I often think that it is in the nature of humans to destroy the Earth. I understand that this might not be a popular idea from what I saw in class today but I believe that human settlement is incompatible with keeping nature as nature is intended to exist. This originates from the fact that although humans are animals and originate from nature, the only way that humans could have zero negative impact on nature is to abandon all technology and return to a society of hunter-gatherer nomads. This was the way that we were birthed from nature and it is the only way we can operate within its conditions without hurting it.
Today we talked about biophilia and how humans have some sense of longing for nature. Although I agree with the biophilia hypothesis and that it exists, I would argue that it is only something that occurs due to our technological society. Because we are spoiled with modern wonders of convenience and comfort, we see nature as enchanting. People (typically) make the decision to go camping for a weekend, not for months. That isn’t a bad thing, but it does indicate that we want would rather appreciate nature from a distance as opposed to being a part of it entirely (returning to a society of hunter-gathers). Since we are no longer willing to be a part of it actively, we are continually exerting negative pressure on it.
What I think is also somewhat indicative of the destructive relationship with humans and nature is how similar we are to a cancer if Earth was a human body. If you look at what makes cancer cells unique to other cells in the body you would see: unregulated growth, diverting resources to the cancer tissues, metastasizing (going to as many parts of the body as possible), and of course causing harm or death to the individual.
Looking at these attributes for humans, there is essentially only one country that practices some regulated growth – People’s Republic of China. Anywhere else you can have as many children with as many women that you want. To produce one pound of beef requires between 450 gallons of water (beef industry estimate) and 2500 gallons of water (Newsweek figure). Considering just how much resources one meal might stress the planet, unregulated population growth is extremely destructive.
Diverting Earth’s resources to our cities, homes, foundries, farms, and anywhere we settle is essentially inarguable. The only places where we might see this occurring at a minimum would be either tribes or very small towns that exist in temperate climates with access to fresh water.
Humans have continued to spread out from Africa since our evolution first occurred tens of thousands of years ago. We now occupy every continent and some amount of space. The fact that we feel entitled to occupy any land we want is never questioned and often encouraged. Sometimes humans enjoy moving far from where they were born, some prefer not to, but most are able to.
Humans without question cause harm to the Earth. We pump chemicals into the skies and oceans and we slaughter its animal inhabitants. It is this that I often see humans as simply the cancer of Earth. I don’t think this makes us evil, it merely makes us incompatible with the body that gave us life.
Nuke the whales poster was chosen because that is essentially what we are doing to nature.