The problem is more than just overpopulation. It is compounded by our wastefulness, our overconsumption and our waste by-products, both biological and
industrial.
Sure, we could spread ourselves out over a larger area on the globe, but then well will run into new problems such as conflict with nature (animals,
insects, diseases) and we cause even more extinctions that we are currently directly or indirectly responsible for.
Our wasteful use of land has led to desertification, extinction and the rise of diseases as we move further into new areas and clearcut the land to
make room for human civilization.
There are so many of us that we are poisoning the land and water just by being alive. We are consuming the worlds renewable resources faster than they
can regrow.
As someone else pointed out, we are also running out of fresh water.
It's not all doom and gloom though. A lot of these problems can be solved with technology and a shift in how we use the resources at our disposal.
We can convert sea-water into fresh water, but it takes a tremendous amount of electricity and is extremely expensive.
We can recycle more spent resources and finished products, and better filter and treat our wastes. The only thing holding us back is $$$.
These things are expensive, and we are too hung up on our own creature comforts and these problems do not directly threaten us right now.
When things become critical, we will either act and stave off a bleak future, or there will be a mass human extinction brought about by a combination
of greed and laziness.
We will probably save ourselves though, I just had to add in the other alternative because there is a chance it could happen.
It wouldn't hurt for us to thin out the human herd through planned parenting and a limit on children per family.
PS Symmetric, try some decaf
[edit on 6-4-2009 by Thinkmore]