Houston, We Have a Problem

Abstract

The U.S. is the third most populated nation in the world, behind only China and India, and is home to over 300 million people. Immigration from many locations around the globe has sparked the recent increase in U.S. population. The U.S. is behind only Russia and Canada in total land area and still holds substantial natural resources including farmland, timber, metals, coal, and even crude oil. The abundant supply of usable raw materials has greatly contributed to prosperity for hundreds of millions of people in the U.S. for more than two centuries. Although the U.S. still has considerable poverty, crime, and economically depressed areas within its borders, the standard of living enjoyed in most U.S. communities is significantly higher than the day-to-day reality for billions of people throughout the developing world…