The Problems in Human Treatment of The Planet

In 100 years, the world will be very different. There will be life-changing technology, faster transportation, and maybe even a cure to cancer. Some researchers predict that there could even be underwater cities, printed food, and holiday trips to Mars. Further, important aspects of our lives today that would definitely shock the minds of those who look back on us, similar to how we are shocked by those that came before. Future historians will criticize and question the ways we lived our lives, such as the awful and unethical ways we treat other people, animals, and our environment.

Today, there are many internal conflicts in our society. We criticize people based on their sexual orientation, gender, race, religious views, and more. At times, it seems as if there is no hope. However, looking back on past generations, it is easy to say that people have developed a stronger sense of conscience and moral values, considering at one point the only people to hold any position of power were rich, white men. Therefore, with any luck, our treatments to other humans and animals will improve over time; there will be better people, ideas, and thinking than there is now. However, one thing that future generations will not be able to improve upon is the environment since the effects of climate change are only abatable, not stoppable.

For centuries, there has been no drastic change to improve the overall quality of our environment. Consequently, the treatment and management of our environment will be one of the biggest burdens that we leave for future generations. They will question our thoughtless attitude towards nature.

For example, due to our Western diets and eating habits, the manufacturing of animal products contribute greatly to the rise of global temperatures. One of the main ways in which livestock manufacturing contributes to climate change is through deforestation caused by expansion of pasture land used to grow crops. Additionally, animal agriculture is a significant source of greenhouse gases. Some solutions for this problem are Veganism and Vegetarianism, but simply the awareness of our meat consumption can decrease the excessive amounts of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere.

Deforestation is damaging to the environment for many reasons. Not only will it be viewed as “barbaric” in the future because of its connection to animal production, but because of the polluted gases released from the wood when burned. In addition, the loss of our forests results in a chain reaction where too much carbon is released into the air. Unfortunately, there is not enough oxygen to combat the carbon. This results in trapped heat that warms the entire planet. Being that trees are a life source for breathing, it is essential to stop deforestation to slow down the greenhouse effect.

Moreover, human pollution, whether it is vehicular, electrical or industrial, is the main contributor to climate change. Everyday, billions of vehicles release various gases into the atmosphere, resulting in warmer temperatures worldwide. Furthermore, electricity also causes pollution, which is produced by the burning of fossil fuels, like coal, thus releasing many gases into the air, mainly carbon dioxide. Even mundane tasks like driving cars and heating up our homes release carbon dioxide and other heat trapping gases in the atmosphere. We are all well aware of the vast amounts of energy consumed everyday by humans, so finding sources for renewable energy, clean burning fuel options, and methods to reduce the amount of energy exhausted can significantly decrease the amount of energy we are releasing into the atmosphere. If we do not take measures now to stop the iminate effects of climate change, we will be known as a generation who saw what was wrong but took no action to correct it.

Although scientists continue to observe and study the causes of climate change, there is little that can be done to prevent such vast forces. Maybe there is no solution - but we must evaluate and prioritize how we treat our planet. Although future generations will criticize us for our past mistakes from the privilege of time and distance, it is not too late to leave a better world for our children. The future of the earth is in our hands.