discussion is the first step toward action regarding global warming and the extinction of wildlife. the u.s. is just emerging from a presidency whose 8 yr. regime didn't even acknowledge that global warming existed at all. so awareness and studying of the facts, as we can best determine them, is quite crucial at this stage, as is direct action, but it all starts with discussion and the spreading of vital information.
such discussion should include the well-being of *all* life on this planet, with flora and fauna as wholly principle beings in their own right. alarmingly, much environmental awareness, as it's currently underway, merely focuses on the impact dramatic climate change would have on the world's plant and animal population as it affects us, the human race, not how irreversibly tragic it would be to lose these life forms owing to their own significance.to an extent, it is understandable that we would be primarily concerned for the welfare of our own species. but so often we put the concerns of our own extinction - whether from global warming, nuclear war or some other method devised to snuff ourselves out in a blaze of glory - above acknowledging the right of animal and plant life to thrive and survive all of these catastophes too. it is because of their innocence, their having done nothing whatsoever to contribute to this murderous mess, because of their helplessness - them having absolutely no defense against what we're doing to them and their surroundings - that i whole-heartedly believe our responsibility lies in an ability to put them first.
the reason i make such a bold statement is because when it comes to the colossal wallop of global warming, there will be no dearth of humans making sure our own protection is paramount and sought after first. relatively speaking, of course. already we see it now; 'going green' is on everyone's mind - from individuals, to corporations, to governments - they'll need to be regularly prodded, of course, and will require oversight from the people to keep them honest and on track (especially corporations and governments). however, what we hear far less often are humans who understand that, because of their vulnerability, animals need *more* help than we do.
by the way, this doesn't mean i think our work is done regarding elevating human consciousness to a point of accepting how much peril we are truly in from global warming. far from it. there is a mountain of work still to be done, but because of people's natural tendency to put their own species first (speciesism) - there will be more people looking after people than will there be people looking after animals.
a good example is katrina. in the wake of that monumental disaster it was incorrigible that people were left so long to suffer and die when they could have been helped earlier. however, when that help did finally arrive, it did not include all the poor pets and animals who had dutifully remained by their owners' side, offering comfort and company throughout the cold, dark nightmare that new orleanians endured. those animals were just as scared, hungry and traumatized as their human counterparts. and they were left to die in even greater numbers. certainly, to some extent this was done as a result of lack of funds and unpreparedness ("no room, we barely have enough to house all the displaced people"). but this type of pathology, as it undoubtedly is, can be corrected if we prioritize *all* life as inherently equal and worthy. and reallocate our wealth accordingly.
according to some accounts, at least 50% of wildlife on this planet is on the verge of extinction. all because of us. not by cause of a single thing the wildlife population did wrong. our extinction is a possibility in the future. their extinction is already happening NOW.
© 2009 Copyright by Paola Lopez
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