This page displays a collection of environmental and sustainability (green) online videos about population issues. Video topics include population growth, carrying capacity, population stabilization, ecological footprint, quality of life, and more.

As global population increases, it puts heavier demands on the world's finite natural resources. As populations develop, they both industrialize and move up the food chain, and the demands they place on the Earth grow further. There is only so much the Earth can provide, and the evidence is growing that we may already be substantiallly beyond the Earth's carrying capacity. Working to stabilize population is a critical aspect of environmental sustainability.

Population, Environment, and the Millennium Alliance for Humanity and the Biosphere. Presentation by Paul Ehrlich. As our population passes 7 billion, Ehrlich warns against the "myths" of limitless population and economic growth. He makes four points. First, we are a small group animal, genetically and culturally attuned to existing with 50-150 other people, now trying to live in a group of seven billion. Second, that the planet is vastly overpopulated, possibly by as much as four times the long-term carrying capacity. Third, the myth that population and economic growth have no limits is dangerous. And fourth, the idea that incremental change will save us is comforting but also dangerous. About 77 minutes. Play Video >>

Overpopulation, Carrying Capacity, And Quality Of Life. Interview with Garrett Hardin. Hardin discusses population growth, carrying capacity, and quality of life. Rising global population increases pollution and puts more demands on food, water, transportation, and other natural resources. Hardin suggests that reduced population would lead to a better quality of life. About 9 minutes. Play Video >>

Can a Collapse of Global Civilization Be Avoided? Presentation by Paul Ehrlich. An array of interconnected problems is moving a global civilization toward collapse. Driven by increasing overpopulation and over consumption by the rich, these problems include climate disruption, loss of ecosystem services, global poisoning, depletion of resources (especially soils and groundwater), and the threat of vast famines, epidemics and resource wars. Only a concerted effort to reduce the scale of society and focus much more attention on agriculture and equity seems likely to much improve the human prospect. About 52 minutes. Play Video >>

Population, Health, And Environment. Presentation excerpt by Lori Hunter. Offers a lively, brief, and accessible explanation of the connections between population, health, and the environment, with examples and photos from successful programs in the Philippines. About 9 minutes. Play Video >>

Living Within The Carrying Capacity Of The Earth. Interview with Bjorn Stigson.
World Business Council for Sustainable Development President Bjorn Stigson talks about the "big balancing act" between development, the environment, and dealing with climate change. About 6 minutes. Play Video >>

Are Humans Smarter Than Yeast? Dan Chay helps us understand exponential growth as a fundamental driver of environmental destruction and resource depletion. Includes a simple visual representation of exponential growth. About 8 minutes. Play Video >>

Human Population Through Time. It took 200,000 years for our human population to reach 1 billion, and only 200 years to reach 7 billion. But growth has begun slowing, as women have fewer babies on average. When will our global population peak? And how can we minimize our impact on Earth’s resources, even as we approach 11 billion? About 6 minutes. Play Video >>

World Population. Watch human population grow from 1 CE to present and see projected growth in under six minutes. One dot = 1 million people. About 6 minutes. Play Video >>

How Did We Get So Big So Fast? It was just over two centuries ago that the global population was 1 billion. Better medicine and improved agriculture resulted in higher life expectancy for children, dramatically increasing the world population.  As higher standards of living and better health care are reaching more parts of the world, the rates of fertility and population growth have started to slow down. Nevertheless, the population will continue to grow for the foreseeable future. About 3 minutes. Play Video >>

7 Billion: National Geographic Magazine. Introduction to National Geographic magazine's 2011 year-long series on world population. The world's 7 billionth person was born in 2011. About 3 minutes. Play Video >>

Global Population Growth, Box By Box. Presentation by Hans Rosling. The world's population will grow to 9 billion over the next 50 years, and only by raising the living standards of the poorest can we check population growth. This is the paradoxical answer that Rosling unveils at TED@Cannes. About 10 minutes. Play Video >>

Population Growth. The growing world population affects food and water supplies, ecological balance, and the overall quality of life for everyone. This animation presents a variety of facts and projected statistics to reveal the impacts of our growing population. About 5 minutes. Play Video >>

Population Stabilization. Presentation by John Seager. Seager, president of Population Connection, spoke about how human population growth, social justice, environmental issues and women's rights are related. With world population now over 7 billion, the impact of rapid population growth on people and the planet has never been more compelling. About 56 minutes. Play Video >>

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