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

[–] Butler_crosley 1 points (+1|-0)

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)

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)

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)

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