Monday, May 12, 2008

Mass Extinction #6

Death toll in China earthquake up to nearly 9,000

Myanmar struggled Monday to recover from a cyclone that killed more than 3,900 people and perhaps as many as 15,000.

I have the distinct feeling that the proverbial shit is starting to hit the fan. Things are changing at such a rapid speed that we don't even realize the gravity of the situations that we are placing upon ourselves and the world.

Agriculture, the beginning of the end?

From the article, The Sixth Extinction, by renowned paleontologist Dr. Niles Eldridge,"Indeed, to develop agriculture is essentially to declare war on ecosystems."
* humans did not have to interact with other species for survival, and so could manipulate other species for their own use
* humans did not have to adhere to the ecosystem’s carrying capacity, and so could overpopulate
* Estimates vary, but range between 1 and 10 million people on earth 10,000 years ago.
* There are now over 6 billion people.
* The numbers continue to increase logarithmically — so that there will be 8 billion by 2020.


I suppose the 90's was the calm before the storm eh?

2 comments:

scott. said...

Gerda Lerner says agriculture also brought racism, sexism and many of the other yucky isms along with the physical destruction of the planet.

The Last Unicorn said...

I believe her wholeheartedly.