Mourning the Things my Children will Lose in this World
In 2020 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, I decided to pursue a goal that I had put off for some time. I always wanted to scuba dive and witness the stunning oceans as I watched Jacque Cousteau do on TV for so many years. My wife and I set out to get our diving certifications but during our journey, we realized that what we wanted to see was quickly disappearing. The ocean’s great coral reefs were being destroyed by warming waters all over the world. It was a stark reminder that we were losing many natural treasures that our children may never see.
The Great Barrier Reef, the New Caledonia Barrier Reef, and the Red Sea Coral Reef have all seen some loss during recent bleaching events caused by rising temperatures. Over the last two decades, we have seen more and more habitats and animals affected by global warming, habitat loss, predation, or disease. We eventually got our diver’s certification but to this day we are still planning to see the coral reefs that inspired our initial euphoria to take up diving. That’s because in many places coral reefs have already been lost. And it’s not just coral reefs, there are many examples on the endangered species list of animals that our children may never see firsthand. Among them are the blue whale, Sumatran orangutan, red panda, green sea turtle, and the Asian and African Bush elephant.
It is troubling to think that our children will only see these creatures in books or documentaries but even more regrettable to know that we could have done something about it. All around the world, there are signs of this calamity as the debate about climate change and its effects becomes more apparent. In recent years, extreme weather and the trail of disasters have brought us to the reality that if we do not act the greatest extinction of all may be mankind. My thoughts about this topic began as a young man when I was fortunate enough to work on a Bald Eagle reintroduction program in New York. The Bald Eagle made a comeback after nearly being decimated by the pesticide DDT in the 1970’s. I will never forget seeing my first bald eagle in the wild. The majestic creature was awe-inspiring and made me feel lucky to have seen them up close. I want our children to see the wonders of this earth as well but I am worried about the number of species being lost. We have all seen the footage of polar bears struggling to walk over the melting ice sheets. With the polar caps losing ice every year it is only a matter of time before their numbers begin to dwindle and we lose them altogether. Scientists are even sounding the alarm about the recent loss of bees that are an extremely important part of the earth’s ecosystem. While many folks do not appreciate bees they are vital to us in so many ways. But it is not just animals, whole ecosystems are threatened and may be lost. The Arctic and Antarctic ice sheets are shrinking. In fact, during the summer months, there is 40% less sea ice than there was in 1980. A dramatic loss of area for the animals that range on sea ice like the walrus, arctic fox, sea lions, and polar bears. At the current rate of sea ice loss, the entire ice shelf will be lost by 2040. Making it impossible for those animals that depend upon it to survive. The same applies to habitat loss in the Congo and Brazilian jungles, where whole swaths of land are lost every year. The Congo Guerilla and dozens of other animals are clinging to life as they lose the tree canopy and foliage they depend upon. Around the world, there are examples of how the earth is giving way to the changes made by climate change.
What can we do to stem the tide of damage already done to our environment? I am not sure that we have all the answers but I do know that the one thing attributed to many of our woes is global warming. Rising tides and troubling weather patterns have all pointed to the warming waters in our oceans. Of course, we have to do something to stem the tide of these losses. I like many mourn the animals that we have already lost and look for ways to contribute to the efforts now underway to help preserve these species from extinction. All the typical things come to mind like conserving fuel, and water, and avoiding greenhouse-producing items. There are many ways for us to do something, anything to avoid losing these precious resources. In some cases, we may be able to preserve the ecosystems that they depend upon. In others, the sheer scale of the problem may be too much to overcome. But don’t let that distract you from helping the cause to save these creatures, because if you have young children you will know how important this mission has become.
