Topic: "Many scientists consider humans as the most invasive species, as humans can greatly change an environment and impact living things that reside there. Are we being stewards of the world? Take a look at an issue in which human intervention has positively or negatively affected the biodiversity of our ecosystems."
Humans happen to be biting the hand that once fed us.
Chomp, chomp, and chomp.
The earth has provided humans with such a magnificent home, allowing us to use its resources, breathe its air, drink its water, spend its riches and to live upon it. Instead of reciprocating the care back to mother earth, humans take even more for granted- not only changing the environment, but impacting other living species that are sharing our planet. How are we able to do such harm to a planet that has done nothing but given us so many opportunities to live?
The answer to this probing question lies within all the disastrous activities humans have been performing- urbanization, creating pollution, taking away habitats of innocent animals, breaking down the ozone layer...etc. and yet we are considered to be the great and most intelligent species on earth! Perhaps we should learn from all the animals of the world to live a life of simplicity like theirs since they have not negatively impacted the earth as we have. It has come to the point where animals have become more stewards of the world than humans have. Without human inventions like automotive vehicles, iPods, excessively wrapped snacks and our laziness, the world would definitely decrease in pollution.
In order for the biodiversity of our ecosystems to flourish, humans must understand that the health of our ecosystems is extremely significant to the stability of our world. Biodiversity provides balance to the different species of organisms that bring beauty and excitement into our ecosystems, so humans should do everything in their power to protect it. The stability and balance of our ecosystems is delicate and fragile, so with human activities negatively impacting altering our ecosystems so drastically, the balance of biodiversity is easily thrown off. I have learned that the way humans are acting at this moment are shattering the fragile web of ecological interdependency, leading to enormous consequences affecting all organisms. Researchers have proven that changes in one ecosystem ripple through others with varying degrees of impact, leading to more ecosystems being affected and so on and so forth. Not only are we harming animals by taking away their food, and their habitats but we’re disturbing plant life as well, so in a nutshell, we’re all connected within the web, but humans are the only ones that are changing things for the worse.
Here’s a story. One night during dinner, my mom prepared salmon. My brother and I sat at the
dinner table while she placed the dish in front of us. Right before we were about to serve ourselves the fish, my mom asked us, “Did you know if you ate too much salmon, there’s a chance of getting mercury poisoning?” My brother and I exchanged puzzled looks and I answered, “Whatever mom. I’m still eating salmon. I’m hungry.” Later that night what my mom said interested me so I decided to research that topic on he Internet. It turns out that over the years, there have been health concerns about the high levels of methyl-mercury found in long-lived fish species nearer to the top of the food chain - such as tuna and salmon. The mercury level was three times higher in wild salmon than farmed salmon because factories have been carelessly dumping their toxic wastes into the wild salmon’s habitats while farmed salmon would be safe from the toxins. High mercury levels have been associated with an increase in the risk of cancer, which has led many people to avoid consuming certain fishes, but as long as you don’t eat too much and figure out where your salmon is coming from, consumers safe for now. This story has led me to realize that human activities are disturbing more organisms than we can imagine but in the end, it will always come back to haunt us. If factories weren’t so lazy to begin with and found more innovative ways to deposit their waste, consumers wouldn’t have to worry about the amount of mercury they’re consuming.
All in all, humans take and will always find the most convenient way to finish tasks. It's only natural for us to want things without thinking about the negative effects it’ll have on the rest of the world. But times are changing and we can make a difference. Are we being the stewards of the world? Not yet. Humans are still destroying habitats and driving animals to extinction leading to climate changes and having a poor attitude in protecting our biodiversity. I believe the scientists are right. We have become the most invasive species to walk the earth; no other species is producing as much waste, pollution or destroying ecosystems like humans are...and at such a rapid pace as well! It’s absolutely unbelievable how humans are disintegrating the beauty and nature of our world which makes it obvious how humans have definitely become the most selfish and ignorant species on earth. On the other hand, clearly a different generation is taking over and being more aware of the negative impacts towards our ecosystems. As a result, it is possible in everyway to start becoming stewards, even if we weren’t in the past. It’s never too late and...
It is time to give back to the hand that fed us.
