US population to hit 300 million

THE population of the United States is on track to hit 300 million tomorrow morning, and it is causing a stir among environmentalists.

People in the US consume more than ever — more food, more energy, more natural resources. Open spaces are shrinking and traffic in often dreadful.

But some experts argue that population growth only partly explains growing consumption in the US.

Just as important, they say, is where people live, what they drive and how far they travel to work.

“The pattern of population growth is really the most crucial thing,” said Michael Replogle, transportation director for Environmental Defence, a New York advocacy group.

“If the population grows in thriving existing communities, restoring the historic density of older communities, we can easily sustain that growth and create a more efficient economy without sacrificing the environment,” he said.

But that has not been the American way. Instead, the country has fed its appetite for big houses, big yards, and shopping strips.

“Because the US has become a suburban nation, sprawl has become the most predominant form of land use,” said Vicky Markham, director of the Centre for Environment and Population, an advocacy group.

“Sprawl is, by definition, more spread out. That, of course, requires more vehicles and more vehicle miles travelled.”

The US still has a lot of wide-open spaces, with about 84 people per square mile, compared with about 300 people per square mile in the European Union, and almost 900 people per square mile in Japan.

However, the US Census Bureau projects that the US population will hit 300 million tomorrow.

The projection is based on estimates for births, deaths and net immigration that add up to one new American every 11 seconds.

About 40% of US population growth comes from immigration, both legal and illegal.

The estimated 11-12 million illegal immigrants in the US are included in official population estimates, though demographers say they are undercounted.

The population reached 200 million, in 1967 — meaning the population has increased 50% in 39 years.

Since then, the number of households nearly doubled, motor vehicles more than doubled and the miles driven nearly tripled.

The average household size has fallen from 3.3 people to 2.6 people, the number of one person households has jumped from less than 16% to about 27%.

“The natural resource base that is required to support each person keeps rising,” Mr Replogle said.

“We’re heating and cooling more space, and the housing units are more spread out than before.”

The US is the third largest nation in the world, behind China and India. It is the fastest growing industrialised nation, adding about 2.8 million people a year.