Does it really matter what we do to the earth?

Question

I have been told that global warming and pollution will eventually kill life on earth. I am also told that life adapts and evolves to better survive in its surroundings. If this is so what does it matter what we do to the earth, will life not adapt to it and continue?

Answer 1

life does indeed adapt. for millions of years the earth has shifted and reshaped itself, it has heated and cooled and life has evolved. however, not all life evolves, many creatures cannot adapt to change and instead become extinct. do not be so arrogant my friend, to assume that the human species would be the one to adapt, we may very well be seeing our last few decades as the dominant species, and may, in fact, disappear from this world altogether

Answer 2

I think that the point is that it's happening at such a rapid rate that at this rate nothing will have time to adapt. If global warming were happening by natural causes, I think the process would be much slower. I've wondered the same thing about other things to. Like for example, I live somewhere where the concern over invasive species is so great, but when I argue that it's part of the adaptation for unnatural things to move in, people argue that it's people who bring them in. Well if an animal brought an invasive species in its droppings, what would keeping it from being invasive? So even though I kind of just went a-rambling, I hope that helped.

Answer 3

First off, your general philosophy is sound as a response to the phrase, "Save the earth." The earth isn't going any where, but we might.

Now if mankind continues on our present course of self destruction, what may occur is the eventual extinction of homo sapiens. Along the way, we may cause the extinction of millions of life forms, never to inhabit the earth again.

As for whether it would matter, that depends on your perspective. Kind of like the riddle about if a tree falls in the woods and there is no one around to hear it.

If there are no creatures such as present day human beings left on earth, is it a waste that there would be no creature to appreciate the beauty of nature, the taste of ice cream or the sounds of music?

Human existence, while immature in it's balance with the earth, is the only entity capable of experiencing life as fully as we do, (generally speaking).

We give the earth conscience.
That is the only way something can, or can not, matter.

Answer 4

We are a part of the earth, in fact, I might allow the argument "we are the earth" take place in this argument. Thus, global warming and pollution is what the "earth" does at the moment, this how things are supposed to be. And yes, if we also agree with the theory of evolution, this is that which we must get used to and change for.

Answer 5

Nature itself will continue, but the life we enjoy may not. And the Earth's population yet to be born may not like or survive life on this Earth as Nature adapts to what we are doing to this planet.

Answer 6

Yes it matters. We should make the world a better place. Even if you personally don't want to, you should be considerate of others who may want to live a good life. Everything you do is important. If everyone had the idea that life would go on whatever you do, then nobody would work and there would be no such thing as an economy.

Answer 7

Yes life adapts, but not at the rate in which we are changing the world.

Answer 8

Yeah it matter wut we do to the earth. Even though we probably wont be alive when global warming hit, the world would most likely come to an end bcuz the environment won't adapt to it quick enough, and also humans won't be able to live in global warming bcuz that's not the environment that we live in.

Answer 9

Yes it matters. We need to plant more trees and be aware of the pollution we are dumping in our water. Housing built on oceans and lakes are destroying them by taking wildlife and making them move. Putting fertilizer on their grass that runs into and destroying out drinking water. People need to think about every action they take.

Answer 10

Some life may, but probably not humans. I've heard that cockroaches could survive a nuclear holocaust, but I'm not advocating bombing because they'll go ahead and live on.