No one knows what the future entails.
That is, it is impossible for anyone to know the events of tomorrow. Even
though this is true, people can hypothesize and estimate what the future might
look like. Using scientific research and well-designed models, people have been
trying to predict the future of the world as best that they can. From the
research that they have done, it seems that the future of our planet is looking
bleak and devastating.
In today’s society people are consuming
more and more. From the United States to Australia, the populations of these
countries are using more than a year’s worth of biocapacity. As the Living Planet Report states, “In 2008,
the Earth’s total biocapacity was 12.0 billion gha, or 1.8 gha per person,
while humanity’s Ecological Footprint was 18.2 billion gha, or 2.7 gha per
person. This discrepancy means it would take 1.5 years for the Earth to fully
regenerate the renewable resources that people used in one year." The world’s people are using more of the planet’s biocapacity than is available
for every person per year. Due to this fact, there is less and less biocapacity
available to be used in the future. We are using the world’s resources quicker
than it takes for them to be renewed and replenished. If our lifestyles and
consumption habits continue as they are then we are going to have some serious
issues.
David Orr mentions to
his readers of the probable gloom of the future that is hypothesized by today’s
scientists: “In our final hour, Cambridge University astronomer Martin Rees
concluded that the odds of global civilization surviving to the year 2100 are
no better than one in two." As a result of the world’s population
consuming more than a year’s worth of biocapacity, it will become even more
difficult for the Earth to restore these resources. The effects of this
consumption range from climate change to a shortage of freshwater. As stated in
the Living Earth Report, “The
consequences of excess greenhouse gases that cannot be absorbed by vegetation
are already being seen, with rising levels of atmospheric CO2 causing increased
global temperatures, climate change and ocean acidification. These impacts in
turn place additional stresses on biodiversity and ecosystems and the very resources
on which people depend." These serious issues are the
consequences of our insatiable appetites. Sadly, we are only experiencing the
start of the ecological tribulations.
As stated in our lecture, the countries
that are growing the fastest in population (the less developed nations) are
also the places growing fastest in consumption rates. If these countries were
to consume like Americans, it is predicted that drastic consequences would come
a lot sooner. "Consequences would come a lot sooner because if everyone on Earth
consumed resources like Americans, the world would require four earths." There is not much that can be done immediately to stabilize the
population growth that many of these countries are experiencing. As a result,
it is going to be more and more difficult to improve the situation of our
planet. As we continue to consume and as the populations of the countries keep
increasing, it will be almost impossible for the Earth to naturally regenerate
its resources. It is a sad and devastating fact, but if we want humanity to
continue to exist we have a lot to do to weaken the consequences of our actions.
All in all, every citizen on this planet has to come
to the realization that our lifestyles are not sustainable. That is, our processes
of consuming the world’s resources are so drastic that in some time there will
be hardly any resources left. As Professor Smith stated in his lecture, it is
time for us to face the facts and get angry. By getting angry and truly understanding
the situation of our planet,we can make a difference to fix our
planet for the betterment of the future. “We must honestly face the forces we’ve
set in motion and look to a farther horizon." There will be
no tomorrow if we don’t repair what is wrong today.
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