How does the following video affect you emotionally?
The above is in relation to a post entitled “the last days of wildcat falls” courtesy of Rebecca in the woods. Rebecca is from across the pond but this matters not! This kind of destruction is happening on a global scale, along with it, the biodiversity, crucial to man’s existence is lost forever. These ecosystems are non-transferrable and you cannot simply replicate them in another place. On this very topic, the great David Attenborough once stated, “If we continue to damage our ecosystems we damage ourselves”. Sadly, most decisions appear to revolve around making a quick buck at the expense of common sense.
With climate change being a background focus to my blog, why does man insist on adding to the woes and insists on pressing our self-destruct button.
Let me ask you this. What irks you when it comes to caring for our ecosystems, be it on a local, national or even global level? Are some authorities who insist on ignoring common sense solutions out of our reach on a personal level?
I am by no means an activist but believe me, I am deeply passionate about our environment. The next post will be return to a much cheerier topic, Phenology.
Best Wishes
Tony Powell
I think I get most angry about industrial pollution… the normal citizen, pumped with information from the state or local environmental groups, does all he can to protect and nurture, and then along comes a giant chemical company “accidentally” dumping waste into our rivers and being barely punished for it…
Oh dear, I’m geting irate just thinking about it!
My sentiments exactly. Thanks for getting the word out there.
No problem. Often, I will not enter into political debate; however, sometimes I am unable to withhold my anger.
Regards
Tony Powell
For me, it’s the fact that we all know what is right for the envioronment but as soon as we are employed by a global conglomerate we balance profit and personal gain against what we know is destroying what we have. If only everyone practiced what they preached
Yes, it is a difficult balance. Privatisation of one thing or another seems to be the way of many governments across the world. On the one hand, I am happy for some areas of woodland for example, to be in private hands. There are many benefits for the wildlife in such instances. On the other hand, what right does humanity have, in destroying an ecosystem, which has taken tens and sometimes hundreds of years to fulfil its potential? We live in a crazy world.
Best Wishes
Tony Powell
I walked along our local river today where we fish for trout, grayling and some course fish. The fishing club secretary told me about pollution a few years ago caused by leakage from slurry pit on farm. Killed almost every fish for a few miles. Terrible!!
That is an ever-persistent threat for rivers all over the world it seems. It often happens when excessive or extreme rainfall flows from adjacent roads and fields. Whereas, in the past, ditch maintenance was undertaken. By doing so, you would alleviate some of these issues. Nevertheless, the UK river systems are now the cleanest, they have been for many a year, so for that we should be grateful.
Kind Regards
Tony Powell
Thought i’d just leave a slightly positive response to this blog post. Four years ago I wrote an A-Z guide on global warming – The A-Z of Global Warming. Chapter A and D deals with the destruction of one of the biggest ecosystems on the planet, the Amazon rain forest. Chapter A – Amazon and D – Deforestation. When writing the book in 2007, destruction of the Amazon rain forest was getting worse – Loss for 2005/6 was 13,100 square Kms and indications were that it was rising in the second half of 2007. I am now researching the current situation for an updated version of the A-Z guide and the good news is that in 2009 deforestation dropped by 45%. In 2011, the figure was down to 6,240 square Kms, an 80% drop since 2004.
Whilst the Amazon is still at risk from drought, it seems that the Brazillians are managing to prevent the planet’s greatest rainforest and all its biodiversity from destruction.
Hi sirosser,
It sure is good to hear of positive news, as it is human nature to focus mainly on when things are going wrong. At least, these Amazonian people care about our planet and I suspect it is only by educating them, that they eventually took action. I must admit I do not delve too much into the data and statistics out there but often all you tend to hear are the consistent slagging matches between sceptics and non-sceptics. For Christ’s sake, we as human beings are in a position to solve most of the climate issues, so as one let us sort the climate out. Mind you, political views aside, I will stick to collecting my observations, as that is what I do best and so can millions of others. Without fact, everything else is fiction. One last thing, Are there any excerpts from this book online?
Best Wishes
Tony Powell