Everything that has happened since the dawn of our planet has been a butterfly effect. Every action has had and continues to have a consequence. Entropy resulted in the formation of complex acids, random atoms naturally came together to create better structures, single celled organisms evolved into complex living things, a group of species came into being and became extinct over time, and formation of DNA resulted in the origin of human species.
So, theoretically, in simple terms of Physics, humans came into existence, just to dissipate accumulated energy into the surrounding. We are mere tools selectively created by Nature to enable energy flow. But we believe that we are the pinnacle of creation, the masters of all existing lifeforms, the sole owners of the entirety of resources on Earth.
Natural Historian David Attenborough said “Humanity is a plague on Earth.” and rightly so.
We expanded exponentially in population which resulted in deforestation and soil degradation, for which we never stopped to think of the consequences. As for the utilization of the abundance of resources the Earth once hosted, what started out as our pursuance of “survival”, became an outright profligate exploitation. Humanity’s current demand for resources is 70% higher than regeneration of the entire ecosystem.
Our selfish, excessive encroachment of fossil fuels and plant-based ecosystems have alarmingly increased the Carbon footprint levels and caused immense environmental degradation. Because of our miserable failure to adapt to responsible, sustainable practices, places that were once rich in flora and fauna, are now deserts with loose soil or foundations of large-scale industries and civilizations.
The World Wildlife Fund has reported that humanity has wiped out 60% of wildlife in the past thirty years alone. We have led to mass extinction and endangerment of many beautiful species.
We annihilated their natural habitat by invading their homes, clearing out forests, polluting clean water bodies, crippling the coral reefs and increasing air toxicity. And since that was not enough, we hunted them for sport, poached their skins and parts for trophies and money, imported exotic animals and birds to simply show off, spread invasive species and diseases, rendering native species incompetent in their own habitats and, set up “safe” recreational activities, parks and zoos where we can touch the heavily drugged wild animals.
We did not even give them a chance at survival. Why do we deserve to live on a planet that other living things can’t? In what way are we so special? In what way are we so entitled? We are no different from the meteor that killed the dinosaurs, only we do it slowly, intentionally, mercilessly. Our insatiable greed set us back millions of years in making. Instead of protecting and preserving our enriched fauna, we sought to act like the six sensed savages we are.
Researchers and scientists come up with creative solutions for sustainable practices and alternate lifestyles every single day. Social media screams Climate Change, every minute we spend on it. We still choose not to acknowledge that it is even real. We still turn on our exhaust fans, ride our non-PUC certified vehicles, use non-degradable plastic bags, excessively consume meat products, contribute to incessant consumerism and the list goes on.
Were we a fault in Nature’s equation? A glitch in the otherwise serene matrix? Or are we the necessary evil to end this vicious cycle?