How Sick Is Our Planet?

BY AWAKE! WRITER IN THE PHILIPPINES

The patient’s condition is serious. Symptoms are multiple. His breath is noxious. He has a fever, higher than ever before. Efforts to bring it down are not working. Poison has been found in body fluids. When symptoms are treated in one area, more pop up in other body parts. If this were a usual patient, doctors would be inclined to declare the multiple sicknesses as chronic and terminal. Not knowing what else to do, they would just take steps to make the patient as comfortable as possible until the end came.

HOWEVER, this is not a human patient. It is our home​—the earth. The above scenario well illustrates what is happening to our planet. Dirty air, global warming, polluted waters, and toxic wastes are just a few of the maladies of our very ill earth. Like the doctors mentioned above, the experts are in a quandary as to what to do.

The media regularly call attention to earth’s poor health with such headlines and captions as: “Blast fishing turns seabeds into killing fields.” A “Billion Asians Could Be Parched in 24 Years.” “Forty million tons of toxic trash a year trades globally.” “Nearly two thirds of the 1,800 wells in Japan are contaminated with poisons.” “Ozone Hole Over Antarctic Is Back and Bigger.”

Some people become accustomed to frequent news of danger to the environment, perhaps even thinking, ‘That is not of great concern as long as it does not affect me.’ However, whether we realize it or not, the wholesale destruction of the earth’s environment affects the vast majority of people. Since contamination of our planet is now so pervasive, it likely already affects more than one aspect of our lives. Thus, all should be concerned about the health and preservation of our home. After all, where else would we live?

Just how widespread is the problem? How sick is the earth? How are people’s lives affected? Let us take a look at just a few factors that help us to understand why our earth is not just mildly indisposed but, instead, seriously ill.

◼ THE OCEANS: Large sections of ocean are overfished. A report by the United Nations Environment Programme says that “70 percent of marine fisheries are so exploited that reproduction cannot or can just barely keep up.” For example, populations of cod, hake, haddock, and flounder in the North Atlantic fell by as much as 95 percent between 1989 and 1994. If this continues, what will it mean for millions who depend on the sea as a major source of their food?

Additionally, each year an estimated 20 million to 40 million tons of sea life are caught and thrown back into the ocean​—usually wounded or dead. Why? They are caught along with target fish but are not wanted.

◼ FORESTS: Deforestation has many negative sides to it. Loss of trees results in a reduction in the earth’s capacity to absorb carbon dioxide, and this is said to be a cause of global warming. Certain species of plants, the potential source of lifesaving medicines, will disappear. Nevertheless, forest destruction continues unabated. In fact, the rate of destruction has increased in recent years. Some authorities feel that if this persists, tropical forests could disappear in about 20 years.

◼ TOXIC WASTES: Dumping of harmful materials both on land and in the sea is a serious problem that has the potential for bringing great harm to millions. Radioactive wastes, heavy metals, and by-products of plastics are among elements that can cause abnormalities, sickness, or death in humans and animals.

◼ CHEMICALS: During the past 100 years, close to 100,000 new chemicals have come into use. These chemicals find their way into our air, soil, water, and food. Relatively few of them have been tested for their health effects on humans. However, of the ones that have, a significant number have been found to be carcinogenic or to cause disease in other ways.

There are many more threats to our environment: air pollution, untreated sewage, acid rain, lack of clean water. The few already mentioned suffice to show that the earth is really sick. Can the patient be saved, or is the battle already lost?

Saving the Environment​—How Successful Have We Been?

CHERNOBYL, Bhopal, Valdez, Three Mile Island. Such names likely conjure up images of environmental disasters that have occurred in various parts of the world. Each of these disasters reminded us that the earth’s environment is under attack.

Various authorities and individuals have voiced warnings. Some have taken action publicly to make their point. An English librarian chained herself to a bulldozer to oppose the building of a road through a fragile ecological area. Two Aboriginal women in Australia led a campaign against mining uranium inside a national park. Operations were suspended. Although well-intentioned, these efforts have not always been well received. For example, a naval captain under the Soviet regime was concerned about radiation leaks from the reactors of sunken nuclear submarines. When he published locations of these, he was arrested.

