A Clean New World

When I was born, the world’s population was about 2.618 billion people. Today, the population is about 7.678 billion, an increase of 293% in 66 years. The result of this surging growth in humanity is our exceeding the carrying capacity of the land. Our demands for growth have led us to poison the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil we farm. The pressure for profit has turned the family farm into a microcosmic part of corporate agro-business, with an unholy alliance formed among corporate behemoths in the agricultural, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries. Archer Daniels Midland, Bayer, and Monsanto embody this terrifying trio, but they are hardly alone in representing the corporate giants whose business practices have had such devastating effects on our health, not just here but around the world.

No one devoted to facts can deny the reality of Global Climate Change. It’s here, it’s real, it’s getting worse faster than we thought, and we have a limited time — -a very limited time — -to take corrective action. We’re already in the middle of the Sixth Mass Extinction, and scientists from multiple disciplines are generally in agreement that unless Mankind makes radical changes in its lifestyle it, too, will join the list of creatures who have jumped on the destruction bandwagon. The difference here is that Man is the only animal killing all the others and itself in the process.

What can be done?

Looking at our problems from 30,000 feet, we can identify several areas that need major change, starting now. They have interconnected qualities and impact multiple parts of the Cycle of Life. The study of ecology helps us to frame discussions in terms of the relatedness of life and its supporting structures throughout multiple environments. The three environments of concern are Air, Land, and Water.

Air

Earth’s atmosphere is about 300 miles thick, but the majority of it is within the first 10 miles above ground. It’s the only atmosphere in our Solar System which is known to support life. It protects us from solar flares, heavy bursts of cosmic radiation, and too much heat from the Sun.