Willravel

Scientists now say that we are in a new stage of the Earth's history, the Anthropocene Epoch, when we ourselved have become the globe's principal force.

It has become aparent that we, humanity, have become too successful. The unpredicted human pressure on the Earth's ecosystems threatens our future as a species. Food shortages are growing on a global scale. By 2025, two thirds of the world's people are likely to be living in areas of acute water stress. Oil supplies will peak and begin to decline by 2010. There are already well over 6 billion humans alive today. by 2050 this will grow to 8.9 billion. Although the proportion of people living is continuing to fall, the absolute number goes on rising. Poverty matters because it leaves many people no choice but to exploit the environment.

Earth will not be able to sustain human life on it's present course. No one can argue with this. Either something has to be done, or we will face a real threat of extinction within our grandchildrens lifetime. The nearsightedness of governments has prevented population control on a scale that could have an effect. The oil industries fighting alternative fuel has hindered the production of safer vehicles that would save our reserve of fuels and keep the air cleaner.

One of the main goals of any species is the continuation of itself. We reproduce in order to continue living on. Yet, as we live now, we are destryoing ourselves. It is becoming clear that we are too self involved to see that we are self destructing. Many scientists theorise that this is planetary self preservation; we are out of control, so nature is dealing with us.

I was pretty general about this, because being specific about this would take up way too much space. What can we do to prevent the destruction of our species? Why are so many people convinced that we are not in any danger?