Sources:
· http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/standards/08/index.html
· http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/109789.php#
· http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/economics/
· http://www.nkellogg.com/balance.jpg
Humans happen to be biting the hand that once fed us.
Chomp, chomp, and chomp.
The earth has provided humans with such a magnificent home, allowing us to use its resources, breathe its air, drink its water, spend its riches and to live upon it. Instead of reciprocating the care back to mother earth, humans take even more for granted- not only changing the environment, but impacting other living species that are sharing our planet. How are we able to do such harm to a planet that has done nothing but given us so many opportunities to live?
The answer to this probing question lies within all the disastrous activities humans have been performing- urbanization, creating pollution, taking away habitats of innocent animals, breaking down the ozone layer...etc. and yet we are considered to be the great and most intelligent species on earth! Perhaps we should learn from all the animals of the world to live a life of simplicity like theirs since they have not negatively impacted the earth as we have. It has come to the point where animals have become more stewards of the world than humans have. Without human inventions like automotive vehicles, iPods, excessively wrapped snacks and our laziness, the world would definitely decrease in pollution.
In order for the biodiversity of our ecosystems to flourish, humans must understand that the health of our ecosystems is extremely significant to the stability of our world. Biodiversity provides balance to the different species of organisms that bring beauty and excitement into our ecosystems, so humans should do everything in their power to protect it. The stability and balance of our ecosystems is delicate and fragile, so with human activities negatively impacting altering our ecosystems so drastically, the balance of biodiversity is easily thrown off. I have learned that the way humans are acting at this moment are shattering the fragile web of ecological interdependency, leading to enormous consequences affecting all organisms. Researchers have proven that changes in one ecosystem ripple through others with varying degrees of impact, leading to more ecosystems being affected and so on and so forth. Not only are we harming animals by taking away their food, and their habitats but we’re disturbing plant life as well, so in a nutshell, we’re all connected within the web, but humans are the only ones that are changing things for the worse.
Here’s a story. One night during dinner, my mom prepared salmon. My brother and I sat at the
dinner table while she placed the dish in front of us. Right before we were about to serve ourselves the fish, my mom asked us, “Did you know if you ate too much salmon, there’s a chance of getting mercury poisoning?” My brother and I exchanged puzzled looks and I answered, “Whatever mom. I’m still eating salmon. I’m hungry.” Later that night what my mom said interested me so I decided to research that topic on he Internet. It turns out that over the years, there have been health concerns about the high levels of methyl-mercury found in long-lived fish species nearer to the top of the food chain - such as tuna and salmon. The mercury level was three times higher in wild salmon than farmed salmon because factories have been carelessly dumping their toxic wastes into the wild salmon’s habitats while farmed salmon would be safe from the toxins. High mercury levels have been associated with an increase in the risk of cancer, which has led many people to avoid consuming certain fishes, but as long as you don’t eat too much and figure out where your salmon is coming from, consumers safe for now. This story has led me to realize that human activities are disturbing more organisms than we can imagine but in the end, it will always come back to haunt us. If factories weren’t so lazy to begin with and found more innovative ways to deposit their waste, consumers wouldn’t have to worry about the amount of mercury they’re consuming.All in all, humans take and will always find the most convenient way to finish tasks. It's only natural for us to want things without thinking about the negative effects it’ll have on the rest of the world. But times are changing and we can make a difference. Are we being the stewards of the world? Not yet. Humans are still destroying habitats and driving animals to extinction leading to climate changes and having a poor attitude in protecting our biodiversity. I believe the scientists are right. We have become the most invasive species to walk the earth; no other species is producing as much waste, pollution or destroying ecosystems like humans are...and at such a rapid pace as well! It’s absolutely unbelievable how humans are disintegrating the beauty and nature of our world which makes it obvious how humans have definitely become the most selfish and ignorant species on earth. On the other hand, clearly a different generation is taking over and being more aware of the negative impacts towards our ecosystems. As a result, it is possible in everyway to start becoming stewards, even if we weren’t in the past. It’s never too late and...
It is time to give back to the hand that fed us.
Sources:
· http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/standards/08/index.html
· http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/109789.php#
· http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/economics/
· http://www.nkellogg.com/balance.jpg
