Hurting the Earth, Hurting Ourselves

Tatiana Turkin
English 015
15 December 2014

Hurting the Earth, Hurting Ourselves

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Billions of years ago, planet Earth was at its purest form. Free of any trace of pollution or
waste, it thrived in its natural state. As time slowly progressed, life evolved and new organisms
were introduced. These new organisms made little impact on the planet as they became
established. However, one of the newest inhabitants of the Earth changed that precedent and
proved that it doesnt take a lot of time to make a big impact. Anatomically modern human
beings appeared on Earth 200,000 years ago, and in that comparatively short time period, we
have severely affected the Earth. We have caused accelerated extinction of thousands of species,
created mass pollution, disturbed and destroyed more than half of the Earths land surface, and
altered the climate. We have successfully tainted a beautiful home that was given to us and
continue to add more detriment. However, as distressing as that sounds, there is a light of hope in
our potentially dark forthcoming. Even though we cant undo the harmful past, we can work
towards a brighter, more healthful future for us, and all species of the Earth.
An issue human have created for the Earth is accelerated extinction. Biological extinction
is a natural part of an ecosystems life cycle. When one species becomes extinct, a new species
eventually takes its place and continues the cycle. The problem is, human activities have
significantly helped speed up the extinction rate of many different species, which affects
everything in the ecosystem, including humans themselves. A species becoming unnaturally
extinct creates an unoccupied niche that throws off the whole ecological balance and upsets all

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the species in the ecosystem. An example of a species being threatened by humans is the
honeybee. Honeybees are extremely beneficial to humans because not only do they produce
honey and wax, but they also pollinate 80% of all the insect-pollinated food globally (Living in
the Environment, p. 204). Despite our dependence on these creatures, our harmful activities such
as pesticide spraying, radiation, and habitat destruction have caused a 30% drop in U.S.
honeybee populations according to a U.S. National Academy of Science report in 2006 (Living
in the Environment, p. 204). Without any intervention or change in practices, honeybees could
face endangerment or extinction. This wouldnt be surprising, considering the annual rate of
species extinction is up to 1% per year, 1,000 times more than the historical background rate of
0.0001% (Living in the Environment, p. 192). This means, if current rates continue, between
one-fourth and half of the current animal and plant species will become extinct by the end of this
century (Living in the Environment, p. 192). To put that figure into perspective, it will take 5
million to 10 million years for nature to rebuild that massive loss of biodiversity. Luckily, with
the help of legislation, progress is being made towards protecting species, such as the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, which is still in effect today. This act provides funding and
research to identify and protect endangered species in the U.S. and has successfully removed 46
species from the endangered list so far (Living in the Environment, p. 209).

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Another prevalent problem humans have projected onto the Earth is excessive pollution.
Pesticides, for example, have been polluting our food and water for centuries. They were
invented in the 19th century by experimenting chemists, but the chemicals didnt leave the
laboratory to the commercial world until World War II. The war featured many innovative battle
techniques, such as chemical warfare. Scientists used insects to test the potency of these
chemicals, and they proved to be lethal (Carson, p.16). They discovered that these synthetic
concoctions were extremely potent and could rid any pest that came in contact with them.
Specifically, one deadly insecticide called DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane) wreaked
havoc on the farms of America in the mid-20th century. It was first introduced as an insecticide in
1939 and was hailed as a means of eradicating insect-borne disease by eliminating all the pesky
insects that raided crops (Carson, p. 20). Although it seemed like a beneficial and harmless
product, people soon realized it destroyed more than just insects. DDT caused a process called
bio magnification, in which a substance increases in concentration down the food chain. Plants
sprayed with DDT were eaten by the the primary consumer, who unknowingly ingested small
traces of the chemical. The predator of that animal then ingested a higher concentrated dose of it,
and so on (Carson, p. 21). This caused large animal population declines, water pollution from
run off, and contaminated food. People who consumed a contaminated piece of meat or animal
product became seriously ill and even died if the dose of the chemical was high enough. It got to
the point that mothers passed the poison onto their babies through breast milk (Carson, p. 23).

