6

Module 25

Science and Health

EFFECTS OF OVERPOPULATION

34

A Ded-BEAM Distance Learning Program supported by the Australian Agency for International Development
 To the Learner

Good day!!

Infers that land, water and air may become polluted due to over
population.

Let’s Learn This

Through the years, the Philippine population has been

increasing steady. Million of babies are born every tear. When more
babies are born than those who die birthrate on fatality is greater
than the death rate or mortality. Thus population sizes increase.
When population size become too big in a certain place, this results
to overcrowding or population explosion
Population explosion brings about several problems.
Overpopulation brings about inadequacy in space and housing. What
other problems may occur due to over population? Find out in the
activity that follows.

Let’s Try This

What are the effects of overpopulation?

What to do:

Study the illustration.

35
What you have found out:

What are some of the effects of overpopulation as shown in the

picture above?

a. picture #1
b. picture #2
c. picture #3
d. picture #4

Let’s Study This

Overpopulation or Rapid Population Growth (RPG) carries with it

lots of problems. Let’s discuss them one by one.

Food shortage

Food is human’s basic need. Without it you cannot live. If there

are too many people in certain place, food production and supply may
not be sufficient for their needs. There is food shortage. When there
36
is a great demand for food but the supply is low, prices of food go
higher. People with minimal income can’t cope with the rising prices
of basic commodities, so they become malnourished and or
undernourished. Food shortage may be even become worst and lead
to famine.

Water shortage

Is there enough supply of water in your community? Is the water

safe for drinking? What reminds you of El Niňo phenomenon?

Places with large populations are best with water shortage. More
people need more water. In depressed areas and even in many places
in Metro Manila, you would see the long queue or line of people
waiting for their turn to get some water.

Housing problems

In an overcrowded place, people build their houses along the

railroad tracks, river banks or even on sidewalks. Some even squat on
private or vacant government lots. Families living in a cart, sleeping
under big tress or waiting sheds are also noticeable in Metro Manila.

Air Pollution

When something appears in an environment that is unwanted

and does not belong, it means “dirtying” the environment. We say it is
polluted. One kind of pollution is air pollution. Air pollution
sometimes results in smog-dirty air cause, from too many fuels being
burned from factories and vehicles. Sometimes rain drops touch
polluted air as they fall. The rain is dangerous to the environment,
particularly bodies of water. In industry places, factories give off
fumes and chemical that pollute the air. Second hand, or poorly
maintained vehicles emit, lead, iron, carbon monoxide and other
pollutants that are detrimental to your health.

Water pollution

Dirty water caused by chemical wastes from the factories,

insecticides, detergents, oil spill from giant ships and household
sewage all contribute to water pollution.

37
 Oil spill kill aquatic animals in the water. The oil clogs the scales
of fish. When this happens, they cannot move through the water.
They may also die because of poisoning. What is the condition of the
Pasig River, Manila Bay, tulyahan River and creeks in Metro Manila
nowadays?
Water pollution can affect the ecosystem by poisoning food
chains. It also might cause low oxygen content which is generally
harmful to aquatic animals.

Noise Pollution

Overcrowding causes noise pollution. Too much noise drowns

out all natural sounds in nature.

Garbage Problem

When there are more people living in a certain place more

garbage will be produced. Garbage accumulates but there is no safe
for their proper disposal. That’s why you see biodegradable as well as
non-biodegradable materials that are scattered everywhere. When
biodegradable wastes get rotten, they give off a poisonous gas called
Methane. Non-biodegradable wastes especially Plastics that are
dumped in nearby water clog water drainage thereby preventing the
water to flow freely.

38
Diseases

Victims of diseases such as cholera, flu and dysentery usually

come from an overcrowded place. These diseases are highly
contagious. Contagious Diseases are easily transferred from one
person to another. When a disease affects a large number of people in
a place at the same time epidemic happens.

Let’s Do This

Read situation carefully then write the problems that are

corrected to overpopulation.