Various organizations have also been sounding the alarm about threats to the environment. These include the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization; the United Nations Environment Programme; and Greenpeace. Some merely report on environmental problems as they happen to relate to their work. Others are dedicated to the cause of keeping environmental issues to the fore. Greenpeace is well-known for sending activists to environmental hot spots and attracting public attention to such matters as global warming, endangered species, and dangers of genetically modified animals and plants.

Some activists say that they use “creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems.” Thus, they use such tactics as chaining themselves to the gates of a sawmill to protest the destruction of ancient forests. Another group of activists protested one country’s breaking of a whaling moratorium by appearing at its embassies wearing huge eyeballs to indicate that the country’s actions were being watched.

There is no lack of issues to take up. For example, repeated warnings have come from individuals and organizations about the dangers of water pollution. Still, the situation looks very bleak. One billion people do not have access to safe drinking water. According to Time magazine, “3.4 million die each year from water-related diseases.” Air pollution is a similar problem. The State of World Population 2001 reports that “air pollution kills an estimated 2.7 million to 3.0 million people every year.” It adds that “outdoor air pollution harms more than 1.1 billion people.” As a specific example, it reports that “fine particulate pollution is responsible for up to 10 per cent of respiratory infections in European children.” Yes, despite warnings and any action taken so far, problems related to these most basic elements needed for life have just been getting worse.

To many, the situation is a paradox. More information than ever before is available on environmental subjects. More individuals and organizations than ever are interested in seeing the environment cleaned up. Governments have established departments to help solve the problems. We have more technology than ever before to help deal with problems. Yet, things do not seem to be getting better. Why?

One Step Forward, Two Steps Backward

Industrial progress was meant to make our lives easier. In some ways it has. However, it is this very “progress” that aggravates the earth’s environmental problems. We appreciate the inventions and advancements that industry has presented to us, but the very production of these and our use of them have often resulted in ruining parts of our world.

An example of this is motor vehicles. These have made travel quicker and easier. Very few people would like to go back to the age of the horse and buggy. Nevertheless, modern transportation has contributed to a host of problems. One of them is global warming. Humans have been altering the chemical composition of the atmosphere by using inventions that spew out millions of tons of gases. These gases are said to cause what is called the greenhouse effect, resulting in the warming of the atmosphere. Temperatures increased during the last century. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that “the 20th century’s 10 warmest years all occurred in the last 15 years of the century.” Some scientists believe that in the 21st century, average global temperature could rise 2.2 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit [1.4 to 5.8 degrees Celsius].

Warmer temperatures are expected to cause other problems. Snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere has been decreasing. A 1,250-square-mile [3,250 sq km] ice shelf in Antarctica collapsed in early 2002. Sea levels could rise significantly in this century. Since a third of the world’s population lives near the sea, this could eventually result in loss of homes and farmland. It could also cause great difficulties for coastal cities.

Scientists believe that higher temperatures will result in increased precipitation, with a greater frequency of extreme weather. Some feel that severe storms like the one that took 90 lives and ruined 270 million trees in France in 1999 are just precursors of things to come. Other researchers feel that climate changes will result in the spread of diseases such as malaria, dengue, and cholera.

The example of the motor vehicle shows how complex the results of technology are​—inventions that are helpful for people in general may cause a multitude of related problems that affect multiple areas of life. True is the statement of the Human Development Report 2001: “Every technological advance brings potential benefits and risks, some of which are not easy to predict.”

Technology itself is often looked to for solutions to environmental problems. For example, environmentalists have long decried the use of pesticides. When genetically modified plants were produced that would reduce or eliminate the need for pesticides, it looked as though technology had provided a good solution. However, in the case of Bt corn, which was designed to control stem borers without pesticide, tests found that it can also kill monarch butterflies. Thus, “solutions” sometimes backfire and can result in additional problems.

Can Governments Help?

Since destruction of the environment is such a huge problem, a successful solution would require the cooperation of the world’s governments. In some cases governmental representatives have commendably displayed the courage necessary to recommend positive changes that would help the environment. However, real victories have been few and far between.

