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Two hundred years ago, American statesman Patrick Henry said, "I know of no way of judging the future but by the past." In the past, man has trampled on the environment. Will he turn over a new leaf in the future? So far, the signs are not encouraging.
Although some laudable progress has been made, it has mainly been cosmetic, addressing symptoms rather than causes. If a house has dry rot, painting the woodwork will not prevent its collapse. Only a major structural reform can save it. Similarly, there must be a restructuring of the way man uses this planet. Mere damage control will not suffice.
Realistically, the assault on the environment cannot be effectively controlled, but must be prevented. Obviously, preventing pollution is much better than curing its ill effects. But achieving such a goal would require nothing less than a fundamental change in human society and in the focus of big business. Caring for the earth requires values, economies and societies different from most that prevail today. So what are some of these values that need to be changed for the sake of saving the planet?
Try looking deeper than the surface of the matter to uncover some of the ingrained causes of the crisis.
Selfishness.
Putting the interests of the planet before those of exploiting humans is the first necessary step toward protecting the environment. Nevertheless, few are willing to relinquish an affluent life-style, even though it may be ruining the planet for future generations. When the government of the Netherlands-one of the most polluted countries of Western Europe-tried to limit car travel as part of an antipollution campaign, widespread opposition sabotaged the plan. Although Dutch roads are the most congested in the world, motorists just weren’t willing to give up their freedom.
Self-interest affects decision makers as well as the general public. Politicians are reluctant to implement environmental policies that might cost them votes, and industrialists balk at any proposals that may threaten profits and economic growth.
Greed.
When it comes down to a choice between profits and conservation, money usually talks louder. Powerful industries lobby to minimize pollution control or to avoid government regulations altogether. The damage to the ozone layer exemplifies this problem. The fight over the harmfulness of CFC's had nothing to do with whether the environment was being damaged or not, it was all about who was going to gain an economic edge over who. Now many scientists realize that the destruction of the ozone layer is one of the worst man-made environmental catastrophes in history.
Ignorance.
What we know is dwarfed by what we don’t know. We still know relatively little about the abundance of life in tropical rain forests, amazingly, we know more-much more-about the surface of the moon. The same is true regarding the atmosphere. How much carbon dioxide can we keep on pumping into the sky without affecting the global climate? Nobody knows. But it is reckless to subject nature to such giant experiments when the outcome is unknown and the possible consequences are too frightening to contemplate.
Shortsighted viewpoints.
Unlike other catastrophes, environmental problems creep up on us insidiously. This hampers attempts to drum up concerted action before lasting damage is done. The planet can only be saved if politicians and businessmen face up to reality and think in terms of long-term viability instead of short-term benefits.
In the face of all these fundamental problems, are there any reasons to look to the future with confidence? One favourable aspect is the resilience of our planet’s defense system.
Like the human body, the earth has an amazing capacity to heal itself. An outstanding example of this occurred last century. In 1883 the Indonesian volcanic island of Krakatoa erupted in a gigantic explosion that was heard almost 3,000 miles away. Nearly five cubic miles of matter was hurled into the sky, and two thirds of the island disappeared under the sea. Nine months later the only sign of life was a microscopic spider. Today the whole island is covered by exuberant tropical vegetation, which is host to hundreds of species of birds, mammals, snakes, and insects. No doubt this recovery has been abetted by the protection the island enjoys as part of a National Park.
Human damage can also be undone. Given time, the earth can heal itself. The question is, will men give the earth the respite it needs?
Take a look at the world around you and see for yourself. I would appreciate your views on this subject.
King of Such
Although some laudable progress has been made, it has mainly been cosmetic, addressing symptoms rather than causes. If a house has dry rot, painting the woodwork will not prevent its collapse. Only a major structural reform can save it. Similarly, there must be a restructuring of the way man uses this planet. Mere damage control will not suffice.
Realistically, the assault on the environment cannot be effectively controlled, but must be prevented. Obviously, preventing pollution is much better than curing its ill effects. But achieving such a goal would require nothing less than a fundamental change in human society and in the focus of big business. Caring for the earth requires values, economies and societies different from most that prevail today. So what are some of these values that need to be changed for the sake of saving the planet?
Try looking deeper than the surface of the matter to uncover some of the ingrained causes of the crisis.
Selfishness.
Putting the interests of the planet before those of exploiting humans is the first necessary step toward protecting the environment. Nevertheless, few are willing to relinquish an affluent life-style, even though it may be ruining the planet for future generations. When the government of the Netherlands-one of the most polluted countries of Western Europe-tried to limit car travel as part of an antipollution campaign, widespread opposition sabotaged the plan. Although Dutch roads are the most congested in the world, motorists just weren’t willing to give up their freedom.
