7 billion people day

[imagine]

what number where you?

BBC News - 7 billion people and you: What's your number?

[Libby]

Interesting - thanks!

[fernykins]

wow I'm #2,833,979,865th and now there is over 7000000000. Thats a lot of people born in my 55 years.
Fern

[Nishu]

I read an article in the WSJ that said our population is actually expanding a lot slower than we expected and that most previous estimates for population growth have been way too high. Apparently economic development slows population growth, so birth rates slow down as more communities are lifted out of poverty.

[cheryl65]

That was interesting, and fun thanks!

[nuisance26]

~I think it's pretty neat and very strange that we are living in the century of what may be the peak of population on Earth. The population growth rate is declining and at some point in the next 50-100 years the population should actually start to shrink as the aged population dies off. Of course, this is assuming the growth rate stays low or goes lower.
Maybe 500 years from now it will be bizarre to read about how concerned we all were about overpopulation and what is was like living as densely as we do now.~

[madhen]

It was a little sad for me, listening to the news this morning. I guess number 7 billion is a little girl born in a poor area of India. They say the likelihood of her surviving her childhood is bleak, and if she does, she is still probably destined for a life of abject poverty. Symbolically, she is the most important person on earth right now, but realistically, she'll probably die in anonymity like the rest of us.

[Frugal_Scott]

I read an article in the WSJ that said our population is actually expanding a lot slower than we expected and that most previous estimates for population growth have been way too high. Apparently economic development slows population growth, so birth rates slow down as more communities are lifted out of poverty.

"The rich get richer, and the poor get children," as the song goes.

[greekislandgirl]

Honestly, I am disgusted that we have become so numerous. It serves absolutely no positive purpose. All we are doing is destroying the planet and other species. (I've read all the arguments that it's not the number of people but the energy use of the rich nations, etc., but it doesn't change the fact that 7 billion people need to be fed and that takes space and energy, period.)

It really makes me sad / sick to my stomach. National Geographic is running a year-long series on the issue and the articles are absolutely heartbreaking.

It's not a small part of why I decided never to have children.

That said, that was a really cool site! Thanks for posting.

[peanut]

I'm 2,997,459,851st. Amazing that 4 Billion more have been borne since I have been. I say let's make a push into those high birth rate countries and educate them. Lift them from their poverty then, if that's what it takes. My own children have decided to not have children. I'm sad I won't have any grandchildren. But on the other hand, I can understand their reasoning.

[imagine]

I'm 2,997,459,851st. Amazing that 4 Billion more have been borne since I have been. I say let's make a push into those high birth rate countries and educate them. Lift them from their poverty then, if that's what it takes. My own children have decided to not have children. I'm sad I won't have any grandchildren. But on the other hand, I can understand their reasoning.

It has been said that the increase is not from high birth rates but from higher survival rates.

More babies are surviving infancy and more adults are surviving into old age while old age keep moving longer and longer.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-15445092

[KeithBC]

I'm #2,733,906,686. When I was in school, the world population was 3.5 billion. Now it's double that. That is a scary thought.

They estimate that the world can sustainably provide for about 2 billion.