Is it possible to prevent the coming mass extinction event? (ethical, solutions)
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Our planet is currently undergoing its sixth mass extinction event, with the highest number of species endangered or extinct since the age of the dinosaurs. This one though is not caused by an asteroid or some other cataclysmic event, but by human activity such as poaching, sport hunting, and habitat destruction. People are upset about Harambe, but the real tragedy is that the number of gorillas still alive in the wild is dwindling fast. Tigers will probably be gone in the wild within the next 10-15 years, with only a little over 2,000 left. That doesn't stop poachers as there is still a lot of money to be made on the black market selling tiger skins. It doesn't help that a lot of this is happening in third world countries that don't have a lot of policies in place to prevent these kinds of things and/or cannot enforce them.
Bottom line is humans are completely destroying this planet and we are currently well into the sixth mass extinction event, and nobody seems to care, as long as the dollars keep flowing in. Religious people don't care either since they believe we are in the end times and the rapture will happen soon and the world will be destroyed. While everyone is arguing over bathrooms, who is allowed to love who, and a woman's right to choose, a truly catastrophic thing is happening to our planet. That's not even considering the impact of climate change, which even if it was a hoax, would not stop what is happening.
Does anybody know what it would take to prevent this extinction event? Nature and evolution doesn't discriminate, but it always has ways of fighting back. Thoughts?
Last edited by bawac34618; 06-03-2016 at 04:51 PM..
My thoughts are that your whole line of thinking is completely off. And if you think I'm a right wing nut job for saying that, then take a look at what this liberal Democrat is saying. Here's the short version:
Our planet is currently undergoing its sixth mass extinction event, with the highest number of species endangered or extinct since the age of the dinosaurs. This one though is not caused by an asteroid or some other cataclysmic event, but by human activity such as poaching, sport hunting, and habitat destruction. People are upset about Harambe, but the real tragedy is that the number of gorillas still alive in the wild is dwindling fast. Tigers will probably be gone in the wild within the next 10-15 years, with only a little over 2,000 left. That doesn't stop poachers as there is still a lot of money to be made on the black market setting tiger skins. It doesn't help that a lot of this is happening in third world countries that don't have a lot of policies in place to prevent these kinds of things and/or cannot enforce them.
Bottom line is humans are completely destroying this planet and we are currently well into the sixth mass extinction event, and nobody seems to care, as long as the dollars keep flowing in. Religious people don't care either since they believe we are in the end times and the rapture will happen soon and the world will be destroyed. While everyone is arguing over bathrooms, who is allowed to love who, and a woman's right to choose, a truly catastrophic thing is happening to our planet. That's not even considering the impact of climate change, which even if it was a hoax, would not stop what is happening.
Does anybody know what it would take to prevent this extinction event? Nature and evolution doesn't discriminate, but it always has ways of fighting back. Thoughts?
Unfortunately no. There is no single, or complex, answer as the problem is also complex.
Unfortunately no. There is no single, or complex, answer as the problem is also complex.
It is sad, indeed but also part of the 'cycle'.
I agree it is a very complex problem. I don't believe in Agenda 21 and any type of intentional population control could never be implemented nor should it. However, I think human overpopulation will naturally sort itself out when fossil fuels are gone. Without petroleum, the world would have maybe half of its current population and humans would be able to live in harmony with nature as they did prior to the 20th century. Question is, can we get to peak oil and beyond and still have a planet for our descendants to inherit.
There is absolutely no point in stressing about it. You will never change the mind of greedy, heartless people. Conservation has done great things in America. Look at the animals that have been brought back from the brink. Look at the billions in revenue for fishing and hunting because of smart wildlife management. But places like Africa? People are just corrupt and outright stupid. Unless you advocate occupying the countries where the animals are being mismanaged worrying about it is an exercise in futility.
There is absolutely no point in stressing about it. You will never change the mind of greedy, heartless people. Conservation has done great things in America. Look at the animals that have been brought back from the brink. Look at the billions in revenue for fishing and hunting because of smart wildlife management. But places like Africa? People are just corrupt and outright stupid. Unless you advocate occupying the countries where the animals are being mismanaged worrying about it is an exercise in futility.
That's the problem. The worst of this is happening under societies that don't have the ability to enforce conservation. Kudos to America for bringing back the American Bison and the Bald Eagle.
I am not going to argue for occupation, but it would be a more worthwhile cause than more wars for oil.
I agree it is a very complex problem. I don't believe in Agenda 21 and any type of intentional population control could never be implemented nor should it. However, I think human overpopulation will naturally sort itself out when fossil fuels are gone. Without petroleum, the world would have maybe half of its current population and humans would be able to live in harmony with nature as they did prior to the 20th century. Question is, can we get to peak oil and beyond and still have a planet for our descendants to inherit.
Peak oil was a myth I once had some belief in. Our fracking technology unleashed a whole new animal
We in the US can promote sustainable business practices, get people to only support decent businesses, and pass laws the protect the environment, but what about Europe or Asia or Africa? Among the biggest contributors to environmental destruction is developing nations, not post-industrial ones. Yeah, China uses a lot of fossil fuel, but the US and Europe are doing quite a lot of technological innovation and looking to new fuel sources. But African countries are a huge problem, and we can't really do anything about that.
You mention poaching, which is hugely problematic if Africa. And there's basically nothing we can do that wouldn't be wildly authoritarian. We can impose economic sanctions on countries that aren't doing a lot to combat it, but by doing so, we'd destabilize the countries economy only increasing the demand for these unethical trades to occur. And I don't think asking nicely will do much either.
There is no solution that I can think of. We can do our best to lead by example, but as of now, that's the best I can come up with.
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