We humans have been trashing the earth’s ecosystems as long as we’ve existed. The cumulative effect of our selfish behavior is now degrading our quality of life. In my lifetime, I’ve observed more frequent and severe droughts, wildfires, hurricanes and tornadoes, hotter summers, and less winter fog in the Sacramento Valley.
Despite the efforts of some people, we have more air, water, and soil pollution than ever. Human overpopulation exacerbates these problems (as well as others), but the most powerful force driving them is the unusually rapid pace of global climate changes.
Climate change is a natural phenomenon, but it normally occurs much more slowly than it has in the past 200 years. Long timelines showing the history of these issues and localized weather make it obvious that mining and burning fossil fuels—intensified by the industrial revolution and rapid population growth and development—are driving the unusually rapid pace of current climate changes.
If we—the Earth’s entire population—don’t change our ways immediately, we will make this planet uninhabitable for life as we know it, sooner than most people want to believe. Let’s stop being greedy and selfish. Let’s care about all the life on our beautiful planet, take responsibility for saving it, and behave as true stewards of the Earth.
