Our Shrinking Earth ...
The Human Footprint widens as the green belt disappears
Its easy to get caught up in the neo-green and blue revolutions of eco friendly new waves of commerce and production. We all want to feel like we are doing something to help, to make a difference. But lets face it, we want it quick, fast, easy with no real sacrifice to our daily lives, right?
So we continue (in truth) to support newly repackaged (convincing) green technologies (who incidentely still continue to feed the centralised wealth of global moguls), without a single cent reaching the poor guy, or stopping the global flow of over consumerism... but what the hell, it sounds great, looks good on paper and in air- brushed advertising around the developing countries. eases moral conscience and helps us sleep better at night ... rightly so too, perhaps because every drop does help.
However, most of the population of the developed world, still eat meat six times a week and support centralised wealth with stock market investments, mass consumerism, credit blowout and well... I read today that Australians have now officially taken the cake as the most obese nation on the earth. Wow, some milestone to have reached, with our beefed-up 40% statistic, out-wobbling Americans with a new 20% lead. Add this to the Welfare Barbie Generation and rising population to feed cheap meats and I think we have achieved something to make our grandfathers who fought the wars proud, don;t you?
The truth is that like it or not, back in the real world the stats are becoming very alarming, because when measured by the land area that can support human habitation, the earth is shrinking at an alarming rate.. from all sides. Our 21st century civilisation is slowly being squeezed between advancing deserts, rising seas and population blowout.
Unfortunately, for Ostrich-style critics, more and more evidence is pointing to these new trends as being of human origin and not entirely made of natural cycles. Much is coming back to the overstocking of grasslands by cattle, sheep and other domestic farming, and by the over ploughing of land in the need to grow more and more crops.
Rising seas result from temperature increases set in motion by carbon released from the burning of fossil fuels, as well as natural cycles of ice melt and freeze cycles. Nothing new there where a natural cycle is concerned, but how many times in the planets history has it been happening with a population of 6 billion inhabiting the planet too?
Cattle Now Trample Rainforests
In 2007 I wrote a post on China planting 2.63 million trees to create green walls in an effort to block the advance of the sand dunes. Unfortunately, despite valiant efforts, some reports say they are failing to halt the progress of encroaching deserts.
Meanwhile across the oceans and Nigeria is losing 1,355 square miles of rangeland and cropland to desertification each year. Interestingly enough, whilst Nigeria's human population grew from 33 million in 1950, to 134 million in 2006 (a fourfold expansion); its livestock population grew Eleven-fold from 6 million to 66 million.
Cattle Cross The Niger River
With Nigerias food needs now exceeding the carrying capacity of its grasslands for livestock, the country is slowly turning to desert.
While deserts are fast becoming another symptom of 21st century living, displacing millions of people annually; rising seas have also begun to threaten far greater numbers of the world's population in low-lying coastal cities and rice-growing river deltas across the planet, from the UK to the South Americas and Indonesia.
During the twentieth century, sea level rose by 6 inches (15 centimetres) in total. In its 2001 report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported that at current rates of growth and decline (respectively), during this century alone, seas would rise by 4 to 35 inches. As if to substantiate these calims, record-high temperatures have accelerated ice melting since 2001, making it likely that the future rise in sea level will be even greater – and faster than expected, as many coastal towns along the worlds shorelines are already feeling the effects of encroaching tides, with their properties falling into the oceans or being completely reclaimed by them.
Rising tidelines claiming coastlines around the globe
Together, rising seas and desertification look set to present the world with an unprecedented flow of environmental refugees and the potential for civil strife if people are not prepared and ready to vote for responsible governments and really, making a difference by reducing their meat intake to perhaps just twice a week?
Population Blowout
We must begin to deal with the effects of the trends that were set in motion during the last century. Growth in the human population of over one million people per four days (that’s around 90 million per year) accompanied by a simultaneous growth of livestock populations of more than 35 million per year must be addressed.
The rising atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and sun inactivity, which are destabilizing the earth's climate are driven on by the excessive burning of fossil fuels in order to create every increasing consumer goods.
Our choice is a simple one: reverse these trends or risk being overwhelmed by the consequences.. and perhaps what angers me the most... we have the ability and alternative technologies already available to turn the entire planet around in just 10 years, but it means shaking up the Status Quo (lots) ... but not, it seems, before we are squeezed as dry as the desert itself, for every drop of our dying world.
A GLOBAL PICTURE
Afghanistan In the Sistan basin, windblown dust and sand have buried more than 100 villages. In the northwest, along the Amu Darya River, a sand dune belt that is some 186 miles (298 kilometers) long and 19 miles wide is expanding by up to 3 feet (1 meter) a day.
Brazil Approximately 224,000 square miles of land have been affected. Economic losses associated with desertification are estimated at $300 million a year.
