United States Population Growth

by Hannah Edwards

Submitted : Fall 2014

Earth: Portrait of a Planet states that the global rate of oil consumption is currently 31 billion barrels per year. At that rate, oil supplies may only be able to sustain consumer usage until year 2100. At the same time, the United States (U.S.) population is growing every sixteen seconds (Population Clock), meaning that finding alternative resources is vital to keep the next generation fueled. Knowing how large our population is going to be when oil supplies become scarce will give scientists and engineers an idea of how powerful and resourceful the next energy source will have to be. Given the U.S. population’s numerical value in 2010 and in 2013, the estimated U.S. population in 86 years was calculated using an exponential population growth model, P (t)= Ae^kt. This model was used since the population grows at a rate proportional to the population. In the year 2100, the U.S. population is estimated to be 592,210,063.2 people. With the U.S. population booming over 500 million people, the importance and need for keeping our Earth healthy and sustainable needs to be brought to the forefront of discussion.

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