|
|
|
Neglecting the ‘Earthship’ will affect all of us adversely
|
We
are on the Earthship, making annual treks around the sun and we are navigating
through space, the final frontier. The only difference is all the strange
species we are supposed to encounter, both hostile and friendly are right here
on our ship and we hardly notice them until they are on the endangered list. As
for the big holes in our atmosphere, we are oblivious to them unless some
environmental “extremists” start throwing water balloons and smashing
windows at the G-8 and other economic summits. We are amused and maybe some of
us will pause and ponder for a bit but that is it. We then pretend to be deaf
while environmentalists keep screaming until they go hoarse.
In
trekkie talk, we have lost our shields and are under attack but are doing
nothing to protect ourselves! We must be the only species, which even though it
has the capability to halt destruction, chooses to ignore the mass extinction
that takes place around us. Luckily, the Federation (United Nations) seems to
think it is important enough. According to a study conducted by the United
Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), the Earthship's species are dying out at
an alarming rate, up to 1000 times faster than their natural rate of extinction.
By examining fossil records and ecosystem destruction, scientists estimate that
as many as 137 species disappear from the Earthship each day, which means an
astonishing 50,000 species go extinct every year!
Do
We Need Nature?
That
is a stupid question for we are a part of nature; nature is not a part of us.
Most people get the two mixed up. So while nature can do without us and probably
good riddance too, we can’t survive without nature. Why? Because we cannot
survive inhaling carbon monoxide and continuous exposure to ultra violet rays.
The earth we stand on is a part of nature as much as the water we drink, the air
we breathe, the space we occupy and the fire or light from the sun’s rays that
keep us warm.
But
Do We Need The Biodiversity?
Surely
extinction of around 50,000 species a day hasn’t killed us yet. So why bother
about insignificant stuff like environment, biodiversity and habitat
preservation? But seriously would you really be interested in the extinction of
a micro organism or an insect? I think 99 percent of us could care less. It is
like asking if we need our hands since our body can function without them. Our
technological developments can even supplement us with artificial limbs. But
what if you are told that the extinction of the insect would lead to the
destruction of the fertility of the soil from where your food comes from? That
will most likely get our notice. What if you are told these organisms are the
ones that act as natural filters for clean air, water and earth? So they do
matter in the larger scheme of things though it may not be apparent to us
immediately. Soon most of them would be extinct from everywhere except our
imaginations and in books.
|
|
|
Will controlling the weather be the norm in warfare in the future?
|
Unfortunately
for us, Captain Picard is the US Government which prefers to ignore these
issues, most importantly global warming. He is not interested in getting
“Commander Data” to repair the shields and fight back, but is more
interested in Weapons of Mass Digging to prove something he claimed was there,
and also in using the current data to make new weapons! The Pentagon’s top
strategists are very much into new age weapons and to understand what has them
so excited, do read the report, “Weather as a Force Multiplier: Owning the
Weather In 2025,” which is essentially how to wage weather wars without using
soldiers. “The study envisions future generals having at their disposal an
impressive weather-control arsenal for tactical operations. These weapons would
include unmanned stealth aircraft that could seed clouds above massing troops
with fine particles of heat-absorbing carbon. This next-generation cloud-seeding
technique would, in turn, produce localized flooding and create mud, which has
been the bane of all of history's armies. Airborne lasers would cause lightning
to discharge over the airframes of attack and surveillance aircraft. Other
lasers would fire at fog banks, clearing a temporary flight path to high-value
targets, such as command posts. In addition, still more powerful microwave
transmitters would heat the ionosphere, altering its reflective properties in
ways that would disrupt communications among enemy field commanders.” (An
excerpt from Popular Mechanics published in 1997). This is no science fiction.
What
Are We Doing?
|
|
|
In North America, brush fires are burning up large areas and causing more wide scale destruction
|
Not
that the rest of the crew including myself, does anything substantial to save
our Earthship. We are aware the weather is changing because of global warming
and that we are not immune to it. Just as signs of climate
change are becoming clearer throughout the Arctic, scientists are losing some of
their ability to keep track of them; the funds are being reallocated to more
important studies like mating patterns of rats! This is frustrating most
climatologists and is making environmental skeptics grin. In some areas the
situation is alarming. In South Asia, the monsoons are not conforming to
centuries old established patterns any more. In Nepal, in August 2002, some
villagers took to desperate measures—women tilled in the nude and men
performed frog marriages to appease the rain god! People are dying of heat waves
in India. Africa is facing biblical drought. In North America, brush fires are
burning up large areas and causing more wide scale destruction than ever before
while earthquakes and tornadoes take their toll in West and South East Asia.
With
the disappearance of rain forests, hacked off by us in the name of development,
we are destroying habitats which means we are burying hundreds of species in
their mass graves. And the best idea we can come up with is emission trading
thought up by some “geniuses” and put into the Kyoto Treaty. Are we unable
to use our brains anymore?
Maybe
that is why we need an Earth Day and an Environment Day – to make us aware
that our Enterprise is going to the dogs and if we don’t do something fast
most of the species, including our own, will be on the endangered list. What
kind of a world does this leave for our children and grandchildren? Why would we
repair a broken window in our own house but not on our Earthship? The thinking
seems to be—others will take care of it while I sit in my air conditioned
room, eating “health” foods and watching the economic summits on TV.
Unfortunately, the others are doing the same thing as you.
Our
Earthship is in need of major repairs and we can ignore them at the peril of our
own extinction. You don’t have to do nude tilling, hug trees or perform frog
marriages. For starters, see how you can bring down your electricity bill and
save yourself some money. Buy more organically grown vegetables and fruits –
it is good for your health and would enable poor farmers in third world
countries to fight bio-modified seed giants like Monsanto. Listen to what the
environmentalists have to say and ask questions. It is that easy.
Earthship
Alert! Security Breached and there is no safety zone. Everybody get to their
stations and start repairing.
This
article reflects solely the opinion of the author.
**
Deepa Kandaswamy is an engineer/writer/political analyst based in India. Her articles have been based in five continents and some of her writing credits include ABC News, Christian Science Monitor, PC World, Data Quest and Middle East Policy. Your emails will be forwarded to her by contacting the editor at:
ScienceTech@islam-online.net
|