An example of this is the international summit that took place in Japan in 1997. Nations haggled and disputed over terms of a treaty to reduce emissions that are said to cause global warming. Eventually, to the surprise of many, an agreement was reached. This agreement came to be called the Kyoto Protocol. Developed regions, such as the European Union, Japan, and the United States, would cut emissions by an average of 5.2 percent by 2012. It sounded good. However, in early 2001, the U.S. government indicated that it was abandoning the Kyoto Protocol. This has raised many eyebrows, since the United States, with less than 5 percent of the world’s population, produces about one fourth of the emissions. Additionally, other governments have been slow to ratify the treaty.

The foregoing example shows how difficult it is for governments to come up with meaningful solutions. It is difficult to get various governments together, and it is difficult for them to agree on how to tackle environmental issues. Even when agreements are signed, some parties later back off from commitments. Others find the agreements difficult to enforce. In other cases governments or corporations feel they cannot accept the expenses involved in cleaning up the environment. In some places it simply boils down to greed, as powerful commercial giants exert strong influence on governments not to implement measures that would eat into corporate profits. Businesses and corporations have been known to want to get the most they can from the land without regard for future consequences.

To complicate matters further, not all scientists agree on how drastic the effects of pollution of the earth will be. Thus, government policymakers may be unsure about how far to go in restricting economic growth in order to control a problem that may or may not be as big as some think.

Humankind is in a real fix. Everyone knows that there is a problem and that something needs to be done about it. Some nations are putting forth a conscientious effort, but environmental problems are, for the most part, getting worse. Is the earth simply destined to become unfit for human habitation? Let us examine this question next.

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NOISE POLLUTION

One type of pollution is not seen but heard​—noise pollution. Experts say that it is of concern because it can cause hearing loss, stress, high blood pressure, sleep loss, and a loss in productivity. Children who go to school in noisy environments may develop reading deficiencies.

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DEFORESTATION RESULTS IN A RAT INFESTATION

When 15 towns in Samar, Philippines, suffered a massive rat infestation, a government source blamed it on deforestation in the region. Loss of forest resulted in a decline in rat predators as well as in food sources for the rats. The rodents moved into more populated areas in their search for food.

[Credit Line]

© Michael Harvey/Panos Pictures

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VICTIMS OF TOXIC WASTE?

At the age of three and a half months, Michael was found to have neuroblastoma, a form of cancer. If this were a singular case, that might not be so unusual. However, it was later found that about 100 other children from the same small area also had cancer. This alarmed many parents. Some thought that maybe the disproportionate number of cancer cases was linked to chemical companies in the region. An investigation found that an independent waste hauler had previously taken drums of toxic liquid from one of the companies and deposited them at a former chicken farm, sometimes pouring out the contents. Researchers discovered traces of a contaminant in local water wells. Parents cannot help but wonder if this could have been a factor in their children’s developing cancer.

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TOXIC CHEMICALS

After World War II, 120,000 tons of toxic materials, mostly phosgene and mustard gas, was sealed in ships and sunk at sea, some to the northwest of Northern Ireland. Russian scientists have warned that these materials are now in danger of leaking.

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AIR POLLUTION KILLS

The World Health Organization says that between 5 and 6 percent of deaths worldwide each year are a result of air pollution. In Ontario, Canada, alone, it is reported that citizens spend more than $1 billion each year for health costs and absenteeism resulting from polluted air.

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DYING CORAL REEFS

Some fishermen in Southeast Asia use cyanide solution to stun fish, making them easy to catch. The poison flushes from a fish’s system, and thus the fish remains edible. However, the toxin remains in the seawater, killing coral reefs.

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WEAR A SURGICAL MASK?

Asiaweek magazine reports that much of the polluted air in Asia’s cities comes from vehicle exhaust. Diesel and two-cycle engines are often the biggest polluters, producing large amounts of very fine suspended particles. These cause many health problems. The same magazine reports: “Taiwan’s leading expert on the effects of pollution, Dr. Chan Chang-chuan, says diesel fumes are a cause of cancer.” Some people in Asian cities wear surgical masks in an effort to protect themselves. Do these masks help? Dr. Chan says: “These masks are ineffective. Much of the pollution in the form of gases and particulates is so tiny that a simple mask has a low filtration rate. Besides, . . . they are not airtight. So they give a false sense of security.”

