Population issues are very important in today’s world – especially since the world population has exceeded 7 billion people!
Part 1: Discuss the “baby boom” population structure in the U.S. (or another country). What “S.P.E.E.C.H.” situations probably led to this population boom?
Part 2: What age are the baby boomers now? What positive and negative impacts do you think the ‘boomer’ generation has – and will have – on older and younger generations (i.e. social, economic, environmental, political resources). What can be done now to mitigate any negative future impacts? Post web site(s) and use your text, life experience, and/or media news, etc. to back your position.
*Remember, this is an academic discussion. Base your posts and responses on cited research, avoiding wikipedia and any political or biased resources – thanks!
What does S.P.E.E.C.H mean?
Each week in this course, we may discuss difference aspects of “S.P.E.E.C.H.” in our discussions boards (and sometimes as an essay on a weekly quiz). We’ll talk about ‘Social’ aspects, for example. “Social” points of view, causes, effects, etc. could include population, demographics, urbanization, infant mortality, birth, death, health and vaccines, etc. ‘Cultural’ aspects can include ethnicity, religion, technology (and access to technology), traditional use of medicinal plants, etc. ‘Historical’ aspects can include past societies, rise of technology, personal history, heritage, historic events and how they’ve shaped the present day, etc. “Environment” can include biodiversity, ecosystems, landscapes, green space, pollution, farms and crops, climate, carrying capacity, environmental health, etc. “Political” can include elected officials, local, national and international policies, laws, family planning legislation, government restrictions and response to national issues, etc. “Economic” can include national economies, world markets, banking, investments, and especially in this context, local economies that influence people at the community level. Many times people refer to social and economic conditions together as “socioeconomics”. I’ll refer to ALL these points of view as “S.P.E.E.C.H.” perspectives – an acronym for the above list.
