Human population is the global issue that requires thorough research due to its direct relation to the problem of overpopulation. Overpopulation is the concept that describes the situation when an excessive amount of people is placed on the limited territory, in this case, on the planet Earth. Starting from the end of the 20th century, many academic studies on this issue have appeared. The scholars try to find out what factors actually lie behind such an extraordinary expansion of the human population and what are the possible outcomes of this process (Lutz & Qiang, 2002). Also, they insist that society needs to act quickly to prevent the extinction of species, the emergence of disease and natural disasters that can affect the human population to a large extent (Bushnell, May/Jun 2010).

Finally, the scholars claim that overpopulation is directly linked to the problems of sustainability and security (Cassils,  2004). They suggest numerous tools for preventing the catastrophe. However, a gap in knowledge exists, when it goes to individual countermeasures. The discussion of the relationship between overpopulation and environment has a compelling academic background. As it was mentioned by Lutz and Qiang (2002), the number of inhabitants on Earth has shifted from 1.6 billion to 6.1 billion of people by the end of the last century (p.  1197). Moreover, such a significant growth persists. The phenomenon of overpopulation is linked to global warming, pollution, habitat loss, more restrictions, extinction and many other issues of a similar nature. All of these problems are very bad for the environment and can cause serious harm to the whole planet in the future. Bushnell (May/Jun 2010) reports that the growth of CO2 is mostly caused by overexploitation of such fossil carbon fuels as coal, petroleum, and natural gas (p. 25). According to the scholar, these resources are responsible for adverse climate changes, including “temperature increases, loss of ice coverage, and ocean acidification” (Bushnell, May/Jun 2010, p. 25).

There is no doubt that such global issues must be addressed on the level of authorities and governments. However, it is necessary to emphasize that both environment and human health are at stake. Bushnell  (May/Jun 2010) blames humans for destroying, “with the full knowledge of what [they] are doing,” the natural resources of Earth (p. 172). This point of view directly supports the idea of personal responsibility and individual action. The wellbeing of natural ecosystems and the ecological conditions, in particular, affect the future health, lifespan, and fertility of humans. It means that people all around the world have a personal interest in environmental sustainability. Those people who are calling for the slowing of population growth through declining birth rates, need to revise the consequences and effectiveness of such a strategy. Cassils (2004) believes that overpopulation is the primary cause of ongoing ecological damage and lack of sustainable development (p. 172). Fixing the overpopulation would relieve much of the pressure on the world and could help it to be a better place to live in.

However, numerous ethical and social issues may appear. Therefore, the problem of human population and pollution is the question of quality rather than quantity. Questions that emerge from preliminary research are the following: what are the ethical ways to deal with overpopulation and how can individuals affect the whole situation? There is no doubt that overpopulation is an issue that will take a long time to fix if possible. There must be new laws created and a lot of innovation to current products used. This research paper aims to discuss whether changes in personal lifestyle have the potential to reverse the negative environmental consequences of overpopulation, in particular, the problem of pollution in the United States.