How do you see earth 50 years from now?
81I wrote about this when I answered the hub question, “By extending the life span of humans – are we creating a problem for the planet” http://hubpages.com/hub/By-extending-the-average-life-span-of-humans---have-we-created-a-problem-for-the-planet. There have been many warnings of the depletion of our natural resources including an article written on July 9, 2002 by Reuters’ reporter Robert Evans that projects by 2050 that it will take the resources of two Earths to provide the resources that the population will need.
People talk about wars and pandemics that could prevent us from populating ourselves into a disaster. A war or pandemic would have to be nothing like we have ever seen before. All of the people that were killed in all of the wars for the last hundred years in total make a shocking number, but those deaths did not stop the swelling of the population.
The population is that main issue but it is not the only issue. Another issue is the disproportionate consumption of the resources. Americans, Canadians, and Western Europeans have been consuming many times their share of the resources, but these statistics are going to change in the near future. China and India are becoming economic powerhouses and they want their share of the good life. This will be additional pressure on the resources as these two large population areas claim more and more resources per person. The dwindling resources will make war and decease inevitable so maybe in a sense they will be the answer. We may just keep fighting and dying until our population has been reduced though I doubt that the ecosystem will take the beating; especially if the nukes are unleashed.
I’m not sure there is an answer to stopping the depletion of the resources of the planet. Even if we all turned over a new leaf tomorrow and did our best to conserve; I don’t think we could conserve nearly enough to make a difference. There are very few of us, and I’m not one of them, that would drastically reduce their standard of living to save the resources. Without that level of sacrifice; I don’t know if conservation will do the trick.
Economics does play a part. The markets will not survive when resources dwindle and more people will be without the funds to consume at the rate they are consuming now. The present recession has showed us how consumption can slow when money gets tight. People, even Americans, will get back to basics when the money runs out. I’m not sure where we will be fifty years from now, but I imagine the threat will be more real than it is now. There is always hope that science will find new ways to stretch our resources and keep us going a little longer, but I think by 2059 the global situation could be very tense.
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We I don't know if we can predict the future. Things may get worst and economic may be unstable or in crisis just like today or there will even be more hardship and an increase population lets just pray that will see the world 50 years from now a world that is more beautiful than what we have today.
Is there are penalty for writing a hub that's a downer? I've never had a hub drop to 44 before.
Good hub Pete....I think we are headed for the basics very soon. 50 years from now without a drastic change in human behavior, there will be a disaster globally.
Can we look back to the earth's status 50 years past to now, to see the future? Anyways, back then I think earth was really abundance. I can still remember the value of a single peso when I was still in grade school. But now, can no longer see the value of it. Can we blame all the machineries made by humans... the inventors and all that. Our natural resources are God's creation. Sometimes, it seems that humans with their BIG intelligence are trying to oppose it. Anyway, these are just machines. Even if they do they can't make life and breath into it. Soon these will run out. And right, everything will get back to basic. Do you wonder why these things happen, maybe God would want us to use His creations, and love them the way He do to us.
Thanks for answering my request.
This was a thought-provoking hub Pete as I can't even go beyond what lies in the offing for me in say, a month's time. You made some valid and interesting points and it's really hard to say the future looks bright, at least figuratively. But good news, we can do something about it now. In our own small ways. It's better to die trying, is it not? Thanks for sharing :D
In fifty years, I think we are a wreck!!! God help us.
I agree with you that some things are inevitable. As an illustration, think of filling a glass with water from a pitcher. When the glass is full and you continue to pour water, it will overflow.
Maybe the current state of the world is an indication that the glass is now overflowing, so to speak.
another excellent hub thnaks for the this future take
If we are not extinct In 50 years I would be surprised . As you mentioned overpopulation Is a major contributor . Here In Socal water resources are drying up . I was telling friends and associates 5 years ago that water will be more valuble than oil . They looked at me like I had a second nose . We are now on the precipiice of this .
So between climate change and resources , I believe the thing that will do us In Is the darkness of mans heart . I hate to be such a downer but let us be realistic . Is It me or since 9-11 have we been unraveling at a faster pace ? Not just here but globally
All projections show climate change will move the rainfall away from the temperate zones and closer to the poles. This will leave much of the world's farmland dry. The funny thing is it will also raise the ocean level.
