You know, since I got sick, I have spent more time thinking about how many of us in North America spent the bulk of our energy consuming things.
Here’s a piece from the CBC website about how well that is working out.
http://www.cbc.ca/story/science/national/2004/10/21/world_enviro041021.html
GENEVA – People are consuming the planet’s resources at a rate that outstrips its capacity to support life, a global conservation group said Thursday.
The World Wildlife Fund report, called The Living Planet 2004, shows humans use 20 per cent more natural resources than Earth can produce.
Report’s authors recommend switching away from fossil fuels.
Between 1970 and 2000, populations of land, freshwater and marine species fell about 40 per cent, according to the report.
The destruction of habitat is the greatest threat to wild species.
“Forests are being cleared to plant crops or to graze animals,” said Jonathan Loh, one of the report’s authors.
Other threats include:
River dams.
Pollution.
Climate change.
Overexploitation of species like fish.
Invasive species such as cats, birds and rats that are not native to a particular country can also threaten indigenous species, the report said.
Earth’s ecological footprint ? the amount of productive land needed on average worldwide to sustain one person ? is now 2.2 hectares.
Based on the amount of productive land and sea on Earth and the total population of 6.1 billion people, the planet has only 1.8 hectares available.
People in the developed world consume resources at an unsustainable level, the report concluded.
An average North American consumes twice as much as a European and seven times more than the average Asian or African, according to the report.
To stem the tide, Loh suggested governments, businesses and consumers switch to energy-efficient technology, such as solar power.
Written by CBC News Online staff
It is sad actually, what all this is doing to our world as we know it. The things that people just take for granted. The greed, lack of respect for others and nature. I look at our children now raised with tv and computers, not to mention the content of these, in a supersized world. It was so much simplier 100 years ago. People were healthier in lots of ways. I do believe that things will turn around … but maybe I have to believe that as the alternative is too frightening and sad.
We need to go forth gently and quietly upon the earth.
Thanks for reminding me how aware we need to be.
Hugs
Fiona