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DDT was eventually banned in the United States in 1972, but unfortunately other parts of the
world continue to use it for agriculture and disease-control. In our modern American society,
pesticide use is much more regulated and organic chemical-free food is widely available.
However, the Earth is still facing the consequences of our toxic pollution.
Humans are also responsible for the mass deforestation of the Earths surface. Before
humans arrived on Earth, it was bustling with wildlife. Land was covered with forests and was
able to sustain biodiverse ecosystems. When human populations started to increase rapidly and
migrate throughout the world, urban development began. Forests were completely destroyed to
make room for developing cities and lumber became a valuable product. In the short time span
of 200,000 years, human have effectively deforested the Earths land surface to only 30% forest
cover, and that number is decreasing every year (Deforestation Facts, Deforestation Information,
Effects of Deforestation). In fact, rain forests, the Earths most productive and diverse
ecosystems, will completely vanish in 100 years if the current rate of deforestation continues
(Deforestation Facts, Deforestation Information, Effects of Deforestation). The irony is,
preserving forests and vegetation is more beneficial to humans in the grand scheme than cutting
them down. Trees and plants are key components to the water and oxygen cycles, which helps
ecosystems maintain moisture and regulate weather. This improves farming and provides a
larger, more sustained profit for humans. Forests also serve as habitat to 70% of the worlds
animal species (Deforestation Facts, Deforestation Information, Effects of Deforestation), and as

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mentioned before, protecting species and preventing extinction is very important to every living
thing on Earth. With all these benefits forests provide, its short-sided and senseless to
mindlessly clear-cut forests to make a quick buck from lumber. Especially since there are
ecofriendly alternatives to complete deforestation such as select cutting, in which only a select
number of trees dispersed evenly throughout a forest are cut. There are also efforts to replant
every tree that is cut down, so lumber can be harvested without sacrificing the whole forest.
Although global warming is a controversial topic, it is proven that our actions alter the
climate in many ways. Humans today rely on oil and gasoline for fuel, heat, and economy
stimulation. Unfortunately, these resources are nonrenewable, and we are using them faster and
in higher amounts than ever before. To make oil and gasoline, burning fossil fuels such as coal is
necessary. This not only causes pollution but also emits excess greenhouse gases such as carbon
dioxide, methane, water vapor, nitrous oxide, and ozone into the atmosphere (Reducing
Greenhouse Gas Emissions). In particular, large quantities of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
make it less able to convey heat into space, trapping more reflected heat on Earth (Reducing
Greenhouse Gas Emissions). As a result, the global climate has increased in temperature. Critics
argue that the greenhouse effect is a natural process and the climate goes through cycles of
temperature highs and lows. What they fail to consider is that previous climate changes, like the
Ice Age, occurred before humans inhabited the Earth. Quantities of greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere wouldnt have increased so rapidly without humans. Generally, the more developed

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the country, the more fossil fuels are burned. China, for example, has the second largest
economy in the world based mostly on the burning of the coal (Gerken). In China, coal is a way
of life; towns are covered in soot and people have grown up breathing in the emissions. The
emissions are so bad in fact, that smog from China migrates to the west coast of the United
States. China is a main contributor to the heating of the climate, and the government has been
making an effort to fix it. Despite the reluctance of stubborn residents, Chinese President Xi
Jinping has officially pushed his country into a less coal-dependent future on November 12, 2014
when he pledged to cap the growth of China's carbon emissions by 2030 (Gerken). Fuel
alternatives such as solar power and electric powered motors will help China and other countries
achieve more ecofriendly lifestyles and regulate the climate.
People have different views when it comes to environmental problems. Some people feel
that humans are entitled to anything on Earth because we are the most intelligent species, while
others feel every species should have the same rights we do. Despite your opinions or ethics, one
thing is for certain; we have harmed the Earth and we need to amend it. We must put narcissism
and politics aside to focus on what truly matters: our planet as a whole. Future generations
depend on our actions to ensure a tranquil future for them. Whether you make a small
contribution like planting more plants for bees to feed, or a large transition like installing solar
panels on your house, you are one step closer to helping to sustain the world. Slowly but surely
we can change our lifestyles to be less indulgent and more conscientious of our ecological

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footprints. 200,000 years ago we were given the magnificent Earth as our home and we took
advantage of it. The time for restoration is now.

Works Cited

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Miller, G. Tyler, and Scott Spoolman. Living in the Environment, AP Edition. 17th ed. Belmont,
CA: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.

Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. Boston MA: Mariner Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1962.
Print.

"Deforestation Facts, Deforestation Information, Effects of Deforestation - National

Geographic." National Geographic. Web. 11 Dec. 2014.
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/deforestationoverview/

"Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Conservation Law Foundation." Conservation Law

Foundation RSS. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. http://www.clf.org/our-work/clean-energy-climatechange/reducing-greenhouse-gas-emissions/?gclid=CjwKEAiA-5kBRDylPG5096R8mASJABqEdm4TLgA_ZJFjnMJTICql1dbtDIorI73K_PzhyjZdW10ZxoC5Df
w_wcB

Gerken, James. "China's Carbon Goal A Tough Sell In Coal Country." The Huffington Post.
TheHuffingtonPost.com, 2 Dec. 2014. Web. 10 Dec. 2014.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/02/china-carbon-goal_n_6254054.html