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Module 6: Ours is a Finite Earth

Earth’s resources can be classified as either renewable or non-renewable.

Module written and developed for use in GEE (Environmental Science) by Mr. Franklin E. Cortez, Asst.
Prof. 1, Environmental Science Department, College of Science, University of Eastern Philippines.
Updated, Midyear Term 2022.
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Module 6: Ours is a Finite Earth

Renewable resources are those that

can easily be replenished by natural
cycles. The plants and animals we eat,
timber, water supply, wildlife and
forest are examples of renewable
resources. Even as we use them they
are replenished by natural processes
which bring back the resources that
we have consumed. Trees that we cut
are replenished by seedlings that are
growing. Animals that we consume
are replenished by the natural process
of animal reproduction. Other
examples of renewable resources are
solar energy, wind energy, hydro
energy, and geothermal energy.
Non-renewable resources are those that
cannot be replenished through natural
cycles. The four major types of
nonrenewable resources are oil, natural
gas, coal, and nuclear energy. Oil, natural
gas, and coal are collectively called fossil
fuels. Fossil fuels were formed within the
earth from dead plants and animals over
millions of years – hence the name
“fossil” fuels. Examples of products from
fossil fuel are gasoline, crude oil, and
other petroleum products. If you notice,
prices of these products are constantly
increasing. This is because extraction of
the raw materials is getting harder and
harder which increases the production cost. Example, before, when oil sources are
found, they flow like spring; this time, however, they are even extracted from
rocks which are crushed and processed to extract oil. This means that the supply of
this non-renewable resource is getting thinner and thinner. As mentioned earlier,

Module written and developed for use in GEE (Environmental Science) by Mr. Franklin E. Cortez, Asst.
Prof. 1, Environmental Science Department, College of Science, University of Eastern Philippines.
Updated, Midyear Term 2022.
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Module 6: Ours is a Finite Earth

fossil fuels were formed from animal and plant materials millions of years ago,
during the time when the decomposition process is much slower than the rate of
dying animals and plants. But this process is not possible this time with our
environmental conditions. Therefore, if the supply of fossil fuels is gone, they
cannot be replenished by the same process that occurred before.
Even renewable resources become non-renewable if the manner of use and the rate
of extraction (or use) exceeds the rate of replenishment. The capacity of
replenishment is also affected by destructive activities that result to irreversible
damages thereby resulting to reduction of available resources that we can use.
Some of the activities includes:

P ic ture s oure: Internet

ILLEGAL AND
POLLUTION DESTRUCTIVE UNSUSTAINABLE
FISHING HUNTING and
PRACTICES GATHERING OF
ILLEGAL TRADE WILDLIFE

“Just how long would the earth be able to sustain the demands on its
resources?”

This question leads us to the concept of carrying capacity.

Module written and developed for use in GEE (Environmental Science) by Mr. Franklin E. Cortez, Asst.
Prof. 1, Environmental Science Department, College of Science, University of Eastern Philippines.
Updated, Midyear Term 2022.
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Module 6: Ours is a Finite Earth

Carrying Capacity is a concept

related to sustainability. It is
usually defined as the maximum
number of individuals of a
species that can be sustained by
an environment without
decreasing the capacity of the
environment to sustain that same
amount in the future.
When we ask, “What is the
maximum number of people that the earth can sustain?” we are asking the Earth’s
carrying capacity, and we are also asking about sustainability.
How many people can live on Earth at the same time – that is, what is the carrying
capacity of Earth with respect to people? There is no single answer, because the
answer depends on what quality of life people desire and are willing to accept.
The options vary according to the quality of life for the average person (Living like
developed, urban countries or underdeveloped or rural areas).
Clearly the acceptable carrying capacity is not simply a scientific issue; it is an
issue combining science and values. Science plays two roles. First, by leading to
new knowledge that leads to new technology, it makes possible both a greater
impact per individual on Earth’s resources and higher density of human beings.
Second, scientific method can be used to forecast a probable carrying capacity
once goal for the average quality of life, in terms of human values, is chosen and
can tell us the implications of our value judgement. Science can give us figures,
estimates and forecasts of our resources versus our number of population and
negative and positive impacts of how we use our resources today. But our values
will determine what we want to happen in the future.

Critical Thinking Issue

HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN EARTH SUPPORT?

Module written and developed for use in GEE (Environmental Science) by Mr. Franklin E. Cortez, Asst.
Prof. 1, Environmental Science Department, College of Science, University of Eastern Philippines.
Updated, Midyear Term 2022.
 65
Module 6: Ours is a Finite Earth

In mid-1992, the world population reached 5.5 billion. By the end of 1999, it had
reached 6 billion. Estimates of how many
people the planet can support ranges from 2.5
billion to 40 billion. Why do the estimates vary
so widely?
An estimate of 2.5 billion assumes that we
maintain current levels of food production and
that everyone eats as well as Americans do
now – that is, 30% to 40% more calories than
needed. The estimate of 40 billion assumes that
all the remaining flat land of the world can be
used to produce food, although in fact most of
it is too cold or too dry to farm. What is a
realistic carrying capacity? What factors need
to be considered to answer this question?
Food Supply
World grain production has apparently levelled off since reaching its highest levels
in the mid-1980s. The production of grain from 1984 remained at approximately
1.7 billion tons, after rising from 631 million tons in 1950. The remarkable
increase in productivity after 1950 resulted from the development of high-yielding
varieties, use of chemical fertilizers, application of pesticides, and doubling of
cropland acreage. If the present harvest were distributed evenly and everyone ate a
vegetarian diet, it could support 6 billion people. As the world population has
continued to grow, the per capita allotment of grain has been falling since 1984,
when it stood at 346 kg per capita. By 1994, it had fallen to 311 kg per capita.
Land and Soil Resources
Almost all of the usable agricultural land, approximately 1.5 billion ha (3.7 billion
acres), is already being cultivated. An increase of 13% in agricultural lands is
possible but would be costly. Per capita land area devoted to production of crops
has dropped since 1950 to 1.7 ha (4.2 acres) and will continue to drop
approximately 1 ha (2.5 acres) by 2025 if the present population projections hold.
More soil is lost each year to erosion (about 26 billion metric tons) than is formed.
Water Resources
Module written and developed for use in GEE (Environmental Science) by Mr. Franklin E. Cortez, Asst.
Prof. 1, Environmental Science Department, College of Science, University of Eastern Philippines.
Updated, Midyear Term 2022.
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Module 6: Ours is a Finite Earth

