The world population has reached a frightening, horrifying new number, and it is not 6.5 billion. There are 7 billion people sharing planet Earth and more are coming. October 31 has been deemed the symbolic day of this new number, according to the Los Angeles Times, although the figure may not actually be reached for several more months. The United Nations Population Division determined Monday as the big day. Regardless of the specifics, this is sobering news for Halloween. There are billions of people on this planet, all sharing the same diminishing resources and increasing environmental problems. Is it time to be scared?
World Population 7 Billion, Tomorrow Is Still Another Day
While Monday may be the marker date, it is not as if a billion people were born overnight, 
or even in the last year. It has taken twelve years for the numbers to rise from 6 billion to 7 billion. According to UN estimations, the world population will only be around 9.3 billion in 2050.
There is no reason to be afraid of this very large figure. No one person will have to solve all the potential problems of such rapidly climbing numbers, so take a deep breath and relax. What each individual can do, however, is think about ways to reduce personal waste and consumption. Maybe turn the thermostat down, start a compost pile or plant a tree for the holiday (or at least plan on planting one next spring).
Looking Towards 8 Billion
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will discuss what can be done for a population of 7 billion on Monday. Right now, there are only 382,000 more people than there were yesterday, 8 billion is still a long way off. The announcement of this new milestone can be used as a platform to put major issues like the environment, poverty and sustainable development on everyone's minds. Facing reality is not such a bad thing.
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Comments: 4
uh, yeah there is a reason to be afraid. Most of us on Gather are eating three squares a day, but there are over a billion humans who are not, and that number is growing, as food prices have risen sharply over the past two years.
Fear can be a healthy emotion. Panic is not healthy, but fear is. Fear can help you avoid pain and death.
Nice but inadequate. Individuals also need to have NO MORE than two children. They also need to accept that global warming is real, and vote accordingly. They also need to make actual sacrifices- spend more for a hybrid vehicle, stop driving a pickup truck or a 3 ton SUV. They also need to push public policies to push contraception in the poorest nations. While family sizes are declining around our planet, there are many areas in Africa and nations such as Pakistan where the message is not getting out. These places face real starvation unless family planning takes root- there is a lack of realism among some people who say, no problem, we can feed 10 or 11 billion people if they keep having 5 kids.