LAST week, Cagayan governor Manuel Mamba said the recent flooding was the “summation of our wrongs to the environment” and called for a “holistic” and inter-regional approach.
When people talk about these things, my first response is usually cynicism. I don’t think there’s a really sustainable solution to environmental problems, at least not one that will involve all kinds of grief and loss of lives. This is because the person on the street doesn’t understand the true extent of environmental problems facing the world.
Aside from anthropogenic climate change, which is still subject to debate, there are other environmental problems the world is facing, but which are largely unknown to the public.
There is, for example, the massive number of endangered species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature estimates that more than 32,000 species are threatened with extinction, and each extinct species has the potential to wreck ecosystems. Now imagine, thousands of those dying out. I hope you get the idea.
Another disturbing trend is the pervasiveness of microplastics. Remember, the piece of plastic you used a few days ago to carry goods? Microplastics harm animals and humans, and there’s a good chance that you have plenty of those inside of you already.
According to a Washington Post article, “microplastics contain chemicals that have been linked to a variety of health problems, including reproductive harm and obesity, plus issues such as organ problems and developmental delays in children”.
We also have industrial agriculture which causes extremely high rates of soil erosion and soil compaction. Yet we continue to be reliant on agri-business to feed the world. As global population grows, we will have more soil erosion and it’s going to cause harm to the world’s existing farmland. Sadly, starvation may be ahead for a large portion of the global populace.
There is no sustainable solution to environmental problems. I agree with the infamous Ted Kaczynski who said that there are too many human beings, and our rising living standards are the primary cause of environmental problems. No amount of pretty words is going to change that.
The only good news I can find from this is that the human population is starting to decline, not fast enough in my opinion, but at least it’s something.
As for finding a “holistic” solution, yeah, I wouldn’t hold my breath./PN
