Thursday, August 23, 2012
Whether we are aware of it or not, these interactions result in countless services (such as breathable air) that we enjoy on a daily basis. Sadly, many of the Earth's precious ecosystems are in decline largely due to human activity.
Quite frankly, we should care about ecosystem services because we need them to live. In his book titled Natural Capitalism, the well respected environmentalist, entrepreneur, and author, Paul Hawken (1999), referenced the Biosphere 2 experiment to drive home this point. The experiment consisted of eight scientists living in a glass-enclosed structure for two years filled with artificially constructed ecosystems.
By the end of the two year period, the scientists reported oxygen levels in the air to be equivalent to a 17,500-foot altitude. In other words, until we figure out how to reproduce the services derived from naturally occurring ecosystems we need to protect the ones we've got so that we can continue to enjoy them for an indefinite period of time. I don't know about you, but the idea of living in a bubble doesn't really appeal to me.
Check out the Earth Times for a more in-depth explanation on ecosystems as well as some ideas for limiting environmental impact, including informed consumerism and planting your own garden.
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