Extinction is a natural process, but it's happening at 1,000 times the normal speed

7 years ago

I remember a professor in college saying that humans can't screw up the world so badly that nature can't recover or adapt, it's nature's response that humans may not survive.

[–] smallpond [OP] 0 points (+0|-0)

7 years ago

It's unfortunate that we could drag most of the species that we currently share the planet with down with us.

If we did die out and something intelligent evolved again, I like the idea of them digging up old computers and knowing that there was something smarter around before them.

[–] CDanger 1 points (+1|-0)

7 years ago

Sure we may lose some species like a red tree beetle, but at least we get another Walmart parking lot and more suburban McMansions!

Continuing our growth and destruction of the planet is a bet with very unequal payoffs: we gain very little marginal value from more development, but the permanent risk of ecosystem destruction could lead to massive long-term losses.

[–] smallpond [OP] 0 points (+0|-0)

7 years ago

Pity everyone's function seems to be to maximize the short-term gains. Politicians, businessmen, even struggling families - it's not their job to think about those massive long-term costs.

Extinction is a natural process, but it's happening at 1,000 times the normal speed

4 comments

/s/Conservation