It's a great summer day; birds chirruping, rooster crowing and not a cloud in the sky - if only I didn't hear that continual eeeeeeeeeeee-sound buzzing around my ears - the mosquitoes are still here in abundance. I've tried a couple of bug sprays, even swathed my skin down with Bounce, the stuff people use when they're clothes are in the dryer. Nothing seems to work for very long. Oh well, can't let the pesky little insects slow me down; still have a whole lot of work to get accomplished before the snow begins to fly; summer is so dang short!
I've been reading David Suzuki's book, The Legacy; actually read it three times. Although I'm not a scientist like he is and rubbed shoulders with many people who really understand the conundrum of the Earth's delicate biosphere, I was both pleased that his views are quite similar to mine and horror struck with the realization that unless we humans make some immediate drastic changes, we as a species will disappear; go the way of the dinosoar. I may not because of my age, but the immediate generations after me stand a very good chance watching their children and their children's children die; the Earth's condition is that critical. I believe this book should be mandatory reading for everyone and immediately taught in schools worldwide. Mr. Suzuki sees the possibility of a "sustainable future" but only if drastic changes in our lifestyles occur immediately. I wish I had his optimism for the future, but sadly, I don't.
I could be writing about my pastoral existence here at the base of Green Mountain, Fosterville, New Brunswick but when I look out across our wee bit of paradise, I almost begin to weep at my own stupidity, ignorance and my bull-headed egotism during a major portion of my lifetime thus far, when I envision the total devastation, which may occur and I helped occur, before not too many years have gone by. As David Suzuki states: "We have become a force of nature; a super species." At one time hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and tsunamis were considered forces of God but now, we have the capabilities to influence these natural disasters; the human footprint upon the Earth can easily be seen from outer space; it's become that massive and in a very short period of time. Unfortunately, we have grasped technology and suckle its creations to our breasts like new born babes; turning our backs on Nature.
The human population is rapidly growing, doubling at an outrageous rate; there are more of us than all the other combined mammals currently living on this planet. It's odd, the majority of wild animals are on the endangered list, threatened with complete extinction and we can't see with their disappearance that we will soon become like the passenger pigeons of not so long ago; extinct as well and brought on by our own hands; are we visionaries blinded by our creations or suicidal maniacs?
Imagine: "The biosphere is the layer of air, water, and land where all species live. It is extremely thin. If Earth were shrunk to the size of a basketball, the layer of topsoil on which our food is grown would be a single atom thick. And on that thin organic mix, humanity's survival rests." Earth, air and water are necessary for our existence and what are we doing with our super-thin layer of existence; destroying it with mind-boggling total disregard for Nature. We talk about pigs being filthy animals but in that regard, I think we have them beat all to hell; they only mess up their pens, whereas we are messing up the whole pasture. And not just the pasture, we are polluting everything including poisoning the air and the water.
Not too many people read this blog and as far as that goes, I've been wondering how many of us actually read any more at all? I don't normally ask for this blog to be shared by others but I feel something as important and critical as the meaning David Suzuki is attempting to get across to the masses and my little bit of writing about his views is very important if the human race wants to continue for many generations to come, so if you are just as concerned as I am, please share; it just takes a couple of clicks of the mouse. Also, if you get the chance, pick up a copy of Mr. Suzuki's THE LEGACY - an elder's vision for our sustainable future - foreward by Margaret Atwood I have no idea how the readers of this blog feel towards Nature but there have been times when I've been so completely overcome, awestruck by its beauty and power that I've actually wept and especially when I see how most of us have turned their backs on basically our mother of creation and sustenance - cheers, eh! To be continued -
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