Enjoyed this hub, the books look interesting too, well done... Wonder what the world will be like in 50 years ..... there's a question for a whole lot of debate
Call me Pollyanna personified, but I don't agree with your well-written and seemingly inevitable demise of our world if we continue on the present economic and social course....
I'm getting a few sniffs of Eugenics, and a large dollop of elitism in the content...If you buy into the snake oil science of man-made global warming, and all the baggage that goes with it, there is cause for fear...personally, Al Gore's Chicken Little act wears thin, but does a great service in pointing out the hypocrisy of " green " agendas...
When Mt Pinatubo erupted it threw more junk into the atmosphere than all the man-made pollution since 1900 according to an MIT study in 2006......like everything else in life, our planet goes through cyclic climate change...has been for millions of years...
I also don't buy into the population bomb theories...theories pushed by those that fear loss of control with larger populations...humans are the most adaptable species on the planet...we have survived without tooth and claw, without great strength or speed...we survived because we are smarter than all other species, and when challenged we will adapt and overcome any threat, be it perceived overpopulation, depleted resources, or man's inhumanity to man.
I agree we need to be moderate in our life styles, but that should be an individuals choice, not a government mandate. Subordination to group think seems to be in vogue now.
My 14 year old grandson asked me if I miss the good old days. I told him no, but I do miss the clarity...
Thank you for your well presented Hub; it should engender lots of commentary...hopefully, both pro and con..
I have seen this before in all the text that dispute the warnings. Words like elitism and Chicken Little used to minimize the people instead of sticking to the issue. I wasn't talking about more government control. Even if the sky doesn't fall would it hurt to make the planet a little healthier? Would it hurt to be a little aware and try to do things a little better?
Hi Pete,
I think we can all do our part to conserve and not quite as rapidly fill the earth and oceans with our garbage.
As to countries where the population is exploding, perhaps some governments will encourage bearing fewer babies like China did. Some countries actually NEED people to produce more babies to pay for the government programs in place since the programs are top heavy (like in the U.S.)
As to the resources being depleted, I have every confidence that our scientists around the world will come up with alternatives before that happens. I also see fresh water as the resource that will be needed most as our earth goes through (natural and normal) cycles of climate change.
I will continue to live with my rose colored glasses. But then...I undoubtedly won't be around in another 50 years. So it will be future generations that have to deal with the earth at that time.
Thought provoking hub!
All you have to do is go and watch the traffic go by in any town of 50,000 or more, and you will ask yourself, "How can this all keep going?" It won't. With the industrial age humans entered new territory, but this age will one day end when we have used everything up, and then we will all be living like the Amish..once again the way our great grand parents lived and all this will just be a little bleep on the radar.
is not so difficult to save the earth, isn't it? don't lose hope. let's just think that we're gonna doing this just for the new generation that our family line still gonna live.
Very pertinent, Pete - and I so agree with you - not one of us will be willing to sacrifice what we enjoy - it's going to take a catastrophe to have these controls forcibly employed.
This is one thought provoking question with a multitude of outcomes that could be the source for all kinds of great story ideas. And who knows wheather one of the story ideas could be the solution or at least kick off the solution to some or all of the present and future difficulties. Man was given the ability to adapt and must in order to survive. If that means going back to basics guess I will see ya when the covered wagon can get me there! LOL
Extinction is not an exception it is the rule... the earth will be fine until the sun burns out it is us that need saving.
Well if we are starting to pump more "sour" toxic crude oil now, and they thought peak oil was in 1995 or so. I think that oil and all the products we use everyday that are plastic might be a bigger factor then population in the fat slow growing Northerly nations.
I think what decisions we make today will have a giant impact on what happens in the next 50 years. I'm definitely for a green revolution, more sailing, less airplanes, slowing down and drinking our beverages from a real mug. BYOM Sustainable actions, local business, and high speed global internet :)
While I have to say this is a bleak view of the future, it is also one the logical part of me has to agree with.
Don't get me wrong, as far as scores go I think it should be voted up. As for content, while I can't fault the logic, it's not a happy shall we say.
I find it sad that this outlook is most likely going to come to fruition for I do not think it has to be that way. We have vast untapped resources but don't use them because of money and corporate greed.
