The Great Extinction is officially here

[brian]

There's nothing "great" about it - excepting in terms of magnitude, but it's here:

Ocean's great fish all but gone

World 'losing battle against extinctions'

Rich 'must pay to save nature'

Wake-up call on extinction wave

Digital Noah's Ark launched

[brian]

On the subject of the loss of marine life, there are preliminary plans to implement marine conservation aeras across Europe. This could be a very significant development - but too little too late?

Europe votes for marine reserves

[Vajradhara]

Namaste...

it makes one wonder how much of this could have been changed if the doctrine of Humans over Nature hadn't been so thoroughly indoctrinated into Western culture...

[I, Brian]

Unfortunately, it seems to be an ingrained principle of commercialism. It would be an interesting argument to connect commercialism with Christianity directly (or, at least, the Book of Genesis, at least). Seems that no one is safe from commercialism, though. Or should I say "Materialism" instead? Either way, it's sad to see how humanity continues to want for more against the best principles of common sense.

[Arch]

It really does amaze me how stupid we are. We channel our social waste into the very rivers we drink from. Run-off from farmland is a major pollution concern but Europe is too protective of its farmers and fisheries to care for the fact they are poisoning our rivers and eradicating our sea life.

[I, Brian]

Certainly right - there are a couple more stories with worrying themes:

Top of sky is receding

Deforestation could wipe out one-fifth of species

Of course, being worried is usually a precursor to action - but, again, it's our 11th hour attitude to solving problems that I fail to understand. IT's a serious flaw that common sense is so easily overridden for personal gain, though it hurts us.

[I, Brian]

Of course, good news does soemtimes happen.

I thought I'd add the following here in this thread, before it looks too gloomy.

Endangered island birds double