Self-interest affects decision makers as well as the general public. Politicians are reluctant to implement environmental policies that might cost them votes, and industrialists balk at any proposals that may threaten profits and economic growth.
Greed.
When it comes down to a choice between profits and conservation, money usually talks louder. Powerful industries lobby to minimize pollution control or to avoid government regulations altogether. The damage to the ozone layer exemplifies this problem. The fight over the harmfulness of CFC's had nothing to do with whether the environment was being damaged or not, it was all about who was going to gain an economic edge over who. Now many scientists realize that the destruction of the ozone layer is one of the worst man-made environmental catastrophes in history.
Ignorance.
What we know is dwarfed by what we don’t know. We still know relatively little about the abundance of life in tropical rain forests, amazingly, we know more-much more-about the surface of the moon. The same is true regarding the atmosphere. How much carbon dioxide can we keep on pumping into the sky without affecting the global climate? Nobody knows. But it is reckless to subject nature to such giant experiments when the outcome is unknown and the possible consequences are too frightening to contemplate.
Shortsighted viewpoints.
Unlike other catastrophes, environmental problems creep up on us insidiously. This hampers attempts to drum up concerted action before lasting damage is done. The planet can only be saved if politicians and businessmen face up to reality and think in terms of long-term viability instead of short-term benefits.
In the face of all these fundamental problems, are there any reasons to look to the future with confidence? One favourable aspect is the resilience of our planet’s defense system.
Like the human body, the earth has an amazing capacity to heal itself. An outstanding example of this occurred last century. In 1883 the Indonesian volcanic island of Krakatoa erupted in a gigantic explosion that was heard almost 3,000 miles away. Nearly five cubic miles of matter was hurled into the sky, and two thirds of the island disappeared under the sea. Nine months later the only sign of life was a microscopic spider. Today the whole island is covered by exuberant tropical vegetation, which is host to hundreds of species of birds, mammals, snakes, and insects. No doubt this recovery has been abetted by the protection the island enjoys as part of a National Park.
Human damage can also be undone. Given time, the earth can heal itself. The question is, will men give the earth the respite it needs?
Take a look at the world around you and see for yourself. I would appreciate your views on this subject.
King of Such
Cheers
King of Such
King of Such
Don't worry, I wasn't trying to have a go at you or anything, maybe I could have written it a little better but, good intentions and all that eh ?
A least you wrote a good topic, instead of "look at my poetry its great" that so many others are posting here - it's not great, mostly, BTW :)
~~Belldandy~~
A least you wrote a good topic, instead of "look at my poetry its great" that so many others are posting here - it's not great, mostly, BTW :)
~~Belldandy~~
You hold the opinion of most of the people on this planet in this regard Belldandy, virtually no-one would agree to follow an order or group that would seriously de-convenience their normal way of life, let alone the whole world.
I think you missed the main thrust behind my post though, as I was merely pointing out what is happening to our earth, what the causes of this are, and letting you come to your own conclusion as to what the future will hold. I wasn't specifically advocating greenpeace or anything like that, I just intended to make people more aware of the situation. Thanks for your comments though, they were well written.
King of Such
I think you missed the main thrust behind my post though, as I was merely pointing out what is happening to our earth, what the causes of this are, and letting you come to your own conclusion as to what the future will hold. I wasn't specifically advocating greenpeace or anything like that, I just intended to make people more aware of the situation. Thanks for your comments though, they were well written.
King of Such
It's all well and good talking about the Earth's ability to recover itself BUT this ties in with the Gaia theory (Forgot the guy who came up with it) which suggests that no matter what we do, life will survive on Earth. The problem ? No one is 100% sure that this guy meant human life.....
Incidentally, Krakatoa chucked so much ash and general matter into the earth's atmosphere that it changed weather patterns for years to come.
Going back to the original post... It's okay telling people that to make the Earth good they can't have the lifestyle they enjoy, except that if you do that, a group does that, or a politician does that, then most of us aren't going to listen - I wouldn't. To make changes that protect and preserve the environment a ay has to be found of doing it in a wy that lets our lifestyle continue relatively unchanged.
For instance, the subject of cars. Using myself as an example; There's no way I'd give up my car because it's the only way I can get to work and University when I need to be there. I pay road tax, insurance, higher petrol prices, license fess, so I'm going to use it when I want and for what I want. Public transport simply cannot get me where I need to be on time - to go to University would mean catching 4 buses, relying on each one connecting - NO CHANCE ! Work ? 1 Bus every hour where I live. Even if public transport was easier I'd still use a car because I enjoy the quiet in the morning and listening to some music before the day begins proper.
I'm not the only one who thinks like this and no number of green groups like Greenpeace are going to convince me any differently.
At the end of the day, even if we were all to change into perfect green people overnight it'd be at least 100 years before global warming e.t.c. even started to reverse - if its even anything to do with pollution...
