Well not quite, but there are worries concerning the increasing number of people in the world and the impact they are having on the environment. It?s all getting a bit crowded.

There are a number of problems created when too many people try to live in one place. The problems below are both local and global.

Land clearance- Land has to be cleared to create the space for farms, fields, houses, hospitals, roads etc, This means chopping down trees and destroying whole habitats such as woodlands, wetlands, moorland, heath land and hedgerows. The clearing of forests is called deforestation.

As towns and cities increase in size, and land-use (e.g. farming) increases too, so valuable habitat decreases. Some habitats are more fragile than others and vulnerable to permanent damage. As well as being important wildlife habitats, forests are vital for helping keep the air clean, as they absorb carbon dioxide and can soak up much of the world?s air pollution.

Loss of biodiversity- Biodiversity is the range of different types (species) of plants and animals as well as the actual numbers of them found in a habitat. Generally speaking, the bigger the range of species, the healthier the habitat and surrounding environment. The greater the number of people, the lower the biodiversity seems to have become. Humans can more easily adapt to changes in their environment but sadly many species of other animals and plants need specific conditions for survival and can?t cope with changes and the damage caused by humans.

Over-fishing-  It?s not just the forest and moorland habitats that are suffering from increased numbers of people. The oceans and the animals that live there are also at risk, and catching too many fish for food is one example. If the level of commercial fishing continues as it is, or increases as the population continues to rise, several species of fish are in danger of becoming extinct. Cod and some species of tuna are among the species at risk.

Over-grazing / land degradation- When the demand for food is high, farm land is often used very intensively. For example, each field will have as many cows as it can possibly fit in it in order to produce as much food as possible. When this happens every bit of grass gets eaten by the cows over and over again and where the climate is hot and dry, the grass often can?t grow again. This leaves more and more bare soil which gets washed or blown away. This means that the field is no use for farming anymore - the land has become degraded.

Food shortages-  In many parts of the world it is getting harder and harder to provide enough food to feed everyone. Not enough land, poor quality land, not enough water, not enough money to buy farming equipment and climate change are all reasons for food shortages. Many countries have to import food (i.e. buy it from other countries) because they cannot produce enough to feed themselves. When there isn?t enough food it can lead to hunger and famine, particularly if there is a drought or war as well.

Water Shortages-  We all need water to drink, to water crops, cook and wash with. As more food is grown to feed more mouths, more water is required to produce the food. In many poorer countries the demand for water is often greater than the supply and millions of people still don?t have access to clean, fresh water. This is a major problem where they can?t afford the technology required to get clean water.

And of course, the more people there are the more sewage is produced. In some overcrowded poorer cities getting rid of the sewage is the biggest problem and contamination of the fresh water supplies is common.

Public Health- A lack of clean, fresh water causes major health issues and is the cause of many of the diseases and deaths in overcrowded, developing countries. The more people there are, the harder it is to provide enough clean fresh water for everyone, particularly in poorer areas where technology is basic and the number of people is rising rapidly.

Poverty-  Overpopulation can lead to an increase in the proportion of poor people in an area, due to the lack of jobs available. And the poorer the family, the harder it is to produce or buy food and the higher the likelihood of hunger and other health issues.

Waste and Pollution-  We all produce waste – the more people there are the more waste there is - and it comes in different forms:

* Rubbish, most of which ends up in landfill

* Air pollution from cars, factories, power stations and rotting waste

* Water pollution from factories, farming, day to day washing and sewage.

Apart from damaging habitats and whole ecosystems, pollution contributes to other serious problems such as climate change and health issues.