industrial period characterized by high birth rates and high death rates. Phase 2: As the society begins to industrialize, death rates drop rapidly, but birth rates do not change. Population growth is greatest at this point. Phase 3: Birth rates decline for a variety of reasons. Phase 4: The population stops growing and sometimes begins to decline as birth rates drop below death death rates.

How does the annual growth rate of developing countries differ from developed ones? Why?

Populations in developing parts of the world have continued to grow relatively rapidly, at an average rate of 1.5 percent per year. At the same time, populations in the developed world have almost leveled off, with an average growth rate of 0.1 percent per year. Impoverished countries are increasing their populations more rapidly than are affluent countries.

Can societies increase population & affluence without affecting the environment? Is sustainable development possible?

Sustainability, as well as sustainable development, will be achieved only with a broader and accelerated understanding of the connections between human systems and natural systems. This means that governments, non governmental organizations, and communities of people will have to work together to raise standards of living while understanding the impacts of those improvements on the local, regional, and global environments. Urban living in both developed and developing countries employ city planning. As urban areas expand, experts design and install public transportation facilities, water and sewer lines, and other municipal services. In addition, while urban areas produce greater amounts of solid waste, pollution, and carbon dioxide emissions than suburban or rural areas, they tend to have smaller per capita ecological footprints. In general, highly localized impacts are typical of rural, agriculturally based societies. Most of the materials consumed in developing countries are produced locally. While this may benefit the local economy, it can lead to regional overuse of resources and environmental degradation. Families in suburban areas of developed countries such as the United States consume far fewer local resources than rural families in developing countries, but they have a much greater impact on the global environment. In general, populations with large global impacts tend to deplete more environmental resources.

Considering Figure 23.5, 23.6, and 23.7, which countries do you think have the most impact on the environment?

The United States and China.

Based on the differing approaches and results of Thailand, Kenya, and China in promoting family planning to control their populations, what do you think the key is to most-effectively reducing population growth in developing countries?

The use of contraceptives such as birth control pills and condoms is the most effective way of reducing population growth.