world's consumers. World output of cereals, the main food source for most consumers, has increased by 2.7 percent per annum since 1950 while population has grown by about 1.9 percent per annum. Cereal yields alone have increased more rapidly than world population since 1950—at 2.24 percent per annum. This has allowed per capita calorie consumption in developing countries to increase by about 27 percent since the early 1960s (http://www.pop.org/students/feed.html).The whole world's population could fit in the state of Texas and very comfortably indeed. Everyone, including the poorest of the poor, would enjoy living conditions/housing conditions that are now only available to the wealthiest of people. The land area of Texas is some 262,000 square miles, and current UN estimates of the world's population (for 12 October 1999) are about 6 billion. If the square miles are converted into square feet (multiplying 5,280 feet per mile twice) and divided by the world's population, one readily finds that there are more than 1,217 square feet per capita. A family of 5 could occupy more than 6,085 square feet of living space, which, even in Texas, is considered a mansion. These numbers apply to just one-story, ranch house-type dwellings, and if a mixture of multi-story buildings, including town houses, apartment buildings and high rises, appreciably greater living space could be provided, allowing for ample roads and yards (http://www.pop.org/students/texas1.html).If the birth rates continue at status quo, our population will reach almost 11 billion by the year 2050. However, our earth can support those people, and population control then is unnecessary. Trying to control the population takes away the basic human right to life. ...
