Prompt:
Carrying capacity is the average size of a population that can be sustained over a long period of time in a particular habitat. The population size is limited by environmental factors such as food, water, diseases, mates, and shelter. If a population is larger than the carrying capacity, the environment becomes degraded, reducing resources and causing the population to crash.
Using the information above, discuss whether the human population has reached, exceeded, or not yet reached its carrying capacity on Earth. Why do you think it has or has not? In your response, be sure to think about the current state of the environment.