The human population started to rise perceptibly at around 1800 BC. The numbers begin to rise dramatically about 200 years ago. What causes these changes? Revolutions!
There have been several: agricultural, health, industrial, green. Farming developed about 10,000 years ago. Farming meant a steady supply of food and people could settle in
villages instead of wandering after their food. The rise at around 1800 BC is due to increased farming and the rise of ciffes and towns. Then around 1800 AD, the population
begins jump. Why? Health care has been improving over the last two centuries. Vaccines were developed that could prevent many diseases and antibiotics were discovered that
could cure most infections caused by bacteria. In the 1700's, the Industrial Revolution changed the source of power from humans to fossil fuels. This allowed more work to be
done.
The Green Revolution followed in the mid-1900's and continues today. The Green Revolution has allowed billions of people to be added to the population in the past few decades
through advances in agriculture. How are the Industrial and Green Revolutions connected?
a) Both saw an increased use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides to maximize crop production on a given amount of agricultural land
b) Increased use of genetic engineering: Improving crops by selecting for certain genetic traits.
c) Increased use of agricultural machinery: plowing, fertilizing picking, and transporting using machines are powered by fossil fuels
d) Increasing access to water: building more dams to provide a water source for crop irrigation
c) Increased use of agricultural machinery: plowing, fertilizing, picking, and transporting using machines are powered by fossil fuels
The Industrial Revolution led to the development of agricultural machinery powered by fossil fuels, which greatly increased the efficiency and productivity of farming. This allowed for more food to be produced with less labor, leading to population growth. The Green Revolution further built upon the use of agricultural machinery and fossil fuels to increase crop yields through advanced breeding techniques and the use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides.