A Fading Paradise! May the Garden be Saved?

The Connection Between Climate Change and an Overpopulation as the Root Cause

by (Whose Lives are Illuminated by Love)

Whilst Climate Change and Overpopulation remain sensitive subject matters, it is imperative that every human being considers the root cause of the Climates Change, as well as the Societal and Economical effects and/or impacts of an ever-growing populace, and what hindrance such poses towards a sustainable future upon this beautiful blue planet (gifted to man, to be as home and guardian over). Climate Change denotes the certainty that a Global Warming has been established, to which an abnormal ongoing increase in global average temperature remains the course, resulting in escalating health hindering temperatures, increased drought and desertification, unrestrainable wild fires and unpredictable damaging whether, to make mention but of a mere few, The term Overpopulation has brought about some controversy, as it ‘seemingly’ poses to be in conflict with humanities right to Be Fruitful and Multiply, as well as ‘appears’ to hinder the free-will of the human being to do what is befitting for a pleasant and comfortable existence, however, does this truly remain so?

Conveying the presence of an Overpopulation in truth has nothing to do with hindering the wishes of or suppressing man, but in reality serves to preserve man (and all life), by providing due ‘caution’ to humanity (bring warning), that an evident and/or factual danger has arisen from an imbalanced state of living (way of life), out-of-harmony with nature, whereby the population of the human beings has increased to an extent which exceeds the carrying capacity of the ecological setting. Accordingly, humanity ought observably assess their surroundings regarding this truth, fathom the probability of its cause and in turn cognize the effect. For if it were justly bestowed upon humanity to act as caregiver over fauna, flora and the entirety of lesser life (as protector), to preserve such in accordance with the Laws of Creation, how may then humanity reason ‘unheeding’ this responsibility, to simply proceed in ceaselessly taking much to fashion that way of life (at all costs and to no end) and not take due notice of such indifference?

Whenever the life of the human being remains in question or of threat, when Crimes Against Humanity (Genocide) persist, the hearts of many swell, however upon any other life remaining in grave danger or facing utter extinction, woefully a blind-eye is turned and hearts grow cold, in such that very little (to no efforts at all), are made to prevent such disasters. It has become increasingly so, that amid this fast-paced, high-consumer, technologically-advanced driven era, the average human being remains mostly in preoccupation of the own daily work-life balance, to which outward concernedness regarding the whole fades away, thus those whom do not concern themselves with such, remain unable to fathom how the everyday human being plays a contributing role toward the ever-growing climate crisis. Fathoming such first and foremost requires that every human being heeds not only their responsibility for their individual well-being (caring for oneself), but likewise the responsibility to thy neighbor, fauna, flora, and the planet in its entirety (the collective). In such, heeding the earth as having been gifted to man as home, and in observing man as the highest in consciousness-created life upon earth, the greatest of responsibility ought be recognized with Man. As in the old adage “With great power comes great responsibility”, to which this telling aphorism has been presented in various forms by countless philosophers, scholars and notable figures of times past, such as Cicero, Churchill, Voltaire, Homer, Ibn Umar and Jmmanuel, to which its understanding emphasized the recognition and obligation of individuals (the human being) to behave ethically (on behalf of the whole) and likewise to utilize ones knowledge for the benefit of the collective (rather than solely for ones self-gain), or to cause harm.

Thus let it be so, that by way of understanding the fundamental vital interconnectedness between an ever-growing populace and the increasing erratic change in climate, may one truly fathom the ways in which the human being encourages Crimes Against the Planetary (Ecocide). Amid this New Age (Golden Age) of Man, at long last have stronger efforts been set forth by environmental and scientific agencies to begin to fathom the true cause and effect of the evident escalating change in climate, to which organizations such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Population Media Center (PMC) and Earth.org have openly advocated and determined the source of the climates change as having been Anthropogenic in nature. Anthropogenic affirms the certitude of pollution and/or environmental change having explicitly originated from human activity, respectively ecological change caused and/or influenced by the populace (irrespective of being direct and/or indirect in nature). Thus principally, an ever-growing population and/or overpopulation, only increases the demand for all forms of resources (i.e. natural, biological, economical, whether renewable, non-renewable, biotic, abiotic, etc.), which leads to resource strain and/or depletion. Overpopulation results in higher emissions, resulting in greenhouse gases, environmental degradation and climate change; as well as socioeconomic strains such as unemployment, inequality and poverty, infrastructure strains resulting in public service overcrowding, housing inadequacy and increased public/social conflict, and correspondingly health strains which result in the spread of disease and disease mutation, and increased outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics, etc., to make mention of but a mere few.

