Final answer:
The relationship between human populations and resource availability involves our limited planetary resources and endless human wants, leading to resource scarcity, environmental impact, and potential for conflict.
Step-by-step explanation:
The relationship between human populations and the availability of resources is a significant subject in environmental studies and social sciences. Our planet's resources are finite, including land, factories, oil, and others, while human desires and consumption are virtually limitless. As human societies grow, our use of these resources increases, leading to potential scarcity and environmental degradation. Homelessness is one of the starker reminders of this scarcity. As the global population approaches 7 billion, resource competition intensifies not only among humans but also between humans and other species, reducing biodiversity and aggravating the struggle for survival.
Human activities, such as farming and mining, are being pushed towards more marginal and less fertile areas as the rich, accessible resources dwindle. Furthermore, the potential for resource wars increases as people might blame or demonize 'others' for limited resources, traditionally an aspect of human survival. The challenge of our time is whether humans can collectively cooperate to manage our resources sustainably, transcending our historical tendencies for conflict.