This article originally appeared on 05.11.15
Global Population Speak Out, an organization that unites environmentalists, knows the power of a great image. The group recently published “Overdevelopment, Overpopulation, Overshoot," an eye-opening book designed to “make millions of people acutely, immediately, and viscerally aware of the dangers and deprivations facing people and the planet." In the book, the scale of the damage caused by humans is captured by photographers from around the globe. These seven images offer a startling glimpse at the current state of our environment.

















Volunteers at the St. Francis Inn pray together before serving a meal on July 19, 2021.
Police close down a section of Kensington Avenue to clear a homeless encampment on May 8, 2024.


Left: A robotic arm. Right: Rice grains.Photo credit:
A diagram on kidney stones.myupchar/ 
A couple engages in a serious conversationCanva
Christy Lam-Julian, a mother in Pinole, Calif., reads to her son in April 2025.
Children who read bedtime stories with their parents are likely to benefit from a boost in creativity – especially if they consider questions about the books.