Sunday, February 8, 2009

Endangered

These are difficult questions that I'm not entirely sure have correct answers. I'll begin by saying that we should save as many species as we can. Humans have, without question, taken more than our fair share of resources and even though it was unintentional, it's still our responsibility to repair what was broken. We should begin with the species which most other species are dependent on. Start at the foundation, bacteria, plant life, insects, small rodents and everything in between. A strong foundation can lead to support for the entire infrastructure in ways unintended and surprisingly powerful. I believe this is the best way to spend what funds we have. Of coarse some resources will have to be set aside for the more advanced life forms (the cute and furry) in order to keep the public happy and maintain a flow of income but they're a problem for a later date. Although the needs of humans are critical on the list of priorities, they still must be held acountable for their impact on the environment. Ignoring the wildlife around you for your own needs is incredibly short sighted. It must be maintained as much for our own sake as the species themselves. We are all dependant on a balance that cannot be achieved without foresight.

2 comments:

  1. Hmm.. I think you're exaggerating a bit when you say "I believe this is the best way to spend what funds we have." Yes I do agree that we should help support conservation, but I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself by saying that it is the "best" way to spend what funds we have. You make it sound like we should put every last penny we have into preservation. There are other things out there that should be funded, education is one for example. I do agree though that as people, most of us are short-sighted and a bit selfish at times so we don't give our planet the proper credit or nurturing it deserves.

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  2. My mistake. I was unclear. I meant that I think starting at the base of the ecological infrastructure is the best way to spend the funds already set aside for species conservation. Not for outside resources. I also think that education is a worthy source of economic attention. In a lot of ways I think it's more worthy.

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