Final answer:
Environmental collapse is linked to exponential population growth due to the increased strain on resources, habitat destruction, loss of biodiversity, and pollution from waste. As populations grow, these environmental impacts become more severe, posing potential risks of famine, disease, and social issues. This outlines the limits of continual population expansion on the planet's capacity to sustain life.
Step-by-step explanation:
The idea of environmental collapse is closely related to exponential population growth because as human populations increase, the stress on environmental resources and systems also increases. Exponentially growing populations lead to a greater demand for food, space, and resources, while simultaneously contributing to increased waste production. As the human population grows, more habitats are potentially destroyed to make room for living spaces and agriculture, leading to a loss of biodiversity. This can result in decreased populations of species that depend on those habitats. Moreover, the buildup of waste can pollute environments, further challenging the survival of various species and increasing the risk of damage to ecosystems.
Dr. Paul R. Ehrlich's 1968 book The Population Bomb echoes this concern with dire predictions, even though some views expressed in it may now be considered exaggerated. Nonetheless, it underlines that unchecked human population growth cannot continue indefinitely without significant environmental repercussions, including the risks of famine, disease, and large-scale death. Even though humans can alter their environment to temporarily increase its carrying capacity, this can sometimes be to the detriment of other species and the environment itself.