How the Earth Will Be Saved

IN SPITE OF the environmental gloom hanging over the earth, we would like to think that it will survive. After all, it is our home​—and hopefully the home of our children and their children. Is there anything we can do to strengthen that prospect?

The truth is that while most people are concerned about the environment, many think nothing of throwing trash on the ground, dumping garbage in a river, or leaving lights turned on when they are not being used. Such acts may seem like small things, but if each of the billions of individuals on earth were careful about how he treated the earth, it could make a difference. Such things as being conservative in the use of energy, cooperating with recycling programs, and disposing of trash properly make a contribution toward preserving the environment. By our habits we can demonstrate our care for the earth now.

Still, we cannot control the actions of most people around us. Does this mean that ultimately the situation is hopeless?

A Greater Solution at Hand

A comment by Thilo Bode of the Greenpeace organization, as quoted in Time magazine, touches on the core of the environmental problem: “Our principal aim has been that corporations should consider how their products are disposed of. They must think in terms of a trilogy: production, use and disposal.” Sadly, we are able to make goods, we know how to use them, but we do not dispose of them properly. In some cases humans simply do not know how to do so safely.

Humans are limited, but earth’s Creator is not. He has already demonstrated his excelling wisdom in the creations we see on the earth. He knows how to make, to use, and to dispose of things properly. Many of the systems he has made are automatic. A seed germinates, and a plant grows and produces fruit. It then dies​—with all of its elements breaking down in nonpolluting fashion, ready to be reused. This is recycling at its best! No toxic pollution!

The Creator does not intend to let the earth deteriorate into an uninhabitable trash dump. In the Bible, at Isaiah 45:18, we read: “This is what Jehovah has said, . . . He the true God, the Former of the earth and the Maker of it, He the One who firmly established it, who did not create it simply for nothing, who formed it even to be inhabited.”

If God formed the earth to be inhabited, why has he let it reach this sad state? The Bible explains that man was originally put in a paradise. In fact, God purposed that this Paradise reach the ends of the earth and be filled with people. (Genesis 1:28) However, rebellion broke out. The first man and woman did not want to continue subject to God’s rule.

God allowed humans to try their own way of ruling. The results are what we see today, a disastrous failure. Humans have clearly demonstrated that they cannot solve their problems. The blame for what has happened cannot be put on God. What the Bible says is true of all human society: “They have acted ruinously on their own part; they are not his children, the defect is their own. A generation crooked and twisted!”​—Deuteronomy 32:5.

Nevertheless, God has not turned a blind eye to earth’s ruination. He will act before it is too late, before the earth becomes an uninhabitable wasteland. How do we know that? Revelation 11:18 explains: “The nations became wrathful, and your own wrath came, and the appointed time . . . to bring to ruin those ruining the earth.” The ruining of the earth will be stopped.

God’s original purpose for the earth, that it be a paradise, will still be fulfilled. God issued statements showing this. For example, he said: “My word that goes forth from my mouth . . . will not return to me without results, but it will certainly do that in which I have delighted.” (Isaiah 55:11) You may enjoy reading Isaiah chapter 35, where God describes the transformation of ruined lands into gardenlike parks and fruitful fields.

Even now, when pollution is stopped, the earth has shown a remarkable capacity to renew itself. God created it to do so. If the overloading of the earth with pollutants is discontinued, a wide variety of microorganisms in water and soil can heal much of the damage. Additionally, there is reason to believe that when God steps in and directs things, this rejuvenation process will be even more effective. He can provide the training and perfect direction that humans now lack.

Hence, the earth’s future is not hopeless. Plants and animals will be saved. Endangered species lists will be gone. Our air and water will be fresh again. Obedient humans will be there to enjoy it. Would you like to see that? You can. How? The Bible gives details on what to do. Why not make a systematic examination of the Bible to find out for yourself? Ask the publishers of this magazine to put you in touch with someone who can help you get started. Why pass up the opportunity to learn how you and your family could enjoy a pristine environment forever?