ABSOLUTE ASCENDANCY

Commencing operation . . .

Overview

Our planet.

It weeps.

It despairs.

And there will be hell to pay.

Ever since the industrial revolution, humanity has increasingly put the environment at risk to satiate an unquenchable thirst. The damage already caused to the environment is already at an alarming level, yet greedy corporations continue to pillage and plunder the Earth for selfish gain.

If this continues as it has, then humanity will destroy Earth and become extinct in the process.

The Problem

The problem is that because this apparent end is generations away, avaricious individuals do not care about the damage done to the environment because they will long be dead before it affects them.

Who cares, I won’t live to suffer the consequences.

Something along those lines. There is a multitude of ways humanity has wreaked havoc upon the planet, and below, I list five of them.

1. Overpopulation
2. Warfare
3. Pollution
4. Deforestation
5. Genetic Modification

1. Overpopulation

Back in the day, humans had to breed to survive. Mortality rates were much higher in those times when medicine was less advanced, food was scarce, and humanity was more vulnerable to the elements. Nowadays, we live in a world that is overpopulated in an unevenly distributed manner.

Humanity has become an epidemic to the planet.

An infestation.

A plague.

From 1970, the Earth has exceeded its capacity to provide for all living creatures sustainably. Almost fifty years have passed since then, and profiteering companies have continued to exploit the environment for selfish gain, ruining the planet in the process. More people mean more resources, and more space is required to sustain the population.

2. Warfare

The environmental damage caused by war is devastating. You need only look through the tomes of history to realise this. To this day, there are still traces of radioactivity (Plutonium) from the atomic bomb America dropped on Japan almost seventy-five years ago.

Not only do nuclear weapons cause immediate widespread destruction, but the radioactivity produced from such weapons also lingers for many decades and causes all sorts of ruin to humanity and the environment, such as congenital disabilities and ozone layer damage.

One day, humanity will pay dearly for the destruction caused to the Earth. 

3. Pollution

Contamination is widespread in the world we live in today. Humanity has polluted the land, the oceans, and the sky. No wonder illness is on the rise, pollution is everywhere you look, and in every breath you take.

Water

Millions of tonnes of garbage are dumped into the ocean every year. On top of this, oil spills, runoff fertiliser, industrial waste all contribute to water pollution. Millions of people no longer have access to clean water as many water sources have been contaminated with chemical waste, which can lead to illness, cancer, and even congenital disabilities. The chemicals and plastic waste that enter the seas and oceans also kill any marine life that is unfortunate enough to ingest such toxins. Fertilisers allow algae and other aquatic plant life to overgrow and strip bodies of water of oxygen.

Ocean acidification is another threat to the oceans. The acidity levels have slowly been rising and causing damage to coral reefs, such that around twenty-five percent of coral reefs are now beyond saving. The acidification also makes it difficult for crustaceans to build their shells, leaving them exposed without their protective armour.  

Land 

From the various chemicals, farmers use to protect their crops, to the sheer waste that is scattered throughout the planet, land pollution has become a global epidemic. Much of the contamination from pesticides and herbicides has ironically damaged the soil, hampering the growth of beneficial plants. These chemicals also poison crops, which can eventually end up in human bodies.

Poisoned Crops -> Animal Eats -> Humans kill, and the eat animals which ingested the crops.

Poisoned Crops -> Humans eat poisoned crops.

The garbage that humanity has accumulated is no longer sustainable. Landfill sites are overflowing with trash. Humans create too much waste for the planet.

Air

Vehicles, factories, burning fossil fuels. All of these things and more cause pollution to be pumped out into the air. This causes damage to the ozone layer as well as creating acid rain. The acidic rain then pollutes small lakes and the soil, eventually killing aquatic and plant life. With a weakened ozone layer, ultraviolet sensitive plants die out, and it becomes increasingly difficult for people to get around on scorching hot days. This leads to an overall increase in global temperatures to the extent of warping the natural climates of some areas of the world. Species can die off due to adverse environmental conditions caused by global warming.

4. Deforestation

More and more trees are being cut down each year to facilitate a rising populous. It is a vicious cycle. The more people that are on the planet, the more space is required to sustain the population. Deforestation can provide empty areas, but cutting down trees reduces the amount of much-needed oxygen organisms need to survive. It is not a sustainable solution. In a very direct yet subtle and delayed manner, cutting down trees is the same as taking lives. Many animals rely on the cover provided by forests to survive. Ravaging the environment destroys the homes of many animals, and this, in turn, affects the ecosystem. Should the ecosystem become irreparable, it will come back to haunt humanity. 

5. Genetic Modification

It is common for farmers to use herbicides to kill off weeds and other unwanted plants. Unfortunately, some weeds have managed to develop a resistance to these herbicides and are now much more resilient. It is the same concept as a particular strain of virus developing immunity to antibiotics. What then happens is that these super weeds become a widespread menace, choking other plants. Tilling the soil becomes one of the only remaining solutions to eliminate these pesky weeds, but this method dries out the ground very quickly and also kills off useful bacteria in the soil. An option is to add fertiliser, but that has an additional impact on the environment. It is like solving one problem but creating another in the process.

The Solution

There are fortunately many potential solutions which can be utilised to manage and protect our environment. Eight possibilities are listed below.

