Challenge Issue Among the primate species, humans are the only ones
capable of inhabiting the entire globe. Over the course of human evolutionary history,
both our cultural and biological capabilities have contributed to our adaptability as
a species. But today it seems that we are approaching the limits of our biological
and cultural adaptability. The actions of human societies have changed the world on
such a massive scale and at such a rapid pace that we, as a species, are facing novel
challenges. If birth and death rates continue at current rates, global population size
of 6.8 billion will double in less than fifty years, placing untenable pressures on the
world’s natural resources. As water, food, and fuel become impossibly scarce, how
will humans adapt? Will this lead to warfare and to an impossible distance between
the have-nots and the have-lots? Here, women in Mehdiganj, India, hold water urns
called gharas with the words “Water Is Life” written on them to protest the nearby
Coca-Cola bottling plant. As the plant uses up the local water, nearby farmers lose
their livelihood and way of life. In a competition for resources such as this, global
corporations like Coca-Cola have advantages over local inhabitants. But ultimately,
for all of us to win, strategies must be implemented to ensure a planet in balance.Lok Samiti (translation: People’s Committee) of Mehdiganj, India. Photograph by Nandial Master.10843_13_p298-321.indd 29810843_13_p298-321.indd 298 1/20/10 1:21:19 AM1/20/10 1:21:19 AM