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Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals since 1970, major report finds

theguardian.com

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Re: Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals since 1970, major report finds

#41

Post by uxcolumbo »

Cthulhu_ wrote: post #11
montenegrohugo wrote: post #10

Human Population has more than doubled in the same timespan (from 3.7 billion to 7.7 billion today). This is not sustainable. We only have one small planet to live on, and we are destroying it. We are overfishing the oceans, cutting down entire forests to make way for pastures, warming up the planet and acidifying the plastic-filled ocean. Even insect populations are plummeting. The consequences of this will not be f…

I'm afraid the problem will fix itself soon enough. WW3 could be around the corner according to the people behind the Doomsday Clock. Climate change will cause famine, natural disasters and mass migrations. Poverty, overpriced health care and a lack of common social structure (every man for himself) will lower the life expectancy again after decades of increase.

> I'm afraid the problem will fix itself soon enough. WW3 could be around the corner according to the people behind the Doomsday Clock[...]

I wouldn't call WW3 a fix (short term anyway).

Even a small nuclear exchange would have devastating ecological consequences [0]

[0] "Radioactive fallout from these weapons’ debris clouds would reach the stratosphere, where it would travel worldwide, potentially contaminating crops and livestock as well as causing radiation sickness and cancer directly. Later, this fallout would cause genetic mutations in plants, animals and human beings, as it has in the vicinity of the Chernobyl nuclear accident."

From: https://medium.com/freeman-spogli-institute-for-internationa...

Re: Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals since 1970, major report finds

#42

Post by temp364364 »

anoplus wrote: post #18

Some companies are willing to harm humans and the environment for profit. I am active against a gas processing project in Israel, planned to be built near residents. Thousands of people joined the battle to protect their water and air against the blind tycoon greed. Government hands are tied by threats and bribe. Press are under incredible pressure to keep silent about the protests. We demand building the rigs 120km…

This is just pure NIMBY-ism. You should be ashamed. Even the Green groups in Israel support the current solution.

Building the gas infrafracture on-shore would have expanded jobs and the industrial base. Instead this was moved off-shore 20-km. Now you are fighting even this.

This is just richer/educated/organized people acting in the most selfish way possible. Its disgusting. Its no wonder Israel is the country with the highest OECD inequality.

To be clear. I am financially secure. I have multiple degrees. I work in tech and dont "need" an industrial job. I think we need more solar, more EV, less population, etc. But i am also realistic and compassionate to the rest of the population.

Re: Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals since 1970, major report finds

#43

Post by nwatson »

thelastidiot wrote: post #36

More rats and cockroaches in New York, more mosquitoes in Hawaii, more seagulls in Boston, more pigeons in San Francisco, more crows in the bay area, what is this article talking about?!

Humans are the new ecosystem. Animals, plants, beings that live out a symbiotic or parasitic relationship with us and our imprint will thrive ... those that don't likely suffer.

Re: Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals since 1970, major report finds

#44

Post by tonyedgecombe »

dao- wrote: post #8

Don't worry, look at the bright side. E.g. I heard the US economy enjoys a 4% growth rate and that can only be a good thing! Right?

HN doesn't really do sarcasm.

There is an interesting point here though, we will never get a grip on this problem whilst the primary focus of politicians is growth. The idea that you can fix this without some lifestyle sacrifice is probably false. If we want a sustainable future it won't include foreign holidays, personal cars, juicy steaks and shiny toys.

Re: Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals since 1970, major report finds

#45

Post by tonyedgecombe »

thelastidiot wrote: post #36

More rats and cockroaches in New York, more mosquitoes in Hawaii, more seagulls in Boston, more pigeons in San Francisco, more crows in the bay area, what is this article talking about?!

There is far more wildlife in my small garden than the farmers field across the road from me.

Re: Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals since 1970, major report finds

#46

Post by abledon »

Theodores wrote: post #33
montenegrohugo wrote: post #10

Human Population has more than doubled in the same timespan (from 3.7 billion to 7.7 billion today). This is not sustainable. We only have one small planet to live on, and we are destroying it. We are overfishing the oceans, cutting down entire forests to make way for pastures, warming up the planet and acidifying the plastic-filled ocean. Even insect populations are plummeting. The consequences of this will not be f…

> I implore you to be politically active, to consider support for candidates that at least acknowledge that there is a problem. Consider a carbon tax. Consider big, international efforts to clean up our oceans. Consider sexual education efforts in developing nations. Consider carbon re-capture efforts. There's a ton of things we can do, but we have to start doing It has all been said before. None of this is going to…

For that, humanity needs spiritual process — people like Putin trump , NK, China etc will not let that happen unless we provide them with a tool for inner transformation of their experience of living

Re: Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals since 1970, major report finds

#47

Post by Rotareti »

nervousvarun wrote: post #31
pingec wrote: post #9

When I was a child about 20 years ago, I remember going snorkelling near my home in the North Adriatic Sea quite often. I could see crabs, starfish, sea urchins, sea horses, octopuses under rocks and loads of fish. I went back there recently and was shocked to find the water looked clear but there were no animals left inside except for a few fish and a crab here and there. This makes me really sad and pessimistic abo…

My equivalent of this is frogs. Frogs and the rhythmic noises they made at night were the "white noise" of my childhood.

My equivalent of this is insects. My family and I made a lot of trips with our car in the 90th. The front of the car was full of squashed insects when we arrived. There was a constant knocking on the windshield. The amount of insects that I find on my car today is far less. I think it's about 10-20% of what it was in the 90th. I'm worried.

Re: Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals since 1970, major report finds

#48

Post by rcMgD2BwE72F »

thelastidiot wrote: post #36

More rats and cockroaches in New York, more mosquitoes in Hawaii, more seagulls in Boston, more pigeons in San Francisco, more crows in the bay area, what is this article talking about?!

I don't know if the population of these species is increasing globally but it seems the ones you listed are very unique in the way they relate to humans – see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbiosis.

I wouldn't be surprised to learn that human overpopulation and profligate consumption make a few species' population to thrive (e.g if they feed on human waste, share habitats, etc) while still causing a mass-extinction event and an ecological collapse (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocene_extinction).

Multiple independent species have shown that in Europe, the insect biomass has dropped by more than 75% in the last 3 decades. In France, bird populations have fallen by 33+% over the last 15 years, but migratory birds are disappearing even faster (e.g the meadow pipit population has declined by nearly 70%).

edit: s/strive/thrive

Re: Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals since 1970, major report finds

#49

Post by trentnix »

tonyedgecombe wrote: post #44
dao- wrote: post #8

Don't worry, look at the bright side. E.g. I heard the US economy enjoys a 4% growth rate and that can only be a good thing! Right?

HN doesn't really do sarcasm. There is an interesting point here though, we will never get a grip on this problem whilst the primary focus of politicians is growth. The idea that you can fix this without some lifestyle sacrifice is probably false. If we want a sustainable future it won't include foreign holidays, personal cars, juicy steaks and shiny toys.

And by what conditions would the problem be judged as fixed?

I’ll believe it’s a real crisis when the people insisting it is actually live like it is. But while they get their Starbucks and fly on their planes and watch their Netflix and shop their Whole Foods and stack their Amazon boxes all while claiming we need to collectively engage in some sort of “lifestyle sacrifice”, I remain skeptical.

If such a sacrifice is indeed necessary, you should get started immediately and not wait for the government to force that sacrifice on you.

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