A few examples - Trees are being depleted in huge numbers to make a variety of products one of which is paper. Weed, yes the whacky kind, actually makes superior paper and can be harvested for said purpose four times a year. It makes sense to move to weed instead of trees for paper production so of course it won't happen.
Another example of a vastly underused resource is seaweed. It's a great source of nutrition but not currently popular or cultivated therefore it just lies about the oceans while whole countries starve so American's can have fast food.
Sorry, don't mean to get bleak here myself but I do truly believe that w/ a little thought, a whole lot less greed, and some effort we could save this grave situation before it becomes too late.
poetvix,
Those are great examples of what we can do and I hope we can find a way to use resources that are going unused. Hemp is also great for rope and it is every bit as strong as the plastic stuff we pay for.
I am thinking climate change is happening and what we need to do is to understand what is happening a prepare for the new state of the world.
Somehow I missed this one. I'd offer that the population concern is right on, and that we'll see continued exponential type growth. Counterbalancing factors to consider against the possibiliy of war or pandemic are the recent advances in understanding the genome, and the medicine and treatment inmprovements that will bring, plus the possibility of genetic manipulation, all contributing to an extended lifetime.
this website is really outlinen the point
Population is expected to level off, as birthrates continue to fall. I suspect that population will decline due to seriously increased mortality. This will come about via a combination of famine and war, primarily, although there will be secondary causes as well.
I don't have a crystal ball, but the combination of resource depletion, high population levels and climate change--which, as several previous commenters have pointed out, will pose multiple challenges to agriculture and food security, as well as public health--will be very tough to address.
I don't think extinction is likely, but serious cultural degradation is not improbable. In short, it could be a new Dark Ages.
There are times when I feel we are already on the edge of a new Dark Age, take a look at some of the discussion around human influence on our planet and you can see how ill-informed people on all sides of the discussion are. We need to shed light on the ignorance not simply debate what is going on.
I found this Hub after talking about the things that are happening in the news today. It seems like the world is getting worse with all the bloodshed. Add to that the natural disasters happening more often. Who knows how this will all pan out? I dont believe in God and I dont think its in our hands anymore either...
The basic issues today are total disrespect for nature and its resources, obsession with technology, and love for wars. Rising populations of China and India are global issue because both are fast developing economically. If every Chinese and every Indian will start consuming as much natural resources as one American does at present, there will be severe resource crunch in the future.
The only solution is to change the wasteful lifestyle and learning to live with what people have, ie demand follows supply. Unbridled consumerism means being trapped in the ever growing cycle of demand and supply. There is plenty on this planet for everyone's need, but not for everyone's greed.
The only thing we can expect to see 50 years from now is the consequences of global warming and climate change in the form of conflicts over limited clean water and other resources.
I went to a little dinner hosted by our investment people. A speaker was touting the return on investment from some product by stating that the population would grow another 39% by 2050 and the city population would grow by 94%. He said this like it was a good thing. That is the mind set that will bring us all down.
You are right Pete, this mind set will bring us all down. The process has already begun in my observation. Most people are forced to migrate to cities when they can't meet their needs. Once in a town, greed takes over and the vision of life shrinks. There is much more to life than becoming a slave to money and greed.
Unless humanity has global meetings about sharing which actually result in walking the walk & not just idle chatter....we will see continued crowding and wars over food, shelter, and water. There will be an element of uber-wealthy who will make sure they live at a high level. But for the billions of teeming masses, ah let's just say they will live short and brutal lives. There will be a 1 child per couple policy in effect globally in 50 years and average people will not have much space or belongings. The environment will consist of trees, animals, fish, and birds that humans deem important; the rest will have been driven into extinction by human expansion. Longevity will be a problem as it helps create backlogs of unemployed people for decades. There will be much bickering over basic needs, for the average person a great deal of scratching around just to survive & long periods of either underemployment or unemployment due to overpopulation (too many people and not enough jobs.) Rosy isn't it? Unless we start changing now....
MissJamieD Level 1 Commenter 3 years ago
You're on to something here. Although I hate to predict the earth's surmise because it brings on sadness and dread, but what could ever be done about the population? Great hub, thank you for sharing:)