If any of the aforestated effects may be observed within the environment, then Overpopulation as the cause no longer remains mere speculation, but indeed has become reality and its truth! It is quite often spoken of resource and/or food scarcity, as well as increased natural disaster and equally of environmental decay, yet the origins to which these stem continue to remain ununderstood by many, to which these have become so far-reaching that the aid of the masses is indeed necessitated to expend true profound efforts of value, to which control may be gained and broad success achieved. Over the recent years much focus has surrounded the ban of plastic bags and straws, to which a broad halt had initially ensued, yet slowly became lax, with the ban remaining enforced by some, while becoming increasingly disregarded by others, as the convenience to the human being and profit-making remained of far greater importance, than the preservation of land, and faunal, floral, sea, and air life. However, if such is ultimately destroyed, nothing remains extant upon the earth for the human enjoyment! Thus let the human being whom heeds their responsibility ponder, from wither else do the source of these plastics arise, which plastics remain of the most detriment and how may one mitigate use in the everyday life? It remains so that micro-plastics are among those which produce the greatest of harm, to which such fibers are released into the environment via various means, by the thousand-millions per year [1].

Primary sources for these plastics may be found amid the fashion and home goods industries via the production of garments and goods manufactured of micro-fiber material (i.e. polyester, nylon, acrylic, spandex, etc.) which are intended for short term use [2]. Upon wash and dry these release micro-fibers both into the air via the air-vents and into the water streams via the plumbing, to which these intermix with external air and waters, found to have reached the heights and depths of lands uninhabited by man, such as the Alpine Peaks and Arctics Snow, as well as deep-sea sediments. Nano- and Micro-plastics in their dry state separate from Micro-fibers which are ingested by various life-forms of the land, air and sea, as well are these micro-plastics inhaled by the human beings themselves, resulting in upper respiratory infections, exacerbating asthma, inciting pneumonic disease and even causing death, to which microplastic fibers were discovered within 97% of lung cancer tissue samples [3]. Micro-plastics are further released from mass vehicular use, to which the increased speed at which tires tread upon the pavement (traction -to- friction), vast proportions of micro-plastics are released into the environment, harming land and life, as well as respired by the human being whom casually drives along with windows ajar, and is more so transported directly into the seclusion of the vehicle via the air-vents and other entryways [4].

The ways in which one may mitigate the aforementioned effects, may simplistically be found amid heedful moderation and mindfulness of necessity. Electing to walk (when and if possible) and the utilization of mass transport (if one resides within an area to which such transport is provided and remains feasible), as opposed to the mere comfort of ones own vehicle, remains of great helpfulness, Correspondingly, byway of purchasing clothing and goods of sustainable long-term value and of non micro-fiber material (if possible), as well as lessening the frequency of purchases not of pure necessity, remains of efficacy. Furthermore, installing a water filtration system (if possible), in turn mitigating and/or eliminating the purchase of bottled water, and as per food viability, simply being conservative with purchases (mindfulness toward overindulgence and/or being wasteful), ought surely encourage a positive effect. Surely listing the ways in which humanity indirectly adds and/or directly causes environmental harm may be mentioned to no bounds, however it more so ought be deeply ponder by the human being, how it has become so vastly out of control, and seemingly unable to control any longer, to which the reason may be found amid the mere growing mass of overpopulation. While it remains today debated amid authorities how large a populace a square-mile of land may sustain, to which it remains asserted that suburban areas may sufficiently house up to 10,000 individuals, with urban areas exceeding 80,000 to 100,000 individuals (historically this was valued at 12-individuals per square-kilometer of fertile land), the fallacy truly remains in the mode in which this is determined. This determination is not reached by virtue of the population value -to- resource value (quantity), that is factually and readily available within the vicinity of the square-mile, but rather on ‘presumed’ probability and/or possibility of resource importation into the square-mile vicinity.

If thorough consideration is given, this unequivocally stipulates that in the event of import/export shortage or crisis, resources remain unreadily available to the mass of humanity, to which hardship surely arises. This hardship was unambiguously witnessed during the peak of the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis, to which many suffered food insecurity despite urban -to- suburban locale [5]. Nevertheless, food insecurity prevailed in all living areas, amid all demographics and across all countries. As suburban and underdeveloped rural areas (some acres upon acres), remain mostly comprised of residential domiciles, to which in exchange for such land-luxury, resources are placed much further away (generally not within a walking distance). While urban areas, which likewise remain of vast residential dwellings (many towered one upon the other), to which despite the markets remaining within a much shorter distance, the resource -to- populace values still did not equate. Many reasoned this food crisis simply arose due to the high demand and/or a mere resource shortage, when in verity the detriment lies simply in ‘too large’ of a populace, within an area insufficient-in or depleted-of resources, thus with little to no resources to secure and/or sustain the populace, which continues to multiple, simply be housed one upon the other [6]. When one heeds that 75% of the populaces foodstuff derives of a mere 12 floral and 5 faunal species [7] likewise that whilst 71% of the earths surface is comprised of water, a mere 0.3% remains usable water to humans, fauna and flora, amid a sole 29% of land surface as life inhabiting, an alarming realization as to just how limited resources truly are and likewise how vulnerable the global food system remains, leaves little to mystery, and when one considers the known lack of equitable access to these sources on a global scale, one may fathom why millions experience or perish from hunger, to which the presence of an overpopulation may not simply remain ignored, for under reasonable populace values, such starvation would not occur [8].

