An environmental research paper on two major points that are downgrading our environment and where we as a humanity should start focusing.

1. Overpopulation vs Overconsumption:
Where Should We Focus?
Have you ever been to the Dubai Mall on a Friday night? Then you probably have a clear
idea what overpopulation and overconsumption must look like. Have you ever wondered what
makes these malls of the world so profitable? It could very well be the amount of people that
visit it all year round, but if the same amount of people visited every day but bought and
consumed nothing, would malls still be built every three blocks? Think about it for a minute,
would we still need to import goods by oil spilling ships? Would we still exhaust non-renewable
resources? Cut down forests? Fight over resources by burning lands to the ground? Overfish? Or
disrupt nature’s cycle and at the end of the day throw all the waste produced into the ocean
without flinching? Seriously, where should we focus our attention to start taking that first step
towards a solution? Who came first the overpopulation or the overconsumption?
Is it the overpopulation? With the thrive of medical science, the depletion in poverty, and
advancement in technology, there is now more humans on the planet than any other time in
history, almost 7.2 billion people. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2015) China is home to more than 1.32
billion people-around 20% of world’s population-, considered by many scientists as “the main
contributor to global warming” mostly due to the fact that it emits more carbon dioxide than any
other nation on the planet. The stacked smoke from its pollutants has triggered acid rain in South
Korea and Japan and not to mention that around 25% of the air pollutants in Los Angeles,
California originally came from China. (Weiss, 2012) Naturally, the increase in population will
also cause degradation to the country’s natural resources (such as, food, energy and clean air), an
unneeded increase in waste, and a decrease in biodiversity. Its waste percentage has made it the
biggest contributor to the issue around the world, considering almost 28% of the plastic waste
(8.82 million metric tons per year) in the ocean is caused by China. (Park, 2015) It’s so vital to
look at China as an example mainly because as Kenneth R. Weiss put it in his article
“Overpopulation is destroying the planet—China for example”, that “China’s experience shows
how rising consumption and even modest rates of population growth magnify each other’s
impact on the planet.” (Weiss, 2012)
Or is it overconsumption? Look at the UAE as an example. The UAE is one of the most
developed countries in the world with a much smaller population of 9.4 million people (Trading
Economics, 2015) yet in the last 10 years reports have claimed that the UAE is one of the biggest
water consumers in the world (Sustainable Square, 2013) and has the largest ecological footprint
on the planet.(Heroes of the UAE, 2015) The reports also claimed that if every person on earth
where to consume the same way an average UAE citizen consumes per day we would need 4 and
½ planets (Heroes of the UAE, 2015) therefore making it at one point the world’s 3rd biggest

2. resource consumer, behind Qatar and Chile.(Todorova, 2011) These resources include fresh
water, food, nutrients, energy and most importantly the burning of fossil fuels. So why is it such
a big consumer? Well, there are several reasons but the main reason is due to its extremely hot
climate and high standard of living. Living in a country with very high temperatures means more
energy and resources are needed to cool houses, schools and buildings. The hot weather along
with the availability of oil in the region also means that people are going to drive everywhere
instead of walk, therefore more cars are on the road and more fossil fuels are burnt releasing
huge amounts of CO2 in the air equivalent to 19.9 metric tons per capita.(The World Bank
Group, 2015) Adding more, is the UAE’s standard of living, which means citizens are going to
consume, import and export more resources and goods which has harsh negative effects on
different aspects of the environment. It is however worth noting that the UAE has started an
Ecological Footprint Initiative which aims at reducing its ecological footprint and succeeded.
(Global Footprint Network, 2015)
So, who came first? The United Nations Development Program noted that “The world's richest
countries make up only one-fifth of global population but account for 45% of all meat
consumption, 58% of total energy use, 84% of paper use, and 87% of vehicle ownership. At the
other end of the spectrum, the poorest fifth of the world's population - more than one billion
people - still lack food, shelter, housing, water and sanitation, and access to electricity.”(Facing
the Future, 2014)
The good news is there are already efforts being conducted locally and worldwide by
governments in an effort to help its citizens live more sustainably. Like I mentioned earlier the
UAE has already begun tackling down its footprint issue by enforcing new policies that promote
the idea of sustainability for its residence. The “UAE Lighting Standard” makes sure that only
high-efficient light bulbs enter the market. Therefore the light bulbs are energy-efficient, high
quality, safe, have minor hazardous chemicals and can safely be disposed of. The standard will have
a great positive impact on the UAE including: the reduction of energy consuming by 500MW
annually, lowering the rate of carbon emission equal to removing 165,000 cars every year, a
medium-sized villa electricity bills savings can reach up to 2,300AED per year. (WWF, 2015)
Another project launched is a lifestyle educational campaign called “Heroes of the UAE”. The
campaign helps educate regular citizens through press, outdoor advertising, and radio on changes that
should be made now to cut down energy and water consumptions. It also shares great easy and
practical solutions on their website (http://heroesoftheuae.ae). (Heroes of the UAE, 2015) Both
efforts have so far been very successful and are paving the way for similar solutions taking the same
path.
Around the world, in completely different regions were the biomes are different; there are different
types of overconsumption happening. Brazil has the highest rate of deforestation in the world.
Forests that are home to 80% of the world’s biodiversity and clines out our air from the tons of
carbon dioxide are being cut down for businesses to grow.(WWF, 2015) As a solution, developing
countries introduced REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation in

