The U.S. Population Situation

While some of these projections may look gloomy, remember: we can change the future. We can create a new vision, a new dream for the planet. It is in our power to humanely slow and stop population growth and solve the many problems that growth is creating. See our "How You Can Help" section to learn what you can do!

• U.S. population  at the beginning of 2010 was over 308 million! (extrapolated from U.S. Census data).
• Our population is growing by over 3,200,000 people per year -- that's 365 per hour -- about half from new births and half from immigration (U.S. Census).
• According to a study by David Pimentel, the U.S. can sustain a population of only 200 million... and that's only if we reduce our energy consumption by 50%!
• In many U.S. urban areas, traffic congestion is increasing faster than new highways can be built. Many believe congestion will not be relieved until population stabilizes.
• Each additional American requires about 1 acre of urbanization and highways, which means less land is available for growing food (Pimentel).
• Although the average American actually consumes slightly less energy than 25 years ago, the U.S. population has increased over 40% and this has led to total U.S. energy consumption rising over 30%.
• In the next 80 years U.S. population will double unless we reduce our high and unsustainable rate of growth. If that happens, we'll need twice as many schools, power plants, sewage treatment plants, and other infrastructure.
• According to a recent Gallup survey, 165 million adults worldwide would permanently migrate to the U.S. if they could.
• Additional people will cause greater pollution and make all of our social, political and environmental problems bigger and tougher to solve. Stabilizing population will make solving those problems less difficult.
• The average American consumes over 25 times more resources than the average person from a developing country. That means that a family in a developing country would have to have 50 children to have the same environmental impact as an American family with 2 children!
• The addition of 3.2 million Americans has a greater resource impact upon the Earth than all of the millions of people added last year in India and Africa combined.