“A city could be defined, almost, as a human ecosystem that grossly exceeds the carrying capacity of its local environment.”

William R. Catton, Jr. (born January 15, 1926) is an American sociologist best known for his scholarly work in environmental sociology and human ecology. His intellectual approach is broad and interdisciplinary. Catton’s repute extends beyond academic social science due primarily to his 1980 book, Overshoot: The Ecological Basis of Revolutionary Change. Catton has written three other books, including From Animistic to Naturalistic Sociology. In addition he has authored numerous scholarly articles, book chapters and book reviews. In 2009 he published a new book, titled Bottleneck: Humanity’s Impending Impasse. He is retired from academic life and lives in Lakewood, Washington, USA. (From the Wikipedia entry.)