This is the approximate number of human beings on earth at this moment. The human population is increasing at about the rate of 3 human beings per second (5 births - 2 deaths). Each additional human requires water, food, space and other resources to survive; people in the developed countries consume a disproportionate amount. As our population grows, we alter natural habitats to provide for our material needs; this inevitably reduces the amount of habitat and resources available for other species and degrades the ability of the natural environment to function efficiently and provide ecosystem "services" such as clean air, clean water, the capture of energy from sunlight, and the transfer of that energy through other trophic levels. As a species we are choosing short-term gains (unsustainable food production, and resource extraction) for long-term, sustainable benefits (biodiversity, complex ecosystems, ecosystem functions).