Question

How does population growth and decline impact our society and the environment? In my own words

Answer 1

If you need to explain this "in your own words," here are three simple ways you can say it — pick the one that fits your style or combine them:

One-sentence version
- Population growth means more people using land, water, food and energy, which can strain nature and services; population decline can ease environmental pressure but create problems like fewer workers, shrinking economies, and more older people to support.

Short paragraph
- When a population grows, we need more houses, roads, food, water and energy, so natural areas get converted to farms or cities, pollution and waste increase, and ecosystems can be damaged. That puts pressure on services like schools, healthcare and transport, but it can also mean more workers and innovation. When a population shrinks, there may be less pollution and less stress on resources, but communities can face labor shortages, a smaller tax base, and higher costs caring for an aging population — plus empty towns or declining local services.

A bit longer, slightly more detailed
- Population growth amplifies demand for resources (land, water, energy, food) and infrastructure, which often leads to deforestation, habitat loss, higher greenhouse gas emissions and worse air and water quality. Socially and economically, rapid growth can overwhelm housing, schools, hospitals and jobs, creating inequality and strained public services — though it can also lead to economic dynamism if managed well. Population decline lowers resource use and can be good for local ecosystems and emissions, but brings challenges: fewer workers, reduced economic activity, less tax revenue, pressure to support a larger share of elderly people, and potential abandonment of neighborhoods or services. Both situations require planning — for growth, investments in sustainable infrastructure and resource management; for decline, policies to support the economy, attract people or make smaller populations live well.

If you want this in a different tone (more formal, more casual, or for a school assignment), tell me who the audience is and I’ll adjust it.