One theory is that global warming is part of the natural cycle of the earth's environment, we know that the Earth has previously undergone several major climatic changes such as the Ice Age, end of the Ice Age e.t.c. Besides, Airforce 2006 report suggests that weather control is within mankind's grasp pretty soon (10-20 years).
Remember this, humans have survived since the Ice Age and have evolved faster than any other life on Earth. We've survived war, disease, disaster, climatic change, everything life throws at us, and we're still here. Whatever happens in the future that won't change because we've got the technology and power to meet any challenge - sure the Green groups would love us all to think the end is nigh, it isn't and won't be, but if they admitted that then who'd give them money to pay for those plush offices, and days spent doing very little work, and free holidays...sorry "fact finding trips"....
~~Belldandy~~
Incidentally, Krakatoa chucked so much ash and general matter into the earth's atmosphere that it changed weather patterns for years to come.
Going back to the original post... It's okay telling people that to make the Earth good they can't have the lifestyle they enjoy, except that if you do that, a group does that, or a politician does that, then most of us aren't going to listen - I wouldn't. To make changes that protect and preserve the environment a ay has to be found of doing it in a wy that lets our lifestyle continue relatively unchanged.
For instance, the subject of cars. Using myself as an example; There's no way I'd give up my car because it's the only way I can get to work and University when I need to be there. I pay road tax, insurance, higher petrol prices, license fess, so I'm going to use it when I want and for what I want. Public transport simply cannot get me where I need to be on time - to go to University would mean catching 4 buses, relying on each one connecting - NO CHANCE ! Work ? 1 Bus every hour where I live. Even if public transport was easier I'd still use a car because I enjoy the quiet in the morning and listening to some music before the day begins proper.
I'm not the only one who thinks like this and no number of green groups like Greenpeace are going to convince me any differently.
At the end of the day, even if we were all to change into perfect green people overnight it'd be at least 100 years before global warming e.t.c. even started to reverse - if its even anything to do with pollution...
One theory is that global warming is part of the natural cycle of the earth's environment, we know that the Earth has previously undergone several major climatic changes such as the Ice Age, end of the Ice Age e.t.c. Besides, Airforce 2006 report suggests that weather control is within mankind's grasp pretty soon (10-20 years).
Remember this, humans have survived since the Ice Age and have evolved faster than any other life on Earth. We've survived war, disease, disaster, climatic change, everything life throws at us, and we're still here. Whatever happens in the future that won't change because we've got the technology and power to meet any challenge - sure the Green groups would love us all to think the end is nigh, it isn't and won't be, but if they admitted that then who'd give them money to pay for those plush offices, and days spent doing very little work, and free holidays...sorry "fact finding trips"....
~~Belldandy~~
Two hundred years ago, American statesman Patrick Henry said, "I know of no way of judging the future but by the past." In the past, man has trampled on the environment. Will he turn over a new leaf in the future? So far, the signs are not encouraging.
Although some laudable progress has been made, it has mainly been cosmetic, addressing symptoms rather than causes. If a house has dry rot, painting the woodwork will not prevent its collapse. Only a major structural reform can save it. Similarly, there must be a restructuring of the way man uses this planet. Mere damage control will not suffice.
Realistically, the assault on the environment cannot be effectively controlled, but must be prevented. Obviously, preventing pollution is much better than curing its ill effects. But achieving such a goal would require nothing less than a fundamental change in human society and in the focus of big business. Caring for the earth requires values, economies and societies different from most that prevail today. So what are some of these values that need to be changed for the sake of saving the planet?
Try looking deeper than the surface of the matter to uncover some of the ingrained causes of the crisis.
Selfishness.
Putting the interests of the planet before those of exploiting humans is the first necessary step toward protecting the environment. Nevertheless, few are willing to relinquish an affluent life-style, even though it may be ruining the planet for future generations. When the government of the Netherlands-one of the most polluted countries of Western Europe-tried to limit car travel as part of an antipollution campaign, widespread opposition sabotaged the plan. Although Dutch roads are the most congested in the world, motorists just weren’t willing to give up their freedom.
Self-interest affects decision makers as well as the general public. Politicians are reluctant to implement environmental policies that might cost them votes, and industrialists balk at any proposals that may threaten profits and economic growth.
Greed.
When it comes down to a choice between profits and conservation, money usually talks louder. Powerful industries lobby to minimize pollution control or to avoid government regulations altogether. The damage to the ozone layer exemplifies this problem. The fight over the harmfulness of CFC's had nothing to do with whether the environment was being damaged or not, it was all about who was going to gain an economic edge over who. Now many scientists realize that the destruction of the ozone layer is one of the worst man-made environmental catastrophes in history.
Ignorance.
