Tipping Point(s)

In 1940, the population of the United States was estimated to be just over 132,000,000.

By 2000, the population of the United States had more than doubled to just over 281,000,000.

In 1940, the population of the world was estimated at just over 2,000,000,000.

By 2000, the population of the world nearly tripled to just over 6,000,000,000.

There is no denying that the population of the world is growing at a tremendous rate. More people means the need for more food, more clean water and more livable space -- demands which bring increased pressure on food and water sources, the environment and the planet as a whole.

Several groups recently released a sobering study "Planetary Boundaries: A Safe Operating Space for Humanity" which examines nine areas of concern, their current states, and the consequences if these areas become unstable.

You can read a press release about the study here.

You can read the study here.

Learn more about an organization involved in the research here.

There is a feature article in today's issue of Nature:
"Planetary Boundaries: A Safe Operating Space for Humanity."