Re:Temperature chart for the last 11,000 years
by dredmorbius on Saturday September 21, 2013 @06:54PM
(#6424947)
While I love wildlife, I almost feel like it's not our responsibility
Two points:
1. The conditions on Earth which support other megafauna also, largely, are beneficial to humans. Change those conditions and it's likely that the extinctions aren't so much bad for humans as indicators of changing conditions which are bad for humans.
2. Conservation biologists have recognized that the Earth and its biosphere isn't a static system, and that conservation efforts shouldn't be aimed at "holding back the tides" so to speak. But noting when changes are happening at scales which are likely to have strongly negative impacts for humans, civilization, and the almighty economy, and deciding to take preemptive action, could be a very good thing.
There's a huge difference between wiping out all life (or much of it) within the next 200 years, and the next 800 million.
Assuming you've got an 85 year lifespan, that's the difference between living for your full life, or just 25 minutes.
My own definition of "sustainability" is "so long as the extrinsic conditions are conducive to human survival". Even with genetic drift, that's likely a few millions to tens of millions of years.
Two points:
1. The conditions on Earth which support other megafauna also, largely, are beneficial to humans. Change those conditions and it's likely that the extinctions aren't so much bad for humans as indicators of changing conditions which are bad for humans.
2. Conservation biologists have recognized that the Earth and its biosphere isn't a static system, and that conservation efforts shouldn't be aimed at "holding back the tides" so to speak. But noting when changes are happening at scales which are likely to have strongly negative impacts for humans, civilization, and the almighty economy, and deciding to take preemptive action, could be a very good thing.
There's a huge difference between wiping out all life (or much of it) within the next 200 years, and the next 800 million.
Assuming you've got an 85 year lifespan, that's the difference between living for your full life, or just 25 minutes.
My own definition of "sustainability" is "so long as the extrinsic conditions are conducive to human survival". Even with genetic drift, that's likely a few millions to tens of millions of years.