1. Population Control
2. Reforestation
3. Wildlife Protection
4. Mitigate Natural Disasters
5. Energy Management
6. Reduce Pollution
7. Local Food Sources
8. Recycle, Reduce and Reuse

 1. Population Control

Overpopulation is the gateway or core problem that the rest of the environmental issues stem. In other words, if a solution were put into place to manage the human population, then this would have an immediate effect on sustaining the environment by reducing the impact of all other environmental problems. There would be less pollution and less deforestation. The fewer humans there are, the less need there is to ravage the environment for personal gain. There are a few ways I can think of to control the human population, but some of these ideas are ethically questionable.

• Warfare
• Genocide
• Repopulate
• Birth Control

Warfare

I certainly do not advocate using war as a means to trim down human numbers; however, it feasibly could work. I am not the kind of person who would immediately dismiss a possibility due to ethics or any other reason. I try and put all options under the microscope, no matter how outrageous they may appear. For in doing so, by allowing the mind to investigate, perhaps a new solution could be found. The objective of these articles is to inform and educate. You may read this section and have a flash of inspiration. That is why it is written, despite controversy. How far down the rabbit hole will you go?

Genocide

Again, this is a suggestion that is very questionable on the ethics scale, but I will put it out there. The idea, to put it bluntly, is to segregate certain groups of people and kill them off. The kind of people who would likely be eligible for the genocide would be those who have wronged society or who are unlikely to be of much use to humanity. I will list some potential groups below.

• Criminals
• Elderly
• Homeless
• Scroungers
• Severely Sick

To make it abundantly clear, I am not advocating humanity should go ahead with mass genocide. There are more ethically viable solutions to consider and explore after all. Not to mention, I believe the world would turn into absolute chaos if humanity resorted to warfare or genocide as a means to control the population.

Repopulate

If there is not enough space on planet Earth, then expand the horizons and distribute humanity elsewhere. This is one of the main draws with the increased efforts with regards to space travel and converting Mars into a habitual planet. The idea is good on paper, but how long will it take for it to become a feasible solution for managing the human population? Another avenue would be to try and find a way to populate the uninhabited regions of planet Earth. In Australia alone, there is a vast space of land in the centre of the country, which is virtually devoid of people. There are many other examples. The point is, make those spaces habitual and then distribute the human population to make the environment more sustainable on a global scale. Again, it seems decent in theory, but it could very well take too long to implement before the environment becomes irreparable.

Birth Control

In China, due to massive overpopulation, there are birth control laws in place to try and control population size. I think this should be implemented on a global level, even at the cost of infringing on human rights. I believe humanity forfeited the right for unbounded births ever since the human population skyrocketed to levels beyond sustainability. I realise it is unfair, especially for people who wish to have large families, but the fact is, overpopulation will be the death of the human race in the future if nothing is done about it now.

2. Reforestation

For every tree cut down, plant two more. More like plant ten more with the state that the world is currently in. If humanity must destroy trees to survive, then it damn well better be done sustainably. Do not destroy an entire forest in one go. Target small sectors to make the work more sustainable for the environment.

3. Wildlife Protection

Biodiversity is of great importance for the balance of the ecosystem. The more species that become extinct, the higher the threat to the environment and humanity. By protecting endangers species, captive breeding them and releasing them back into the wild once their populous is at a healthy level, humanity can protect the environment. Some plants and animals that are accidentally or deliberately introduced into new ecosystems can end up thriving there, to the extent of harming native plant life, upsetting the balance. Humanity can selectively remove these threats to allow indigenous plants a chance to recover and restore the ecosystem to its natural state.

4. Mitigate Natural Disasters

Each year, natural disasters strike the planet. Wildfires, floods, and hurricanes are a few examples. These not only ravage humanity but also damage the environment. By placing measures, both proactive and reactive, the devastation caused by natural disasters can be somewhat lessened.

5. Energy Management

The more humanity can utilise renewal energy sources and conserve energy, the lesser the environmental impact. Fossil fuels are limited and damaging to the environment. Humanity has made progress in shifting towards renewal energy sources, but this trend must continue to grow. People also need to be cautious with how much energy they are using in general. Any means which can be implemented to reduce energy consumption will be beneficial to the environment.

6. Reduce Pollution

Just like with reforestation, undertaking means to reduce pollution on our planet is an excellent service to all. Filter technologies can purify water and air. Certain bacteria can be released into oceans to clear oil spills. Biodegradable products reduce the amount of waste produced. These are but a few examples. For the everyday person, pick up any trash you see and put it in the bin. Enough said.

7. Local Food Sources

By supporting local markets, there is less need to transport food. Less transportation equates to less air pollution through vehicle exhausts. Better yet, if individuals were able to grow their food, that too would diminish the impact humans have on the environment.

8. Recycle, Reduce and Reuse

More humanity can make the best use out of the materials already produced, the less need there will be to create more stuff and further damage the environment. Know what items can and cannot be recycled and dispose of your rubbish accordingly. As much as possible, implement ways of reusing what you already have, instead of purchasing new things all the damn time. I am a firm believer in frugal living. So many people hoard unnecessary things and lead lives full of clutter. Organise yourself and re-purpose anything you no longer need.

Conclusion

The Earth desperately needs humanity to clean up its act, step it up, and take responsibility on a much grander scale. Humanity will wipe itself off the face of the Earth through environmental impact long before the environment is destroyed. It is going to take the efforts of every single human to overturn the devastation wrought on the environment for the past fifty years. Lots of small changes initiated by many people will scale significantly. If everyone does their part to protect the environment, the world will be in a much greater place. The environment has suffered enough from human greed, and it is time to stop this madness.

“Earth has enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed.”

–Mahatma Gandhi 

Mission complete – Overlord Drakow signing out.