“Humanity, the most intelligent species on the planet, capable of anything, but is governed by its aggression and youth. A species fast in developing but slow in maturing. Once a species that cared about its home, its provider, let its ego dominate its decisions. A period of ignorance and neglect has had profound effects across the world. Effects which can be reversed, if nature is given the time to repair the damage. Remember… We only have one home.” (David Bayliss)
Did ya know?
Planet earth is an amazing place. While seen as merely a tiny blue speck from space, at closer inspection it is far from insignificant. Planet earth is said to be about 4.5 billion years old, while the oldest known living organism is said to be only 3.9 billion years old. So, Mother Earth is quite old isn’t she? The earth is the 5th largest planet in the solar system, and is the 3rd planet from the sun. Water bodies cover nearly 70% of the earth’s surface, and its polar ice caps contain around 70% of the earth’s freshwater reserves. The earth’s diameter measures 12, 756 km, and it rotates on its own axis, tilting 23 ½ degrees. It is this 23 ½ degree tilt that allows us to experience the 4 seasons. It also spins on its own axis at a rate of 1670 km/hr. The interior of the earth comprises of 4 layers (three of which are solid and one which is liquid). The earth’s crust is predominately made of aluminum, and contrary to popular belief the earth is not a perfect sphere. Its north and south poles are slightly flattened making it an oblate spheroid. Earth is also the only planet in the solar system that does not derive its name from Roman or Greek mythology. The earth’s core is surrounded by the mantle which is approximately 2900 km thick. Its core is also said to be hotter than the surface of the sun, getting as high as 7500 Kelvin. The earth’s core is made up of molten iron. It is this molten iron which creates the earth’s magnetic field. This magnetic field extends several kilometers from its surface. The earth is like a giant magnet whereby the poles are near the actually North and South Poles of the earth. The earth’s magnetic field is called the magnetosphere which protects the planet’s surface from harmful radiation from the sun. The earth is made up of various elements. The majority is made of Nitrogen (78%) while the remainder is made up of Oxygen (21%) and 1% is made of other substances.
The earth facts above may be familiar to you from Science class, but represent only a snippet of what makes our earth so unique. Countless books have been entirely devoted to the subject and have still not been able to fully capture its grandeur. One could write an entire series of books on the countless life forms that earth supports alone.
In recent years however, the earth has been undergoing some major changes and “unprecedented” has become the new “norm” as you can see with some of the following worrisome emerging trends: The earth’s magnetic poles are shifting and weakening (so much so, that airports had to repaint their landing strips to reflect these changes). Greenland and Antarctic ice is melting at astonishing rates, Chile’s historical earthquake moved an entire city to the west and shortened earth’s day, and Italy’s epic quake caused the earth to shift 15 cm, honeybees, bats, frogs and other amphibians are dying at alarming rates (as well as others animals worldwide). Some kind of change has occurred that is shifting the boundaries of animal habitats. Some birds in the US for example have moved northward, and trees are said to be moving higher up in the mountains than ever before. The Northeast is moving South (called geologic creep). Parts of North America and other continents are rising due to an effect called post-glacial rebound. Two thirds of the world deltas which are home two ½ billion people are caught in the crosshairs of sinking lands and rising seas. Massive cracks/fissures are opening on the earth’s surface. Iceland Lake is one such area that is falling into one of these large cracks. The African continent is changing and risks losing its renowned “horn”. “Uplift” is also occurring where the earth itself almost appears to be punching upwards from within, lifting boulders from below the ocean to the surface of the earth. “Sloshing” has been occurring inside the earth weakening the earth’s magnetic field, making it more vulnerable to the suns radiation, the Gulf Stream stopped which has had various implications worldwide (some speculate it may event trigger an Ice Age). The Jet Stream appears to have stopped, and broken down over Europe causing very abnormally cold temperatures. Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, sinkholes, draughts, floods, mudslides, super storms, polar vortices etc, are now so commonplace that people are now desensitized about hearing about them on the nightly news.
Again, these are only a snapshot of the various issues facing our planet today.
Causes of the earth changes
It is difficult to point to a single factor causing the tremendous earth changes we have seen in recent years. Is it a natural cyclical process? Is it caused by human activity? If anything, it is a culmination of many factors working simultaneously with one another which have caused these variances. Here are a few of an exhaustive list of possibilities that may have attributed to the earth changes that are seen worldwide: Changes in the earth’s orbit, changes in the output of the sun (solar irradiance), changes in the earth’s landmasses, changes in the composition of the earth’s atmosphere, changes in the circulation of the ocean, changes in the earth’s reflective properties, geo-engineering/weather modification programs (HAARP), trapped greenhouses gases and pollution, clear cutting (deforestation), desertification, and intrusive practices such as fracking etc.
What can be done?
While in order to witness enormous change, global cooperation must be sought. Humans must place greed and the quest for money second to the preservation of their home, planet earth. Oil, gas and other mined minerals will eventually run out, but the degradation of earth will still be present. There is plenty one person can do to enact change on their own. Aside from obvious and redundantly stated lifestyle changes such as recycling etc, we need to look beyond this. We need to spend time, observing, hearing the sounds of nature and rejoicing in the splendor and beauty of the earth. If we take the time to truly experience our planet, than we will be more apt to take more of a dedicated approach and commitment to saving it. After all, no one cares about issues facing the world today from their 27th floor office set in the midst of a concrete jungle, how could they? We need to spend time learning from our aboriginal people who use a less intensive resource lifestyle than most. The blame game is over. Global Warming proponents have blamed humans for causing our planets destruction for too long. It is due time now, that we stop the blaming, and start the creating. Create change. Think about redesigning cities, economies and humanities role on the earth. The time for talking, blaming with no actions is over. Like the old adage, “actions speak louder than words” and now is the time for your call to action. Please hear the call. We have had many wake up calls already, and they can only be ignored for so long, before Mother Earth grows impatient from our lack of compliance.
Author: Suzanne A Edwards
Suzanne Edwards is the creator of "Bartholemew A Green Adventure" an ecological TV series for children. Kind of like "An Inconvenient Truth" for children. Suzanne has been published in several newspapers and magazines and is a Member of the Writer's Guild of America. She is also a freelance writer with a compilation of over 200 poems.
