Are we nothing but parasites?

Question

Aren't humans a sort of "planet parasites"?

Completely dependent on the planet we live on, yet taking much much more than giving back.

What can we do to become more like "good bacteria" than "bad parasites"?

Yes, we should try harder, absolutely.
Yes, we should live greener.

But can you be more exact?

I think, for example, that consuming less meat and dairy = less greenhouse gasses from factory farm = less feed needed for animals = less rainforest being cut down for animal feed = less petrol used for transporting all the meet and the feed.

This is something I think everyone can do easily.
And the obvious things like turning the lights off when we don't need them etc.

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GOOD BACTERIA is a common expression used for the bacteria that live in human gut and are good for our health.

Kris, I know... I couldn't live without the washing machine, the fridge, the computer...

But aren't there areas that are just a complete waste of energy? Like, if there was less junk food available, less energy would be used to produce it (we would rather consume it fresh) and it wouldn't require that much packaging and it would take much less space in stores (less lighting needed, less energy for the freezers etc). Does this make sense, anyone?
I am talking about having one shelf of crisps in a store rather then 2 ROWS of shelves. Same for fizzy drinks. And frozen junk.

OMG, PACKAGING. (speaking of UK) Why does recently EVERY 3 courgettes have to be on their own tray in their own plastic bag.
Same for kiwi fruit, apples etc.
And UK is the only European country (apart from Ireland, perheps) that sells cucumbers in plastic wrappers by 1 or by a half.
Go to Italy and try to sell them half a cucumber wrapped in plastic. They will literally laugh their asses off!

LOL, that is actually true, Malcolm, I don't think Italians recycle much.
But this isn't why their veg is not wrapped in plastic.
I don't even know how to explain. Wrapping all the veggies is just odd and very British.
I do see the good sides of it, though - like, it is easier to keep organic fruit and veg from the rest - but there must be another way, surely!

Answer 1

Totally!Because,as a species,we're arrogant!We've come to believe that we are somehow separate from Nature,not a part of it.The Earth will prevail,she always does,even if it means the extinction of us as a species!

Answer 2

It's true, I've just returned from Naples and most of the fruit and veg is sold on the streets from market stalls and none of it wrapped in plastic. The reason for this has nothing to do with Italians desire to protect the planet it is simply because the additional packaging would be left on the streets along with the rest of the garbage. They recycle nothing

Answer 3

Each living species organism is trying to outdo all others and become dominant, so I guess we really are no different, except that we recognise/think that we are on a higher plane than all the others. Therefore those recognising this fact and all the other aspects and consequences of our apparent domination, must help to educate the remainder (if that doesn't seem too arrogant). Only in this way can we guarantee our own survival as part of a necessarily widely diversified Earth population.

We are the only species that has this power in our hands! please don't be negative about it. Despair is negative and the worst possible thing any of us can do!!!

Answer 4

Yes we are planet parasites. All sentient beings (frogs, rabbits, snakes, sharks, doves, humans, etc.) eat other living things including creatures, eggs, fruit seeds, etc. We all haven't a choice. Either eat or be eaten!

But humans go further than that.We increasingly destroy the planet mainly by using heat. And mainly through the aforementioned foods being completely destroyed, turned into dead ash, by cooking. To become better parasites we need to use much less unrenewable heat resources on travelling, laundry washers and driers, cooking, lighting, and other forms of avoidable usage.

Answer 5

I agree the "present" human race is corporeally a parasite of planet earth.
A part of the population tries its level best for minimizing this trend.
But the remaining populace rather than being indifferent contributes more to the factor of enforcing this parasiteness.

Well I try things like:
-Switching of the computer, insted of keeping it on standby (my computer doesn't have the hibernate feature)
-Use my cycle whenever I can, instead of motorbike.
-Use recycled materials.(well its of little significance in India....due to economical constraints)
-Try my best to minimize my electricity bill.

Answer 6

No way. Its part of our nature to consume without boundries.
Best example; They created Carbon market, where companies acquire CO2 credits through somekind of stock market in order to produce more wihtout political sanctions.

Everybody is concerned about profit and % of each country. Recycle and another greener activies will not solve this problem.
Massive and aggressive fishing industry almost destroied everything around. Only when limits were close to more than critical level (what means no profit), they started to reduce or creating protected areas.

Problem is regarding the way of life and social layers are defined in our society. Mining, huge plantations, GM Crops, Antibiotics in animals, depleting seas and killing life through invasive species (ship, pets, biological weapons, etc).

The basis of our society is based as a parasits. Grow at any cost. Compete agains each other. Be everywhere and get latest tecnology. Few can try diong its part, but it fails on global context.

Only heavy education based on clean filosophy, sociology and history (Rapa Nui - Easter island, Mayas, etc) will teach next generation that life is more delicate. These children will grow and get jobs and at least few badly when do business with China or open new industry everywhere.

since are not interest in global economy to reduce consum (reduces profit) neither in study new techologies to produce cleaner energy sources (scrap huge amount of industries and technologies) neither in change the way that our society see future, we are really bad and aggressive parasites. One of those who kills theirs host and also kills its own existence. ....
After our end in next 4 milleniuns, life will recover and goes on till next.

Answer 7

The sad thing is as mankind has evolved we have become more of a parasite than ever.
We take and don't replace. we kill for fun not for food. We let our brothers and sisters starve yet throw out food. We hold onto hope when little is available. What is the sense of great riches when you die. What is the sense of allowing children in Africa suffer cruel pain from curable disease. We are parasites looking after number 1. Think of others share the joy and beauty of this world. There is so much to share. Its so easy to stop waste. Wars are man made. There is no reason for them. Share and repair what we have.

Answer 8

The 'GREENEST" COMMUNITIES in the United States are the Amish, followed by the Mennoite, they take nothing that they don't replenish.

They also do not have COMPUTERS, TELEPHONES, TV, VCR'S CELL PHONES, CARS, They do not TRAVEL HAVE RADIOS

They do have CHURCH, EACH OTHER, FAMILY GATHERINGS, WAGONS, HORSES.

Shall we ALL return to that way of life? For me no, I prefer my dishwasher, washing machine dryer, vacuum sweeper, all the niceities of the current world.

To believe I'm a parasite in your definition, sure, all of us are. How we deal with it is up to each person. I recycle, I share, grow veggies, just for my little corner of this huge world

Answer 9

"Power corrupts, ultimate power corrupts ultimately".
Individuals can change IF they want but their fallback excuse is typically, "why should I sacrifice when my neighbor doesn't"?
European countries are much more goal oriented where the US's main value is the people will buy anything without thinking and that is where the core problem rests, the majority of Americans don't think, they just follow blindly, no pride, no purpose, no direction and with that formula, the people look to leadership to guide them....nothing there either and so here we all are...catch 22.

Answer 10

Parasites do not (by definition) kill the host.
Are we killing the Planet? There are different answers to this and I'm learning about this from Answers here.