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vanexelent
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 Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 6:55 pm Post subject: Noah's Ark Losing Passengers |
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http://online.wsj.com/articles/report-wildlife-numbers-drop-by-half-since-1970-1412085197
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Wildlife Numbers Drop by Half Since 1970, Report Says
Earth lost half its wildlife in the past four decades, according to the most comprehensive study of animal populations to date, a far larger decline than previously reported.
The fastest declines were seen in rivers and other freshwaters systems, where populations fell 76% since 1970. By comparison, terrestrial and marine populations each fell 39%. While biodiversity continues to decline in both temperate and tropical parts of the world, the downward trend is greater in the tropics.
The most dramatic decline was in Latin America, where overall populations of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish fell 83%. Asia-Pacific wasn't far behind... |
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jodeke
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| Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 7:29 pm Post subject: |
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I'm confident earth will last my lifetime but it's decline is so rapid I question how many generations are left.
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DaMuleRules
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| Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 7:35 pm Post subject: |
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It's truly tragic.
When I was a kid, the only barrier to taking a safari and seeing a savanna teaming with life on the African plains was the logistics and finances of my parent's ability to make it happen.
By the time my kids have kids old enough to want to see it, not all the money and logistics possible could make it happen. |
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DaMuleRules
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| Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 7:45 pm Post subject: |
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| jodeke wrote: | | I'm confident earth will last my lifetime but it's decline is so rapid I question how many generations are left. |
The Earth is going to last much longer than any generations of our offspring - regardless of how many generations may lie ahead.
There's no doubt that the Universe is going to end us long before this planet is any danger. No matter what we do to the planet, it will rebound and it will do so with no regard for our intentions.
That's what it's important for us not to push our luck. |
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ExPatLkrFan
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| Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 7:56 pm Post subject: |
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| Why is it dropping most in the tropics? Well a lot of poor people in the tropics supplement their diet with found protein. Lizards, insects, birds, squirrels etc. These become part of the ethnic diet, when people get more affluent they still yearn for those tastes. Then you find them in the local open air markets. It also provides income for people looking to supplement their meager incomes. |
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vanexelent
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| Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 8:01 pm Post subject: |
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| ExPatLkrFan wrote: | | Why is it dropping most in the tropics? Well a lot of poor people in the tropics supplement their diet with found protein. Lizards, insects, birds, squirrels etc. These become part of the ethnic diet, when people get more affluent they still yearn for those tastes. Then you find them in the local open air markets. It also provides income for people looking to supplement their meager incomes. |
Uh, the biggest reason would be deforestation of the Rainforests and population growth. That's mainly tied to Western agricultural demands, not local palates. |
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Reflexx
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| Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 8:16 pm Post subject: |
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| On the bright side, if there is another great flood the ark we'd need could be much smaller. |
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DaMuleRules
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| Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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| vanexelent wrote: | | ExPatLkrFan wrote: | | Why is it dropping most in the tropics? Well a lot of poor people in the tropics supplement their diet with found protein. Lizards, insects, birds, squirrels etc. These become part of the ethnic diet, when people get more affluent they still yearn for those tastes. Then you find them in the local open air markets. It also provides income for people looking to supplement their meager incomes. |
Uh, the biggest reason would be deforestation of the Rainforests and population growth. That's mainly tied to Western agricultural demands, not local palates. |
That assessment is not entirely fair.
It's tied to outside demands AND the local willingness to rape their lands to satisfy that demand. |
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jodeke
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| Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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| vanexelent wrote: | | ExPatLkrFan wrote: | | Why is it dropping most in the tropics? Well a lot of poor people in the tropics supplement their diet with found protein. Lizards, insects, birds, squirrels etc. These become part of the ethnic diet, when people get more affluent they still yearn for those tastes. Then you find them in the local open air markets. It also provides income for people looking to supplement their meager incomes. |
Uh, the biggest reason would be deforestation of the Rainforests and population growth. That's mainly tied to Western agricultural demands, not local palates. |
Western civilization taking advantage of ignorance. Mans need for comfort outweighs the planets need to survive.
