The Population Environment Debate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

The Population Environment Debate - Essay Example Currently, researchers are trying to frame this debate into a more analytical parameter. This is after they discovered that a framework, which describes the inherent uncertainties in the relationships between population and environment, is vital in giving this debate a direction. Governments are also advised to develop and implement population policy that acknowledges and respects the relationship between population and the environment. Additionally, the entire population should also be engaged, in this debate, to get their views and opinions about the future at the local, regional, and national levels. These actions will help people understand both the positive and negative relationships between population and the environment. Betsy Hartmann first came up with the idea that overpopulation is the primary cause of environmental degradations, and serious population control is required to control this situation (Ramphal et al. 45). He dismissed the idea that population growth was the ma in cause of environmental problems, and reminded researchers to reflect on how population- control programs are not paid much attention. This argument is recognized as the cause of the population-environment debate. Participants of this debate are facing the challenging of considering whether population growth is the cause of environmental degradation, or whether it should be considered as a non-issue, in this debate. Considering one factor, as the effects of population growth on the environment, is what has always given this debate a meaningless direction. Participants need to broaden the basis of their arguments and understand population dynamics and their impacts on the environment (Ramphal et al. 51). While the rate of population growth has significantly slowed down, there is still an increase in the world’s population every year (Ramphal et al. 23). Population growth has a considerable effect on the environment, however; it is difficult to determine whether this impact i n linear or uniform.           

Factors of Civic Disengagement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Factors of Civic Disengagement - Essay Example However, changes in social structures, economic needs, and order of priorities altered several social obligations. As what Robert Putnam (2000) pointed out, residential mobility, economic hard times, and busyness are prime factors of civic disengagement. To best suit the fluidity of lifestyle of today’s Americans, â€Å"thin, single-stranded... are replacing dense, multi stranded, well-exercised bonds† (Putnam, 2000, p. 184). These bonds are more informal which suit the kind of life they lead. One would say that American civic engagement is slowly declining but this is of course, because of several logical and valid reasons. In the striving economic situation and the frequent rise of price for basic commodities, working individuals are not to blame for disengaging from social activities; however, this is not to approve of it but rather, a more considerate point to address the growing economic needs of the family. On the other hand, Putnam (2000) contends that however th ese busy people work for better financial situation, â€Å"economic good fortune has not guaranteed continued civic engagement† (p. 194); busyness does not excuse them of disengaging from civic life. Another factor is residential mobility (p. 204). The Americans’ mobility largely depends on economy; where employment opportunity is dense, they would be willing to relocate.