A world in Peril

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I had a hard time deciding where to put this link/thread. The concept of our world in peril covers science, human interest, wildlife/ecology, international news......

The BBC has proven once again to be a great resource. An in depth report looks at six troubling aspects of our world-wide environment. The six are:

1. Biodiversity
2. Water
3. Energy
4. Food
5. Population
6. Climate Change

There are discussions on what is wrong, how it will effect us, and what we can do to help. There's a cartoon animating the green house effect, a guide to responsible gardening, and evidence for the global warming trend - among many other interesting tidbits.

Check it out here: BBC LINK

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Thanks, littleK. Will pursue tomorrow.

Misery loves company. I ache for the future.

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bm

Thanks, k.

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I had a discussion with two of my classmates yesterday about the population of humans. I showed them VHEMT.org, and explained how I personally believe that the human species should slowly die out (not by means of murder or suicide, but by stopping reproduction) and allow the earth to return to a healthy, pre-homosapien time. They think I am from outter space, now.

I don't really blame them; many have problems accepting the fact that humans have sent this earth flying off its axis in terms of the natural balance of it. I think though that it needs to be addressed. Whether we take the extreme measure of dying out completely, or a possibly more-accepted view of simply learning how to baby our planet, something has to give.

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Sanctuary wrote:

I had a discussion with two of my classmates yesterday about the population of humans. I showed them VHEMT.org, and explained how I personally believe that the human species should slowly die out (not by means of murder or suicide, but by stopping reproduction) and allow the earth to return to a healthy, pre-homosapien time. They think I am from outter space, now.

I don't really blame them; many have problems accepting the fact that humans have sent this earth flying off its axis in terms of the natural balance of it. I think though that it needs to be addressed. Whether we take the extreme measure of dying out completely, or a possibly more-accepted view of simply learning how to baby our planet, something has to give.

Your generation (as well as mine) and the next generation will not have the "guts" to give up all the "pleasures" we currently posess in order to have the planet "return to a healthy, pre-homosapien time."

What we humans refuse to accept is NATURE WINS EVERY TIME!!!!

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Quote:

What we humans refuse to accept is NATURE WINS EVERY TIME!!!!

Good point Woiyo. Every time I see an area that was built but is now disused - such as a stretch of road that has been bitumenised/tarred/macadamised (why so many words for the one thing?) and see the surface broken up by tough weeds and by rain and wind it serves as a sort of reminder to me that nature will always reclaim itself. Anyway I hope that we humans can come to our collective senses and stop competing with nature - as you say, we will lose.

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Thanks, littlek -- You find the best stuff. This is a sad commentary on humans and our waste. I take the long view and see us as little ants eating up a log.

I also took the quiz and have to brag a little....

Quote:

You got 6 right!
Well done - you must be an eco-saint, a chemistry nerd, or both

... a chemistry nerd? moi??.... I did guess on the lawn chemicals and got it right, but I missed the question abou the food for mothers and phosphates (which I should know the best, being a mom & laundress).

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I look at the earth as a giant, breathing organism and we, the humans, as the head lice.

The earthquakes and tsumanis are the earth beginning to scratch her head.

Pretty soon the real heavy-duty medication is coming out of the cabinet.

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I went straight to the green gardens -- lots of inspiration there.

Will probably plonk other parts on my global warming thread, though it's a subject that depresses me thoroughly. (Not thinking about a subject because it depresses me thoroughly doesn't seem very responsible...)

Thanks for pointing to it, littlek.

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gustavratzenhofer wrote:

I look at the earth as a giant, breathing organism and we, the humans, as the head lice.

The earthquakes and tsumanis are the earth beginning to scratch her head.

Pretty soon the real heavy-duty medication is coming out of the cabinet.

I completely agree.

Living in tornado-alley, I've grown up seeing the devestation nature causes. Even with the emotional effects obvious, I still can't help but mutter under my breath, "well, you shouldn't have built there."

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gustavratzenhofer wrote:

I look at the earth as a giant, breathing organism and we, the humans, as the head lice.

The earthquakes and tsumanis are the earth beginning to scratch her head.

Pretty soon the real heavy-duty medication is coming out of the cabinet.

George Carlin has a very similar take on this issue...

"...there is nothing wrong with the planet. Nothing wrong with the planet. The planet is fine. The people are f*cked. Difference. The planet is fine. Compared to the people the planet is doing great. Been here four and a half billion years. You ever think about the arithmetic? Planet has been here four and a half billion years and we've been here what, a hundred thousand, maybe two hundred thousand. And we've only been engaged in heavy industry for around two hundred years. Two hundred years versus four and a half billion, and we have the conceit to some how think we're a threat. That some how we're gonna put into jeopardy this beautiful little blue green ball that's just a floating around the sun.

The planet isn't going anywhere. We are. We're going away. Pack your shit folks. We're going away...and we won't leave much of a trace either. Thank god for that. Maybe a little Styrofoam. Maybe. The planet will be here and we'll be long gone. Just another failed mutation. Just another closed end biological mistake. An evolutionary cul-des-ac. The planet will shake us off like a bad case of fleas."

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Do we pin earthquakes on us too? I always wondered. When you have a climate, like the one I live in, you have extreme temperatures which can cause frost heaving and rock cleaving near ground level or above it. So, could more extreme temps and general climate caused by us truely have any effect on the inner rumblings at faultlines.....? I'd have a hard time excepting that.

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johnboy is an eternal optimist but there is, it seems to me, this story that is being very under-reported. The bird-flu thing. I don't watch commercial tv at all, and very little other tv. I listen to NPR and it is getting covered to some extent there. I play on-line scrabble and get to chat with friends from many, many different countries. My friend in Turkey spoke of how flocks of chickens were having to be destroyed there, just like ones in SE Asia, and how there may be, maybe, infections of humans. Is there a thread yet on A2K about this?

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I believe there are a few threads covering the potential pandemic, Johnny, but I'm too lazy to look for them.

Let's wait for someone to come along who is a bit more investigative.

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Any good news out there?

Any?

Somewhere?

Just a teeny bit good news?

Nothing at all?

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Sure, Liberia is holding elections tomorrow (the 11th).

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A world in Peril

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