The question of how many people the Earth can realistically support has intrigued scientists and thinkers for centuries. This concept is often referred to as “carrying capacity”, which represents the maximum population size an environment can sustain indefinitely. Let’s explore some perspectives on this matter:

Historical Debates:
The debate about Earth’s carrying capacity dates back hundreds of years. Influenced by the work of Thomas Malthus, estimates have varied significantly—from as low as 500 million people to more than one trillion.
However, the majority of studies converge on a more conservative estimate: Earth’s capacity lies at or below 8 billion people1.
Resource Consumption and Quality of Life:
Resource consumption plays a crucial role. Different populations consume resources unevenly. For instance:
An average middle-class American consumes 3.3 times the subsistence level of food and nearly 250 times the subsistence level of clean water.
If everyone lived like a middle-class American, Earth’s carrying capacity might be around 2 billion.
But what if people only consumed what they truly needed? In that case, Earth could potentially support a much higher figure.
Quality of life matters too. While Earth might theoretically support over one trillion people, their quality of life—whether they scrape by on minimal resources or lead enjoyable lives—remains a critical consideration.
As Mahatma Gandhi wisely said, “The world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.”
Our Role in Sustainability:
Developed, westernized countries are both the highest consumers of resources and the largest producers of waste.
It’s time to reflect on our consumption patterns and consider how we can contribute to a healthy future for Earth and everyone on it.
In summary, while the exact number remains uncertain, our collective responsibility lies in balancing resource use, promoting sustainability, and ensuring a better quality of life for all.

LiveScience reports that the Earth's total capacity is around nine or ten billion people. After that, there will not be enough resources to fully sustain every living person on this planet.

The current human population on Earth is Click Here

At more than eight (8) Billion humans we are at or near the population the earth can sustain, so does that mean governments will start to cull humans. If the same logic is applied to us as we apply to deer the answer is yes. We can protect ourselves by first protecting the deer. We must stand against population control by means of murder.

The insanity of deer culls in Michigan is clearly demonstrated by numerous efforts of the DNR to reduce the number of deer in the lower peninsula including numerous culls while the upper peninsula has a severe shortage of deer.

Of course the DNR never considers relocating deer from the lower  to the upper peninsulas. They want to kill Gray Wolves to solve the problem and would if the endangered species act did not protect them.

In Michigan, the federal protections for gray wolves have been restored by a federal judge. This means that gray wolves can only be killed in Michigan if they pose an immediate threat to human life. The state Department of Natural Resources enforces this regulation. If someone kills a wolf, they are required to report it to authorities and could face up to 90 days in jail or a fine of $1,000.