US Population to Top 300 Million

An anonymous reader writes "The number of Americans will surpass 300 million this month, a milestone that raises environmental impact questions for the only major industrial nation whose population is increasing substantially. The US census bureau says the 300 million mark will be reached 39 years after US population topped 200 million and 91 years after it exceeded 100 million. That makes US the third most populous country behind china and india. It is noteworthy that sheer number of human beings do not necessarily have the heaviest impact on the environment. Instead environmental impact is a calculation that involves population, affluence and technology. The US consumes nearly 25% of the world's energy though it has only 5% of the world's population and has the highest per capita oil consumption worldwide. Each American produces about 2.3 kg of trash a day, a rate about 5 times that in developing countries."

Comments

Plenty of Room

[CrazyTalk]

The population of the US may be increasing, but only in certain desirable areas. The "Rust Belt" - cities like Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, and Pittsburgh - continues to shrink. Pittsburgh alone has lost over HALF of its population from nearly 700,000 in the 1960s to barely over 300,000 today (and not just due to people leaving for the suburbs). If you're willing to tolerate the winters there's plenty of room up here!

Re:Plenty of Room

[kfg]

. . . we're not even the size of America's smallest state.

Correct. You are our 12th largest state. Rather larger than my home state of NY, which could fit several of the smaller states inside it.

Our smallest state has an area of only 1500 square miles, much is which is actually nothing more than tidal marsh.

And despite some claims to the contrary, we're not particularly overcrowded. . .

How many wild bears and big cats do you have left? If the answer is "none" I'll join the group that thinks you're overcrowded.

KFG

Re:The US Consumes More Because It Does More

[Sinbios]

Uh, if nobody uses the energy then the power companies will simply generate less. Thus less usage of natural resources (fossil fuels, etc) and pollution.

Per Capita Oil Usage

[ev0l]

According to Nation Master, who gets there information from the CIA fact book, the USA is 17th in oil consumption per capita.

Interesting to note: Luxembourg is number 7 and most of the largest consumers per capita are Island Nations.

BZZZT

[ThinWhiteDuke]

And with it's roughly 25% usage of the world's energy supplies (including oil) what does the US do with it? Create an even greater percentage of the world's goods

WRONG

World GDP = 60,000 Bn
US GDP = 12,000 Bn
Share of US in World GDP : 20%

Amazingly enough, the US are less energy efficient than the RoW.
If you're looking for an exceptionally efficient economy, try the EU.