Correspondingly, recent studies have concluded that due to the global rapidly-growing population, the amount of farmable land per persona has greatly decreased, due to the reason that humans continue to clear these lands to settle within them. Since the last known ice age, one-third of worldwide forestlands and two-thirds of grasslands have been deforested and/or cleared for the settling of the ever-growing overpopulation, to which in consequence global essential biodiversity has been greatly hindered and in many regions entirely depleted, which ought awaken the human cognition to the clear presence of an overpopulation. As a direct consequence, an 85% decline in mammal biomass has ensued, to which on average 150-per day to upward of 75,000-per year, vast animal species succumb to extinction. Extinction is further brought about via the woeful misdeeds of the human being, such as in the misconception of obtaining peace via war, to which vast proportions of land (and thus life), is destroyed and eradicated by this, likewise upon nuclear testing above land and below sea, the expanding of wastelands, power plant leaks, oceanic oil spills, increased global desertification, wrongful urbanization of alluvial and volcanic lands, etc. [9]. This annihilation of the environment further ensues with the use of pesticides and herbicides for the control of insects in commercial agriculture and horticulture, as well as within residential gardening (to which this is of great error), for insects remain vital to existence, as certain insects naturally regulate other invasive insects, as well as are dead-materials decomposed by them, which in turn returns nutrients anew to the soil, to which it becomes renewed (fertile), bestowing life to foodstuffs anew, yet as the extensive unnecessary and inattentive control of arthropods persists (the exterminating of all insects in vast areas), the lands grow increasingly infertile, to which the human being remains confounded as to the why!?

Humanity persists in disregarding that if the planet dies, so does the habitat of life-bringing acids, micro-organisms and insects, thus vegetation becomes less possible, to which animals whom rely on such become extinct, and ultimately the human being. One ought ponder how long may such misdeeds continue, to which the human being greatly multiplies, depleting resources quicker than they may regenerate and whether such regeneration remains possible any further amid vast regions where the lands and air have been toxified by the human beings via their mal-practices, before a complete economic collapse and/or environmental catastrophe occurs, which results in the extinction of the human species itself, as the human being may neither exist nor persist without living fertile lands, nor the fauna and flora alike! One may question, what feasibly may be done to prevent such a catastrophe, to which the answer remains as simplistic as aforementioned in regards to the preservation of food and water (moderation and/or regulation), as well as the mitigation of the spread of toxins and plastics (heedfulness of necessity). That a sufficient regulation ought ensue, to which the overpopulation is brought to a control (limiting and/or halting procreation for a time, as needed), to justly permit the natural regulation (balance) of the population to unfold, as well as to permit the natural regeneration of resources to transpire. The aforementioned resolution remains the most feasible solution, for how may a sufficient balance of populace and restoration of lands come about, when an astounding approximate 80 to 100-million human beings are added annually to the global population [10]. Likewise that the human beings endeavor to do away with redundant constructs (i.e. unnecessary and/or excess places of entertainment, etc.) and restore arable and farmable lands to justly secure not only the human populace (but all life), amongst other similar beneficial and life-preserving actions which most certainly may be undertaken. However, taking this logical proaction remains of great difficulty for many to consider, as the fulfilling of the ‘wants’ and ‘wishes’ of humanity, prevails over what is truly just and of vital necessity to the whole of life.

Woefully the mass of humanity lingers in heedlessness of these great harms, and simply proceeds about the ebb and flow of the day, with concernedness mostly surrounding the own human life, with work and the enjoyments at the fore, likewise with the focus on acquiring all possible comforts and conveniences for the life, while disregarding what dangers these comforts and conveniences pose to all other life. Whilst this may remain a rather unpleasant consideration, it rests evidently clear, that the values, morals and ethics to which the mass of humanity is driven has gone astray, to which woefully materialism (thus the comforts and enjoyments) are mostly and/or only regarded and sought, in such that the striving of many human beings (however truly not all) has become none other than for the acquiring of money for the enjoyment. Consequently, the lands, animal and plant kingdoms only serve as entertainment that appeals to the senses and as fleeting pleasures to most. This indeed remains of unpleasant truth for the human being whom reasons “I simply did not know”, to which in stern truth simply remains an endeavoring ‘to not know‘ and to merely move about to-and-fro unconcerned despite the known contradictions in which the entire world lingers, as it remains truly so that these truths can be neither ignored, unseen, or unheard (i.e. Peace but War, Rich yet Poor, Abundance but Scarcity, Indulgence yet Famine, Privilege but Discrimination, Restoration then Annihilation, etc.).

Verily, explicating the myriad of ways in which humanity unheedingly hinders the longevity of all life upon this Fading Paradise may fill a library, however the primary cause undeniably endures in being Anthropogenic (human-caused), to which the ever-growing Overpopulation remains the greatest of detriment. However, as to whether this Garden of Eden is Saved lingers amid the strides of those whom recognize the responsibility both within and without themselves, to undertake what remains just toward the whole of the preservation of all life, and lovingly endeavors to awaken their fellow human beings with these illuminating words of truth.