In 1950, the planet had 2.5 billion inhabitants; and in 2005, the planet had 6.5 billion inhabitants. By 2050, this number could reach more than 9 billion. » The fact that the human population on Earth could exceed 10 billion people in a hundred years shocks me. Many projections indicate that our global population could become unsustainable due to lack of energy sources. “Given the unequivocal relationship between energy consumption and fertility, stabilizing the world's population by mid-century will require much more energy than currently anticipated. » (DeLong 6) If these projections are even close to accurate, it can only mean trouble for us and our planet. We must start reducing the rate of population growth now. This statement, at first glance, should make anyone a little uncomfortable. Slowing down the rate at which people reproduce is something that seems impossible to do without seriously violating our natural human nature.