I’m going to say the politically incorrect. I’m going to talk about social engineering which you should never do but which you have to talk about at some time.
Doing the rounds on the Internet yesterday and today is a discussion about a study published on the Internet (Plos One) which identified 107 islands where eradication projects i.e. the eradication of invasive species, could benefit 9.4% of the Earth’s threatened island species.
We know that introduced, invasive species on islands can harm native species and on occasions make those species extinct. There are a number of examples including predation by feral cats. Therefore the scientist question whether we as humans should kill all the feral cats and rats and pigs and goats and mice blah blah blah blah to stop these extinctions taking place.
Of course, they conveniently bypass the elephant in the room which is that humans and their burgeoning population growth with accompanying commercial activities are by far the biggest threat to all wildlife species on the planet.
Just yesterday there was a story about pesticides used by farmers in the UK killing bees and other pollinating insects. There has been a massive reduction in bee population size. This is a dire situation because without pollinating insects there will be a catastrophe.
This is a single example. On the continent of Africa there is huge change with i.e. deforestation due to commercial activity such as mining resulting in loss of habitat for many wild species including wild cat species.
This ‘invasion’ by the ‘disease’ that is humankind is destroying the planet and all other species on it. Okay I’m exaggerating but these are not my views alone. Sir David Attenborough, perhaps the most respected zoologists on the planet has described the human race as “a disease”. He was courageous to say it because it is politically incorrect to make remarks like that.
I won’t go on by listing a pile of specific examples of how humans are destroying wildlife. The examples are almost countless. If we want to protect wild species on the planet we must look at ourselves first. We must create a model of sustainability. This model must incorporate zero human population growth and a world economy which need not grow but which is sustained on a plateau. Business runs the planet and they shouldn’t. The people should run the planet not alpha male greedy directors of multinational companies.
We need a human population which neither increases nor decreases with an accompanying world economy along the same lines. There may even be the necessity for an initial reduction in the human population.
We can then settle into a world where we can live alongside animal species rather than pushing them recklessly off the planet either through commercial activity, destroying their habitat, poisoning them, poaching them, introducing invasive species which kill them, building more roads which form barriers and which ultimately kill them, build more houses and settlements which steal territory from wild species, build wind farms which kill birds, pollute the air with diesel engines, poison the planet with pesticides, destroy coal reefs through global warming, pollute the oceans with millions of tonnes of plastic, starve to death whales because they eat tons of plastic and so on and so on and so on.
We must look at ourselves and our behaviour first and foremost if we want to take seriously the conservation of wild species. When we have changed our behaviour we can turn our attention to the second priority, curbing invasive species on islands which kill native species. The irony is that humans introduced the rats and cats in the first place. No matter how you analyse these issues humans are at the root of the problem.
[weaver_breadcrumbs class=’alt-class’ style=’inline-style’]
[weaver_show_posts cats=”” tags=”conservation” author=”” author_id=”” single_post=”” post_type=” orderby=”date” sort=”ASC” number=”2″ show=”full” hide_title=”” hide_top_info=”” hide_bottom_info=”” show_featured_image=”” hide_featured_image=”” show_avatar=”” show_bio=”” excerpt_length=”” style=”” class=”” header=”” header_style=”” header_class=”” more_msg=”” left=0 right=0 clear=0]
Totally agree, Michael. Not that it matters, but I myself am childless. There are many people who “get it,” but then many more who do not. How can you ever get them to listen?Number one, the world needs leaders who understand and are willing to go against the corporates and other earth sludging giants. The message needs to trickle down to the brain cells of every human soul on earth. 😠😱☯️☮️🗝️
Well unfortunately Michael our pathetic leader doesnt give 2 shite’s about our environment,with him if there is oil to be found on ye property he will seek anyway he can to have ye removed from ye property to have access to the oil and he has done it already to property owners in TX,they may be forced off their own lands that have been in their families for generations because his stupid wall falls right through onto their land,he even wants to destroy a butterfly sanctuary that has been there like forever because his wall will be built on it,it will takes us decades to repair the ruin he has caused and also there are 181 species of wildlife that migrate between the US and Mexico and if his wall is built they will suffer because they wont be able to forage for their native food,breed and give birth.
https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/trumps-wall-a-death-sentence-for-wildlife/
Love this picture, Irish Cornaire. I totally agree with your view on our current “president.” Excuse my slang, but he is totally assbackwards. 🤢😠😠😠
Love this picture, Irish Cornaire. I totally agree with your view of our current “president.” Excuse my slang, but he is too assbackwards to comprehend major issues facing the earth and world today. What is much worse, he truly does not care. He resides in his own cocoon. 🤢😠😠😠
Well said, Michael.
Our current global problems, esp the environment and species health, is why having the right leaders in gov’t and business is essential. Up until lately, most of our leaders have been selfish, considering their own desires and not their nation’s or the planet’s needs.
ZPG, or even reduction, is necessary, but problematic. People will claim religious exemptions, and some people just like children. And children is how we are immortal. I understand it.
If we want or insist on having children, we need to return to our human roots. We are explorers. We need to explore Space and now. Start with the moon and move on to Mars. Just those two locations will keep us busy and relieve the burden for a while.
I find your article had interesting personal timing. For whatever reasons, I’ve been thinking that we humans need to get off this planet for the past several years and recently the past weeks. Now to get the leaders to promote this.
Are there any organizations out there that are seriously promoting space exploration for humanity and not for corporate gain?
Oh wow Michael,omg ye and I and Mary D are in agreement,my friends get mad at me when they point out a friend is pregnant and my reply always is (I wish humans would stop reproducing)the humans are the true cancer on this planet which is being destroyed forest by forest,river by river by dumping waste into bodies of fresh water and Trump is responsible for that since he fecking lifted the ban,tree by tree,our ocean marine life is dying due to pathetic humans tossing plastic and garbage into the oceans and I could on and on but I think this will suffice.
Sadly, you are correct, but also sadly, we don’t need to be the scourge. Education is the key, and we somehow need to convince our leaders that uber-profit will not secure our legacy. Being stewards of the planet should be in our public conscience and first in our thoughts.
But we have a long road to travel before we can convince enough fellow humans to make it work.
Well it’s about fucking time someone has common sense! Human are the disease of the world. All they know is spreading their legs and using their dicks instead of the heads with the real brains! The last thing we need is more fucking spawn! Humans are decimating all the animals and they don’t give a shit. All they care about is themselves. Oh, sure there a some humans that do use their brains and realize that we are over populated and killing everything that matters. However, the majority are too self centered to get a realty check. The human species needs to be decimated and soon.
Well said Mary. I am pleased that you agree with me 😉
I sure do Michael!