Seven Billion Children

Congratulations! You did it! You helped the earth get to 7,000,000,000 people. Seven billion. With a “B.”

What numbers are your kids? I’m going to guess 6,542,234,001 and 6,542,235,002.

I’ve been hearing some rumbling about our 7 billionth person: how can the earth sustain that many people? But I think they’re panicking over nothing.

People have been stressed about over population of Earth for hundreds of years, but I’m not. I remember finding a book written in the 1890s about how the world was teetering on the edge of utter destruction from our massive population. It’s nothing but hysteria. Just take a look at this video from the guys over at the Fast Draw:

Call me an optimist, but I think we’re inventive enough to solve the complex question of population vs. resources. Humans have been coming up with new ways of looking, manipulating, and creating solutions for their environment. When it comes right down to it, if women have a say (and in many places they do not) they generally end up choosing 2.5 children. In fact, you could make a serious argument that the first world is facing the problem of declining populations, especially as we barrel down the years to mid century.

The highest birth levels in the next 50 years will be on the continent of Africa. It will be up to all of us to come up with a way to feed, educate, and provide for the population boom. And you know what? We can do it. The kid that was born in Shanghai 12 hours ago? The six-month-old baby girl in New York? The toddler in Mumbai? Each of those children will change the world, and one may solve some problem that has plagued our societies for a millenia.

Yes, humans have messed some shiz up (remember when the Cuyahoga River caught on fire?) but we’ve also solved complexities, like irrigation, plant cultivation, resulting in better lives for all living creatures.

And that’s why I’m not worried about the 7 billionth person to join us on earth. Every human has something to offer the world. We can think and act our way out of any pickle (should we decide we want to.) In fact, I can’t wait to see what our kids do next.