China Nationwide, deserts are expanding by 1,400 square miles a year. Some 400 million Chinese are affected by the dust storms of late winter and early spring.
India Various forms of desertification affect 413,000 square miles, one third of India’s land area.
Iran In the eastern provinces of Baluchistan and Sistan, some 124 villages have been buried by drifting sand.
Kenya More than 80 percent of its land is vulnerable to desertification, affecting up to a third of the country’s 35 million people and half its livestock.
Mexico Some 70 percent of all land in Mexico is vulnerable to desertification. Land degradation prompts some 700,000 Mexicans to leave the land each year in search of jobs in Mexican cities or the United States.
Nigeria Each year some 1,400 square miles of land are lost to desertification, which affects each of the 10 northern states.
Yemen Some 97 percent of the land in this country of 21 million people shows some degree of desertification.
Various Sources: including ENN e-zine, www.popconnect.org, and used under GNU agreement
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
Love Speaks
That's shocking stats, Lilla. Wonder if that's enough for something to be done, or will it be too late by then...
Sigh...too true...
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
Thanks for your comment. I agree wholeheartedly and have always advocated informed decision making as the only way to make a decision... Imagine if everyone took the bother to let the stats sink in ? People may start to make their land (Balconies) productive again by growing thier own supplemental produce... Imagine if 6 billion people bought 6 billion less apples, mangoes, tomatoes, squash, manderines, lemons... whatever... these are just a few of the winter vegetables I am currently about to harvest.
I tried corn this winter too... just about ten plants... but you never know, thats a weeks supply saved from somewhere else... it may not be much, but multiply it by 6 billion and thats enormous amounts saved...especially if its two steaks a week less, or one roast a fortnight instead of every week... perhaps people could eat less too ... I know I can without dying...
The intensive meat industry is appalling...turns you off meat, really ... try this linkfor something that just made my head boggle at the enormous misjustice and profound effects such intense farming are having on our environment...
We can;t stop it, but boy we need to slow it all down...
Lilla ...
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
The heartache for me too is knowing that it will have to hit the wall, no doubts Lara, I agree, so I try to make as many options for myself to avoid the mainstream supermarket and programmed lifestyle, as possible.
thanks for commenting, it is nice to see back on orble...
Lilla ...
Learning Something Everyday
Malaysia Found
I wish there are ways to slap the government and the population about this! We are harassing our Earth and we are just going to be overpopulated and under food supply very soon....
Unless - the Earth fights back saying "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!"
That's what it is happening around the world with the weather isn't it?
Bohemian Hiphop
Japanese Jazz Funk
Optomystic Opportunism
Did I ever mention...
your website rocks!
And as the rocks turn into salt and sand, these are the days of our lives.
Edutainment at its finest.
Opto
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
You know it will be the earth who responds, or just our own cannibalism and ability to destroy everything around us as we (d)evolve.
Thank God for the 13 Indeginous Grandmothers who prophecy has called together from across the planet to raise the energy... I will psot on it soon? meanwhile have a peek <<here>>
Thanks for your comment. I have been off the air completely for nearly a month because a virus wiped out our systems and what survived was cut off by Telstra and ISP wars... however, I'm back now (I hope) and will catch up on my voting soon...
Hope alls well...
Love and hugs
Lilla ...
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
That is perhaps the nicest compliment anyone has ever made. Thank you.
I hope all is well with you too .. and am delighted you are still enjoying my articles.
lotsa love
Lilla ...
W
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
So well said.
I tend to err on the side of mother nature kicking us in the bum with considerable ferocity after some unseen "tipping point" is reached, however, I wouldn;t be surprised if by continuing to play God, science pushes it all too far and something like I AM LEGEND is released with it's own ferocity?
Of course there are the conspiracy theories of mass rleeased viruses from the illuminati-styled social engineers that make Hitler's version of genecide look like a lovers walk in the park?
Who knows, only one thing is certain, it cannot continue as it is without something 'giving....' certainly not without changes... me, I like change and look forward to it, because it is the only constant in life (besides love) that we truly have to cling to as absolute fact.
Lots of love
Lilla ...
PS Please post the link to your Road House site, I lost all my bookmarks in the recent crash *tearing my hair out still*....
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
These stats are staggering and the message is clear. I appreciate your well researched posts. I am really trying to be mindful in my day to day activities. Just a high five to you dear friend, since coming to Orble and being a faithful reader, my habits have improved as has my awareness. Thank you thank you for being ever vigilant!
Mis
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
Hello friend, thanks for the wonderful feedback.
Mindfull is a good word, for so many call it ecology, and thinking they understand it, then leave it to the scientists and go about their business as if nothing were askew?
Mindfull is a wonderfull word, actually
Lovely to hear from you.
Lilla ...