Human Overpopulation & Environmental Sustainability

Lab Summary This lab begins with a case study in which the issue of human overpopulation of the planet is presented as a myth, and that as societies continue to develop and grow their economies life will improve.  Students are asked to initially reflect on their views regarding this issue.  This then leads to an activity in which student come to better understand the impact of their current and planned future lifestyles on the planet.  Students do this by taking an ecological footprint quiz, the results of which are then explored in the context of human overpopulation, and ways that people can decrease their footprint.  The lab leads into an exploration of Biosphere 2 – a project in which scientists and engineers tried to build an artificial biosphere.  The lab ends with students reflecting on what would have to be included in Biosphere 2 to sustain the 8 researchers who were sealed in the energetically open and materially closed biosphere.  Conceptual Learning Objectives - Upon completion of this lab, students should be able to understand that overpopulation is both about population size/density and resource consumption and availability. understand the concept of an ecological footprint and its basic components and the lifestyle choices that impact each individual’s footprint and sustainability. pose recommendations for ways individuals and societies can reduce their ecological footprints. discuss the concept of an ecosystem service. develop a ecologically literate argument surrounding the question of whether human overpopulation is an urgent problem requiring individual and societal actions. Scientific Skills  - in this lab students will get practice connecting population ecology concepts to questions of conservation, and environmental sustainability. develop an understanding of how scientists can measure resource use by humans and its impact on the planet.