What we know is dwarfed by what we don’t know. We still know relatively little about the abundance of life in tropical rain forests, amazingly, we know more-much more-about the surface of the moon. The same is true regarding the atmosphere. How much carbon dioxide can we keep on pumping into the sky without affecting the global climate? Nobody knows. But it is reckless to subject nature to such giant experiments when the outcome is unknown and the possible consequences are too frightening to contemplate.
Shortsighted viewpoints.
Unlike other catastrophes, environmental problems creep up on us insidiously. This hampers attempts to drum up concerted action before lasting damage is done. The planet can only be saved if politicians and businessmen face up to reality and think in terms of long-term viability instead of short-term benefits.
In the face of all these fundamental problems, are there any reasons to look to the future with confidence? One favourable aspect is the resilience of our planet’s defense system.
Like the human body, the earth has an amazing capacity to heal itself. An outstanding example of this occurred last century. In 1883 the Indonesian volcanic island of Krakatoa erupted in a gigantic explosion that was heard almost 3,000 miles away. Nearly five cubic miles of matter was hurled into the sky, and two thirds of the island disappeared under the sea. Nine months later the only sign of life was a microscopic spider. Today the whole island is covered by exuberant tropical vegetation, which is host to hundreds of species of birds, mammals, snakes, and insects. No doubt this recovery has been abetted by the protection the island enjoys as part of a National Park.
Human damage can also be undone. Given time, the earth can heal itself. The question is, will men give the earth the respite it needs?
Take a look at the world around you and see for yourself. I would appreciate your views on this subject.
King of Such
Although some laudable progress has been made, it has mainly been cosmetic, addressing symptoms rather than causes. If a house has dry rot, painting the woodwork will not prevent its collapse. Only a major structural reform can save it. Similarly, there must be a restructuring of the way man uses this planet. Mere damage control will not suffice.
Realistically, the assault on the environment cannot be effectively controlled, but must be prevented. Obviously, preventing pollution is much better than curing its ill effects. But achieving such a goal would require nothing less than a fundamental change in human society and in the focus of big business. Caring for the earth requires values, economies and societies different from most that prevail today. So what are some of these values that need to be changed for the sake of saving the planet?
Try looking deeper than the surface of the matter to uncover some of the ingrained causes of the crisis.
Selfishness.
Putting the interests of the planet before those of exploiting humans is the first necessary step toward protecting the environment. Nevertheless, few are willing to relinquish an affluent life-style, even though it may be ruining the planet for future generations. When the government of the Netherlands-one of the most polluted countries of Western Europe-tried to limit car travel as part of an antipollution campaign, widespread opposition sabotaged the plan. Although Dutch roads are the most congested in the world, motorists just weren’t willing to give up their freedom.
Self-interest affects decision makers as well as the general public. Politicians are reluctant to implement environmental policies that might cost them votes, and industrialists balk at any proposals that may threaten profits and economic growth.
Greed.
When it comes down to a choice between profits and conservation, money usually talks louder. Powerful industries lobby to minimize pollution control or to avoid government regulations altogether. The damage to the ozone layer exemplifies this problem. The fight over the harmfulness of CFC's had nothing to do with whether the environment was being damaged or not, it was all about who was going to gain an economic edge over who. Now many scientists realize that the destruction of the ozone layer is one of the worst man-made environmental catastrophes in history.
Ignorance.
What we know is dwarfed by what we don’t know. We still know relatively little about the abundance of life in tropical rain forests, amazingly, we know more-much more-about the surface of the moon. The same is true regarding the atmosphere. How much carbon dioxide can we keep on pumping into the sky without affecting the global climate? Nobody knows. But it is reckless to subject nature to such giant experiments when the outcome is unknown and the possible consequences are too frightening to contemplate.
Shortsighted viewpoints.
Unlike other catastrophes, environmental problems creep up on us insidiously. This hampers attempts to drum up concerted action before lasting damage is done. The planet can only be saved if politicians and businessmen face up to reality and think in terms of long-term viability instead of short-term benefits.
In the face of all these fundamental problems, are there any reasons to look to the future with confidence? One favourable aspect is the resilience of our planet’s defense system.
Like the human body, the earth has an amazing capacity to heal itself. An outstanding example of this occurred last century. In 1883 the Indonesian volcanic island of Krakatoa erupted in a gigantic explosion that was heard almost 3,000 miles away. Nearly five cubic miles of matter was hurled into the sky, and two thirds of the island disappeared under the sea. Nine months later the only sign of life was a microscopic spider. Today the whole island is covered by exuberant tropical vegetation, which is host to hundreds of species of birds, mammals, snakes, and insects. No doubt this recovery has been abetted by the protection the island enjoys as part of a National Park.
Human damage can also be undone. Given time, the earth can heal itself. The question is, will men give the earth the respite it needs?
Take a look at the world around you and see for yourself. I would appreciate your views on this subject.
King of Such