Humans have power to destroy our environment, and we’ve done it before

Time is rapidly running out, according to many scientists regarding global warming. Tragically, there are too many who feel that this subject is too vast and complicated to deal intelligently with; there are also large coal, gas and oil industries and their Republican supporters who are attempting to refute global warming. These industries have pumped enough CO2 into the atmosphere since the industrial revolution to change the world’s atmospheric structure.

That humans in the past have dangerously altered their environment is a matter of historic knowledge. For example, when humans first landed on Easter Island in the mid-Pacific, it was heavily forested. But in a few millenniums, all trees were removed, and the wind and rain swept most of the soil away, leaving very little land for the people to grow enough food for themselves. This is but one example in which humans have altered the world, through lack of understanding as to how their actions are affecting the environment.

Knowledge that has been carefully and scientifically acquired must be a strong determiner for reasonable action.

This story was originally published March 27, 2017 at 5:09 PM with the headline "Humans have power to destroy our environment, and we’ve done it before."