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Human overpopulation threatens Earth's future
Guest commentary
by Guest Commentary |
PUBLISHED ON 2/9/07 IN Commentary
The year is 2007. Since 2004 I have sent my views below to the editors of University Newspapers and Daily Newspapers in North America, but still, Earth's agonizing moans and groans are largely ignored around the globe. Environmental issues are making headlines more often though, but still, real help to save the natural environment for mankind is not yet on the horizon. The Human Species continues to wage its vicious war on nature. The stakes are getting higher. Is it time to unleash student power?
Every politician, every CEO, every labor leader, every religious leader, every academic leader and millions of others aggressively pursue growth to attain their "success" in today's competitive world: more mines and oil rigs, more factories and power plants, more multi-lane highways and airport runways, more SUVs and giant motor-homes, more luxury hotels and manicured golf courses, more sparkling mansions and office towers, more churches and schools, more hospitals, more super-malls and fast-food outlets, more huge animal feedlots and factory farms, more clear-cut logging, more mega-scale fish harvesting, more deadly pesticides and toxic chemicals, more weapons to kill efficiently, more workers and students, more followers of the faith, more voters, more consumers, more sales and profits. When, oh when, will mankind realize that this path will lead to the eventual irreversible soiling of our nest - the eventual destruction of our existence on Earth. We simply need to be jolted into a serious environmental reality check. We simply need to be jolted into recognizing the true magnitude of the environmental catastrophe being created by man. We simply need to be jolted into a fundamental paradigm shift - a shift in both attitude and action concerning growth, nature and survival on Earth.
Religious and political leaders dare not speak out to halt the population growth that is overwhelming vast regions of Planet Earth. Insufficient food, poor nutrition, poor eating habits, substance abuse, lack of clean drinking water and lack of exercise weaken body and mind and perpetuate the spectacular growth of our global disease-illness misery systems. Our insatiable demand for more and more comforts and toys, our obsessions with possessions, our blind reliance on dangerous chemicals and drugs and our wasteful and reckless ways, compounded by overpopulation, have led to the tremendous growth in killer-pollution and the unprecedented growth rate in global warming, habitat destruction and species extermination. When, oh when, will it register that we must treat nature with far more respect?
Every politician, every CEO, every labor leader, every religious leader, every academic leader and millions of others aggressively pursue growth to attain their "success" in today's competitive world: more mines and oil rigs, more factories and power plants, more multi-lane highways and airport runways, more SUVs and giant motor-homes, more luxury hotels and manicured golf courses, more sparkling mansions and office towers, more churches and schools, more hospitals, more super-malls and fast-food outlets, more huge animal feedlots and factory farms, more clear-cut logging, more mega-scale fish harvesting, more deadly pesticides and toxic chemicals, more weapons to kill efficiently, more workers and students, more followers of the faith, more voters, more consumers, more sales and profits. When, oh when, will mankind realize that this path will lead to the eventual irreversible soiling of our nest - the eventual destruction of our existence on Earth. We simply need to be jolted into a serious environmental reality check. We simply need to be jolted into recognizing the true magnitude of the environmental catastrophe being created by man. We simply need to be jolted into a fundamental paradigm shift - a shift in both attitude and action concerning growth, nature and survival on Earth.
Religious and political leaders dare not speak out to halt the population growth that is overwhelming vast regions of Planet Earth. Insufficient food, poor nutrition, poor eating habits, substance abuse, lack of clean drinking water and lack of exercise weaken body and mind and perpetuate the spectacular growth of our global disease-illness misery systems. Our insatiable demand for more and more comforts and toys, our obsessions with possessions, our blind reliance on dangerous chemicals and drugs and our wasteful and reckless ways, compounded by overpopulation, have led to the tremendous growth in killer-pollution and the unprecedented growth rate in global warming, habitat destruction and species extermination. When, oh when, will it register that we must treat nature with far more respect?
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Rod Packer
posted 2/09/07 @ 7:26 AM PST
Already prevalent effects of human overpopulation are observable in rat overcrowding experiments: individual rats engaged in vicious infighting and a relentless rise in the ratio of non-reproducing. (Continued…)
Linda
posted 2/10/07 @ 6:26 AM PST
Thank you for this informative and timeley piece. If only somewhere on the planet strong, intelligent, competent and honest leaders would speak out on this issue. (Continued…)
LiveVegan
posted 9/23/07 @ 1:24 AM PST
Thanks for this piece. Its appreciated. Humans are so anthropocentric, we assume this planet and all sentient beings are here for our use and exploitation. (Continued…)
Marvin McConoughey
posted 9/24/07 @ 1:40 PM PST
Klaus Keunecke is right on target in saying that overpopulation is a major problem. Overpopulation is a cancer that eats away at the collective future of mankind. (Continued…)
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