_______1. People become idle and find difficulty in landing

jobs.
_______2. Big families build shanties or sidewalks
_______3. More people line up waiting for their turn to get
water
_______4. People line up to buy rice
_______5. People dump industrial wastes into bodies of water

Let’s Do More

Encircle the letter of the correct answer.

1. Why is overcrowding considered a danger?

a. it encourages the spread of contagious disease

b. it destroy out natural resources
c. it depletes our food reserves
d. all of the above

39
2. Which of the following statements do you agree with?

a. population is a place remains constant

b. population constantly changes due to birth and death
c. population growth does not affect basic needs
d. population growth can’t be showed down

3. Which of the following is the correct definition of population?

a. population is the kind of organisms living in a place

b. population is the rate of increase and decrease of
organisms living in a place.
c. Population is the living condition of organisms in a place.
d. Population is the number of particular group of organisms
living in a specific place.

4. Which of the following statement is true about overpopulation

and its effect on the environment?

a. as the population grows, more garbage is produced

b. as population grows, more vehicles will emit poisonous
exhaust gas.
c. As population decreases, cholera, dysentery and
tuberculosis will spread.
d. Both a and b

5. Why should rapid population growth be controlled?

a. to ensure the health of the children and to proper

distribution of resources
b. to ensure bigger budget for the government’s birth
control program
c. to curb unlawful activities
d. to stop abortion

40
 Let’s Remember This

• Population refers to a group of organism of the same

kind living in the same place at the same time.

• The effects of overpopulation or rapid population

growth (RPG) are food shortage, water shortage,
housing problems, air pollution, water pollution, noise
pollution, garbage problem, unemployment, lack of
educational service, energy shortage, lack of place and
order and poverty.

Let’s Test Ourselves

Choose the letter of the correct answer.

1. What may happen to food and water supply in an

overpopulated area?

a. Shortage of food and water supply is likely to occur

because there will be great demand for many consumers
b. More food and water because there will be more vendors
c. There will be more supply than the demand

2. More people mean more business establishment. What will

happen to the air if more factories will produce smoke?

a. air will be filtered

b. air will become dirty polluted
c. air will be clean and fresh
41
3. What causes health problems in overcrowded places?

a. poor diet
b. pollution
c. dirty surrounding
d. all of these

4. All of these are found in overcrowded areas that affect the

people’s health, EXCEPT ONE.

a. clogged canals
b. improper diet
c. lack of playgrounds
d. spacious homes

5. Which of the following shows lack of concern for the

environment?

a. participating in tree-planting activities of the community

b. buying/patronizing “environmental friendly” products
c. Making a compost pit

6. What happens when there is too much carbon dioxide in the

air?

a. people can breath in clean air

b. plants can produce more food
c. the ozone layer will become thinner
d. heat will trapped and the earth will be warmer that may
cause sickness of people

7. Which one is not found in an overcrowded area that affect

people’s health?

a. lack of water pipes

b. clogged canals
c. fresh air
d. lack of toilets and playground

42
 8. A big population needs more vehicles for transportations. What
problem can this Bring that may affect our health?

a. air pollution
b. water pollution
c. lack of food supply
d. lack of water supply

9. What usually happens with the bodies of water when more

people live along rivers and lakes?

a. fishes in the river will multiply faster

b. they get polluted because of the wastes and garbage from
the people living near the area
c. Water from rivers and lakes will dry up because many
people will use it.

10. What problems may not occur due to a growing population?

a. shortage of food
b. shortage of water
c. shortage of space
d. satisfaction of basic needs.

Science Fact File

Did you know….

That the rapid growth of population is one of the reasons why

AIDS and other communicable diseases spread easily?

43
 Answer Key

Let’s Try This

Answer Vary

Let’s Do This

Answer Vary

Let’s Do More

1. d
2. b
3. d
4. d
5. a

Let’s Test Ourselves

1. b
2. b
3. d
4. d
5. c
6. d
7. c
8. a
9. b
10. d

44