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America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. |
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tlim
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| Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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| This type of ish will result in wars, lots of them. Climate change is a security threat and people need to treat it like one instead of ignoring the runaway train coming your way as you're walking on the tracks. |
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lakerjoshua
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lakersken80
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| Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 9:33 pm Post subject: |
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| George Carlin was right. the Earth will be fine, its the people that are screwed. We will be the last ones here though, after all the other species die off |
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vanexelent
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| Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 6:04 am Post subject: |
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| DaMuleRules wrote: | | vanexelent wrote: | | ExPatLkrFan wrote: | | Why is it dropping most in the tropics? Well a lot of poor people in the tropics supplement their diet with found protein. Lizards, insects, birds, squirrels etc. These become part of the ethnic diet, when people get more affluent they still yearn for those tastes. Then you find them in the local open air markets. It also provides income for people looking to supplement their meager incomes. |
Uh, the biggest reason would be deforestation of the Rainforests and population growth. That's mainly tied to Western agricultural demands, not local palates. |
That assessment is not entirely fair.
It's tied to outside demands AND the local willingness to sexual assault their lands to satisfy that demand. |
Well yes, the people of these regions are also partners in it.
Here's a positive (old) story though, about how (2) Girl Scouts brought attention to the destruction wild life habitat caused by palm oil production.
http://www.npr.org/2011/07/04/137539757/two-scouts-want-palm-oil-out-of-famous-cookies |
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KobeBryantCliffordBrown
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| Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 6:35 am Post subject: |
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| vanexelent wrote: | | ExPatLkrFan wrote: | | Why is it dropping most in the tropics? Well a lot of poor people in the tropics supplement their diet with found protein. Lizards, insects, birds, squirrels etc. These become part of the ethnic diet, when people get more affluent they still yearn for those tastes. Then you find them in the local open air markets. It also provides income for people looking to supplement their meager incomes. |
Uh, the biggest reason would be deforestation of the Rainforests and population growth. That's mainly tied to Western agricultural demands, not local palates. |
Amazed that you had to explain that.
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NickF
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| Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Western Culture is not sustainable IMO, there is going to have to be a radical shift away from convention modes of thought (consumer based economy etc) to something more like tribal existence in harmony with nature or humanity will perish. Not sure we can do it, just think about the scarcity or seeming lack of intelligent life in the universe. |
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Omar Little
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| Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 5:07 pm Post subject: |
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It would take approximately eight plaet earths to sustain the current population of the earth at the standards of american consumption. We arent just consuming too much. We're consuming about eight times too much. There are a lot of smart minds that say the earth can only sustain about 3 billion people even if we vastly changed our lifestyles.
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jodeke
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| Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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Independence Day
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America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. |
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vanexelent
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| Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 5:18 pm Post subject: |
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| NickF wrote: | | Western Culture is not sustainable IMO, there is going to have to be a radical shift away from convention modes of thought (consumer based economy etc) to something more like tribal existence in harmony with nature or humanity will perish. Not sure we can do it, just think about the scarcity or seeming lack of intelligent life in the universe. |
I think if things got bad enough (or when they do) that the Western masses will embrace a shift towards more limited consumption. I think deep down even those wrapped up in popular culture, new tech crazes and over-consumption of food are not happy with it. |
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Theseus
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| Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 8:47 am Post subject: |
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| At least we'll always have cockroaches |
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jodeke
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| Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 8:52 am Post subject: |
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| Shlumpledink wrote: | | At least we'll always have cockroaches |
Yep, they survived the atom bomb. 
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America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. |
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ribeye
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Omar Little
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| Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 3:48 pm Post subject: |
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| vanexelent wrote: | | NickF wrote: | | Western Culture is not sustainable IMO, there is going to have to be a radical shift away from convention modes of thought (consumer based economy etc) to something more like tribal existence in harmony with nature or humanity will perish. Not sure we can do it, just think about the scarcity or seeming lack of intelligent life in the universe. |
I think if things got bad enough (or when they do) that the Western masses will embrace a shift towards more limited consumption. I think deep down even those wrapped up in popular culture, new tech crazes and over-consumption of food are not happy with it. |
It is probably too late. The west can't downsize fast enough or far enough just to allow the rest of the world to get up to even modest standards of consumption, and that's without population growth. The entire world needs to drop its birth rate to a staggering net loss just to have a shot.
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Aussiesuede
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| Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 4:12 pm Post subject: |
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Until humans become a viable menu option, then we're doomed to crush ourselves. 
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Omar Little
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| Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 4:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Aussiesuede wrote: | | Until humans become a viable menu option, then we're doomed to crush ourselves. |
Go Green
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