3. Developing Countries plus related pro-forest policies). “A policy offering rewards to other
countries if they reduce their deforestation rates”. The policy allured Brazil to change its own
policies and enforce new laws to its system. Even its citizens showed great support by starting
environmental campaigns such as “The Zero Deforestation” campaign. In just 6 years (from
2005 to 2011), Brazil was able to reduce its deforestation rates by 67% while increasing its
agriculture and reducing its poverty. (UCS, 2011)
On a different content, Sweden now recycles 99% of its garbage while the remaining 1% ends up
at a landfill. Numbers that seem impossible to achieve or even unreal were made into a reality.
How? They made a very advanced system of waste separation and highly enforced recycling
policies. The system goes as follows: prevention, reuse, recycling, recycling alternatives and last
landfill. However, their approach is somehow controversial since the ‘recycling alternatives’
section means ‘burning’ that waste and converting it to energy. The method however seems to be
working extremely well. Recently, they ran out of garbage and had to import tons from
neighboring countries! (Bernabe, 2014)
One major way to inspire people to make a change is shedding a light not just on the problem but
on the solutions as well and most importantly successful stories. In a world where the issue is
more discussed than the solution, exaggerated, and made seem inevitable, success stories usually
end up blocked out or laid in the dark. These stories should be advertised better and more. For I
believe that they have the ability to inspire and dwell countries as well as its individuals with the
confidence they need to start making a change today.
Introducing international policies and enforcing government laws have proven to be highly
effective as well. There are enough campaigns out there raising awareness on these issues but
unfortunately not everyone is listening. International policies done by developing countries can
enforce countries to create laws that force and teach its citizens and agencies to make changes
that will end up benefiting its country and subsequently the rest of the planet. Brazil and Sweden
have proven that this approach could indeed be the most effective.
Celia Cole of the Guardian quoted that, “Overconsumption is costing us the earth and human
happiness”. (Cole, 2010) But isn’t that why we humans over consume from the first place? Isn’t
it to find happiness? I believe that we should be taught to always take what we need, be gratified
with what we already have and only then no matter how many people are on the planet will the
Earth and us can start to breathe again. Mahatma Gandhi once said “There is enough in the world
for everyone's need; there is not enough for everyone's greed.”

4. References
U.S. Census Bureau (2015). U.S. and World Population Clock. Retrieved (May 29, 2015) from:
http://www.census.gov/popclock/
Weiss, K. R. (2012, July 22). Overpopulation is destroying our planet-China For Example.
Retrieved (May 24, 2015) from: http://energyskeptic.com/2012/overpopulation-is-destroying-
the-planet-china-for-example/
Park, M. (2015, February 12). How much are we trashing our oceans? Retrieved (May 24, 2015)
from: http://energyskeptic.com/2012/overpopulation-is-destroying-the-planet-china-for-example/
Trading Economics (2015). United Arab Emirates Population. Retrieved from:
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-arab-emirates/population
Heroes of the UAE (2015). What is the Ecological Footprint of UAE? Retrieved from:
http://ecologicalfootprint.heroesoftheuae.ae/en/article/uaes-footprint-5/what-is-the-ecological-
footprint-of-uae.html
Global Footprint Network (2015). UAE Case Story. Retrieved from:
http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/uae_case_story/
Sustainable Square (2013, February 5). The Issue of the UAE and GCC Water Footprint.
Retrieved from: http://sustainablesquare.com/the-issue-of-the-uae-and-gcc-water-footprint/
Todorova, V. (2011, May 13). UN says the UAE is No 3 Resource User. Retrieved from:
http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/un-says-the-uae-is-no-3-resource-user
The World Bank Group (2015). United Arab Emirates Data. Retrieved (May 29, 2015) from:
http://data.worldbank.org/country/united-arab-emirates?display=default
Facing the Future (2014). Fast Facts about Consumption. Retrieved from:
https://www.facingthefuture.org/IssuesSolutions/ConsumptionWaste/ConsumptionFastFacts/tabi
d/176/Default.aspx#.VWgpLs-qpBc
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) (2015). UAE Lighting Standard. Retrieved from:
http://uae.panda.org/what_we_do/reducing_footprint/ecological_footprint_initiative/uae_lighting
_standard/
Heroes of the UAE (2015). About the Campaign. Retrieved (May 27, 2015) from:
http://www.heroesoftheuae.ae/en/article/heroes-of-the-uae/article-1.html

5. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) (2015). Forest Habitat. Retrieved from:
https://www.worldwildlife.org/habitats/forest-habitat
Union of Concerned Scientists (2011, February). Brazil’s Success in Reducing Deforestation.
Retrieved (May 26, 2015) from: http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/solutions/stop-
deforestation/brazils-reduction-deforestation.html#.VWgrHc-qpBd
Bernabe, N. (2014, September 8). Sweden is Now Recycling 99 Percent of its Trash. Here’s
how. Retrieved from: http://themindunleashed.org/2014/09/sweden-now-recycling-99-percent-
trash-heres.html
Cole, C. (2010, June 21). Overconsumption is costing us the earth and human happiness.
Retrieved from: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/jun/21/overconsumption-
environment-relationships-annie-leonard