Human Overpopulation Affecting Animals and Environment

It is a common idea that human beings are at the top of the food chain.  We have capabilities and brain functions that cannot be matched by any other species.  But what does it say about our intelligence when we are depleting our natural resources, and destroying the habitats and lives of many types of species?
Many researchers and scientists will argue that human overpopulation is the world's biggest problem.  It's the biggest  issue that contributes to numerous other complications.  It is estimated our population will reach 9 billion by 2048.  Doris Lin discusses in her article on About.com the affects of human overpopulation and the affects on animal life. "Human overpopulation is an animal rights issue as well as an environmental issue and a human rights issue. Human activities, including mining, transportation, pollution, agriculture, development, and logging, take habitat away from wild animals as well as kill animals directly."With larger populations demands go up.  Housing needs to be available to growing families.  This causes deforestation that equates to displaced animals from their homes.  Many animals depend on the natural environment to build nests, dens and hideaways from predators.  They can only survive off of materials provided by the land, so they may too sustain life for their offspring.  With more people on earth, more mouths need to be fed.  This causes increases in demand for meats and dairy.  Not only are countless farm animals being slaughtered and tortured to provide meals to people all over the world, but factory farming is also contributing to the pollution humans already cause.  In the United States, farms alone produce more than 400 different gases into our air.  Manure and methane are leaders of livestock pollution.  Much of this pollution is a direct result from high depends on meat and dairy.  It leads to farm overcrowding, poor diet and nutrition for animals, and high levels of waste.  Because of the excessive amounts of waste from the farm animals, much of it is dumped irresponsibly affecting animals and humans as described in the factory farming article on sustainabletable.org.  "Man-made lagoons on industrial farms hold millions of gallons of liquid waste, from which contaminants can leach into groundwater. The manure is normally sprayed on crops, but often excessively, leading it to run off into surface waters.  Nutrients and bacteria from waste can contaminate waterways, killing fish and shellfish and disturbing aquatic ecosystems."  The demand by an overpopulation of humans causes excessive need for animals (which are treated inhumanely) that then result in loss of other animal life.  Sustainable.com has excellent information pertaining to all areas of education and sustainability including more on pollution and factory farming.  Factory farming and forest depletion are not the only threats animals, wildlife, and the environment face.  There is constant demand for fur, cosmetics, and jewelry which animals have to suffer and die for, but there are needs of animals to perform for amusement, and stray pets that wind up homeless or in a shelter because an owner got rid of them.  Animals are innocent beings.  Many existed on this planet before we were here.  Yet many of us think our superiority trumps all other species and that we are most important.  The thing to remember is that there is one planet earth which we share with many other plants, creatures and wildlife, and that has a limited number of resources.  Before it's too late and humans are reliving Easter Island, it is important to do what we can, while we can, all while respecting the animals and wildlife around us.  Limiting our uses of resources, cutting back on meat consumption, and supporting animal friendly companies can not only benefit them, but us too.  Resources:1) "Top 10 Animals Rights Issues," Doris Lin, About.com2) "The Issues: Factory Farming," sustainabletable.org