Water suitable for drinking and irrigation represents only a small proportion (less
than 3%) of the water on earth. Underground water reservoirs are being depleted
on the order of feet per year but are being replaced in inches or even fractions of
inches per year. Per capita water consumption varies from 350-1,000 L (371-1,060
qt) a day in the developed countries to 2-5 L (2.1-5.3 qt) a day in rural areas, where
people may obtain water directly from streams or primitive wells.
Net Primary Production
Human and domestic animals use about 4% of the net primary production of the
world’s land area and 2% of that of the oceans. Cultivated lands produce less than
naturally vegetated areas. Net primary productivity on the planet has dropped
about 13% since 1950s.

Population Density
Population density varies greatly, from 3,076
people/km2 on the tiny island of Malta to 66
people/km2 in Africa as a whole. Bangladesh
has 2,261 people/ km2, the Netherlands,
1,002/km2, and Japan, 869/km2.
Worldometer.com (2022) reported that the
current population of the Philippines is
112,452,698 as of Thursday, June 23, 2022,
based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data. The
Philippines population is equivalent to 1.41% of the total world population. The
Philippines ranks number 13 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by
population. The population density in the Philippines is 368/Km 2 (952 people per
mi2).
Technology
Carrying capacity is not merely a matter of number of people. It also involves the
impact they have on the world’s resources—most critically on energy resources.
Multiplying population by per capita energy consumption gives a relative measure
of the impact people have on the environment. By that measure, each American
has the impact of 35 people in India or 140 people in Bangladesh.

Module written and developed for use in GEE (Environmental Science) by Mr. Franklin E. Cortez, Asst.
Prof. 1, Environmental Science Department, College of Science, University of Eastern Philippines.
Updated, Midyear Term 2022.
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Module 6: Ours is a Finite Earth

“Human population issue is the environmental issue.”

Unless the issue of human population growth is addressed there is no long-term
solution to environmental problems.
We, humans, have to review our consumerist attitude. We need to balance between
what we need from what we want in the extraction and use of our natural
resources. It is said that the world resources can support another half of our
population if we consume only 50 percent of what we consume today.
Summary
Our resources are classified as renewable and non-renewable resources. Renewable
resource can be replenished by natural processes while non-renewable resources
cannot be replenished by these processes.
Even renewable resources becomes non-renewable if the manner of extraction and
use is unsustainable. Some of the activities that affect the capacity of these
resources to replenish are pollution, illegal and destructive practices, unsustainable
hunting and gathering, illegal trade, etc.
Carrying capacity is the capacity of a resource to sustain a number of population.
The rate of our population growth puts pressure to the supply of this natural
resources. This leads as to the question “How many people Earth can sustain?”
Human population issue is the environmental issue. Unless population issue is
addressed there is no long-term solution to environmental issues.
We need to consider the amount of resources available and the rate of its
replenishment to our rate of extraction.

Module written and developed for use in GEE (Environmental Science) by Mr. Franklin E. Cortez, Asst.
Prof. 1, Environmental Science Department, College of Science, University of Eastern Philippines.
Updated, Midyear Term 2022.
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Module 6: Ours is a Finite Earth

Learning Assessment (Email your answer.)

1. Why is it important to consider the rate at which we use our natural
resources in answering the question on what is the maximum number of
people the Earth can sustain?
a. Earth can sustain more than what we have today.
b. We need to decrease the rate of our population growth to improve quality
of life.
c. Earth can support twice as much of our population today if we use our
environmental resources 50 percent less than we do at present.
d. Our natural resources needs to be conserve for the coming generations.
Justify your answer: __________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

2. It has been a common belief that the quality of life will get better in the
future as a result of improvement in our technology, but an analysis of the
change in per capita resources suggest that we have already passed the peak
in the amount of biological resources available per person. What does this
statement tell us?
a. That we have exceeded the long-term carrying capacity of Earth for
people.
b. That human population can still be doubled based on our available
resources.
c. That technology will help us maximize the use of resources thereby
increasing our quality of life.
d. That quality of life depends on the rate at which our population
increases.
Justify your answer: __________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Module written and developed for use in GEE (Environmental Science) by Mr. Franklin E. Cortez, Asst.
Prof. 1, Environmental Science Department, College of Science, University of Eastern Philippines.
Updated, Midyear Term 2022.
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Module 6: Ours is a Finite Earth

_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

3. Carrying capacity is not simply a scientific issue, it is an issue combining

science and values. What does this statement tell us?
a. Science tell as the current situation and possible consequences and
solutions, our values dictate what will happen in the future.
b. Our values determine what will happen today and science will solve
the problems in the future.
c. Science dictates what happens today, our values will give us the
solutions tomorrow.
d. Carrying capacity of the earth is determined by science and values.
Justify your answer: __________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Module written and developed for use in GEE (Environmental Science) by Mr. Franklin E. Cortez, Asst.
Prof. 1, Environmental Science Department, College of Science, University of Eastern Philippines.
Updated, Midyear Term 2022.