What do Humans Need?

Rapid growth in the human population and an increase in the standard of living mean that:
- raw materials, including non-renewable energy resources, are rapidly being used up
- increasingly more waste is produced
- unless waste is properly handled more pollution will be caused.
Humans reduce the amount of land available for other animals and plants by building, quarrying, farming and dumping waste.

On the whole us humans are an incredibly greedy and thoughtless bunch when it comes to our effect on the environment. We consume so much, especially in developed countries like the UK, with little thought about how the production of what we take for granted affects the natural world.

The population of the world is growing more and more and our needs will grow too, especially in developing countries like China and India.

How will we get the things we need? Raw materials are rapidly being used up. We are also producing more and more waste.

How much oil and gas can we produce now and in the future?	This graph shows the demand for copper. It is rapidly becoming a precious metal.	How much forest is left in Borneo? The effects of deforestation are dramatic.

Humans need land for a number of reasons. As we take land natural habitats are destroyed.

Building People need houses to live in. Land is needed to build houses on.	Quarrying People need stone for building houses and roads.	Farming People need food. Growing food needs land.	Dumping Waste People produce waste. This waste needs to go somewhere. Unless this waste is dealt with carefully it will create pollution.

What hope is there for what natural habitats remain and the plants and animals that live in them?