THOUGHTS
ON
PLANET EARTH
As we go about our daily humdrum lives, we should spare a thought for the organism on which we depend for our very existence, Planet Earth.
The Earth is a complex biological living organism, we need to take great care of it in order for our continued survival.
Currently though, we are using and abusing it. We cut down or allow to be cut down, vast areas of rainforest every day. These rainforests are what give us the clean, life giving air that we breathe. They give shelter to countless millions of species of animal life, some of which have become extinct before we have found them. When viewed from space vast red rivers can be seen flowing into the oceans, red, because it is the top soil that the trees held together flowing outwards, having been washed down into the rivers by rain. This soil will never return to the slopes where it once provided the environment for plant life, leaving these same areas barren and lifeless.
In the Oceans we overfish and worldwide fish stocks are hitting frightening lows. Off the coast of Scotland the fishing of Cod has been suspended over fears that stocks are depleted to such a degree that the species may become extinct in that area. The Shark, a preditator of the highest order has seen it's numbers reduced to 10% of "normal" by hunting. Not because it is eaten, but because it is seen as a danger to humans. The shark is supposed to be at the top of the oceanic foodchain, what right do we, who live on the land, have to enter the domain of the shark and kill indiscriminately because we feel unsafe? It is not our domain, we should be taking added precautions not killing. The same of course applies to Whales and Dolphins, but their plight is more widely publicised than Sharks which is why I bring them to  your attention.
The Ozone layer is growing daily, causing Global Warming, yet worldwide, Governments continue to wrangle over minute details in policies to gain "victories" and "concessions" instead of actually doing something positive. World Conferences recently have ended in stalemate with no agreement being reached and subsquently no actions being taken. In the meantime we continue to send massive amounts of poisonous pollutants into the air every day, gradually suffocating the planet.
So, what can we do?
We can do LOTS! Support Gobal activists like WWF, Greenpeace, Save The Rainforests, (link on front page) and Tear Fund.
Lobby your local political representative, send e-mails outlining your concerns to governments world wide, buy eco-friendly and biodegradable products. Leave posts on websites, set up your own website, be vocal. Ask everyone you know to do the same.
You never know, it might just work!