The human population surpassed 8 billion on Nov. 15, 2022. Twelve years earlier, the population reached 7 billion, and the United Nations (UN) projects that in 15 years, another billion will be reached. Despite slowing growth rates, the current abundance of human activity will continue to impact the environment and all aspects of life on Earth.

“This is an occasion to celebrate our diversity, recognize our common humanity and marvel at advancements in health that have extended lifespans and dramatically reduced maternal and child mortality rates,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “At the same time, it is a reminder of our shared responsibility to care for our planet and a moment to reflect on where we still fall short of our commitments to one another.”

Living Earth and Advanced Placement Environmental Science teacher, Kelsey Knieschie, has discussed the exponential growth of the human population in both of her classes, to understand the human population’s ability to avoid typical limiting factors. Although the human population reaching 8 billion was predicted many years prior, she still recognizes the event to be “significant.” When envisioning solutions to adapt to the large human population and preserve essential ecosystems, Knieschie starts local.

“Looking at the resources we’re using: What do we actually need versus what do we want? What comes with affluence, consumerism and consumption increases our environmental impact, taking away resources from those who don’t have equitable access,” Knieschie said.

The reality that Earth is a finite planet, not expendable for human interests, is made apparent with the recent population milestone that has promoted concerns around resource scarcity. Greater worldwide consumption of water, food, space and energy, calls for expanded conservation efforts. Senior Holden Hitchcock, a year two Sustainable Agricultural student, recalls the class’s focus on optimizing food production in tandem with protecting the environment and available farmland.

“Despite the fact that many can be ignorant of the problems that face humanity, there are people that are constantly on the edge of innovation and are looking to help out with the problems of today,” Hitchcock said.

He recognizes that with the growing population, there will be a larger effort toward addressing the environment it affects. Among these innovators, Hitchcock himself is interested in pursuing plant sciences. Career paths along these lines exemplify some of the actions Knieschie considers vital for a sustainable future. 

“That eco-anxiety is real: to feel the burden and the weight of [today’s environmental crises] and to feel like just one individual out of 8 billion people,” Knieschie said. “It’s [easy] to feel like our actions really don’t have meaning, but it just starts with one — it starts with the individual.”