E.O. Wilson Wants Us to Leave Half of the Earth Alone

Message 17 of 29 (768129) 09-08-2015 8:15 AM

Reply to: Message 16 by Jon 09-07-2015 11:12 PM

Edited by Theodoric, : No reason given.

Message 18 of 29 (768137) 09-08-2015 11:42 AM

Reply to: Message 8 by Omnivorous 09-06-2015 10:16 AM

quote:

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pity this busy monster, manunkind,

not.

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Message 21 of 29 (768165) 09-08-2015 4:16 PM

Reply to: Message 20 by Theodoric 09-08-2015 3:05 PM

We shouldn't.

Message 22 of 29 (768166) 09-08-2015 4:23 PM

Reply to: Message 11 by Jon 09-07-2015 12:33 PM

At least in the US, we spend way more money building machines and maintaining armies that are meant to kill people in 3rd world countries. 3rd world countries also lack infrastructure that is required to move them towards better economies. Many times, this infrastructure is limited as much by history as it is by local geography. Not every country is blessed with the Great Plains.

There are also win-win situations, such as moving away from economically volatile fuels to sustainable sources like nuclear.

Message 24 of 29 (768172) 09-08-2015 7:48 PM

Reply to: Message 23 by Theodoric 09-08-2015 5:20 PM

As I said, Lomborg's work is no masterpiece and the man is no genius (I was pretty critical of his book in my Amazon review, but I won't go into it here). What I was mainly bringing up in relation to his views is the value in his idea of analyzing the costs and benefits of environmental policy and understanding that the real value behind maintaining environmental quality is to improve and preserve human life and so EQ improvements can be weighed against the costs and benefits of other measures aimed at improving and preserving human life.

The benefits to humanity of living on only half the inhabitable globe are far outweighed by the costs of doing so—even if it would make the environment a happier place.

Message 25 of 29 (768174) 09-08-2015 7:56 PM

Reply to: Message 22 by Taq 09-08-2015 4:23 PM

Indeed

Though many Third World countries aren't much better when it comes to warring on one another (or themselves).

Infrastructure can be built.

What's so great about the Great Plains? (And don't forget, many parts of the Great Plains were once Great Forests.)

Edited by Jon, : No reason given.

Message 26 of 29 (830009) 03-20-2018 7:40 AM

Sudan, 45 and elderly by rhino standards with a host of health problems, was put down by veterinarians yesterday. There are only two females left, so IVF is the only hope for preserving the species.

--Percy

Message 27 of 29 (830051) 03-20-2018 1:04 PM

Reply to: Message 13 by Jon 09-07-2015 6:24 PM

Thing is if you plough the jungle to plant crops it will turn in to a desert, The reason it rains every noon in the jungle is because there is a jungle.

Edited by frako, : No reason given.

Message 28 of 29 (830057) 03-20-2018 2:38 PM

Reply to: Message 26 by Percy 03-20-2018 7:40 AM

If it makes you feel any better, nobody treated the northern population as a distinct species prior to a few years ago, while the southern population is a conservation success story. From being presumed extinct in the late nineteenth century there are now more 20,000 of them - the most populous of living rhino species.