Hi. I was wondering if someone could help me grasp a concept. The concept is that soon the world will run out of natural resources to sustain life on Earth as the population increases. This idea is presented in a book I am currently reading, EO Wilson's The Future of Life. Supposedly, according to Wilson, by 2100 there will be an "Age of Loneliness" in which humans will have to artificially create animals and their habitats because people in our time used them all up. I don't quite understand how we can use up animals, plants, or even water. Don't animals and plants keep reproducing? Doesn't water keep coming from clouds? Even if our population increases, these things will still occur.
"Don't animals and plants keep reproducing?"
It could be that the habitat for wildlife is destroyed so much that certain species of animals cannot sustain themselves anymore.
Wilson seems to be saying that by 2100 we will have used up the habitats needed to support animals and plants. Farmland is being paved over to build homes and businesses. Where once most of us ate free-range chickens, cattle, lambs, and hogs, now many of these animals are raised in extremely confined barn stalls. While we can raise animals in small spaces, we can't grow wheat, corn, fruits, and vegetables in smaller spaces.
In addition, many plants are irrigated by diminishing water supplies pumped from rivers. This is especially true in California where much of the nation's produce is grown. Basically, as the population grows, it will need more water, but our water supplies are finite. Rain replenishes our rivers and lakes, but it doesn't rain enough to support much larger populations.
Do you find this likely, though? That we will actually destroy enough habitat that all animals will not be able to live anymore? How many species are you referring to when you say certain species?
So am I supposed to find it believable that we are using up too much of animals' habitats so that it isn't possible for them to live and reproduce and therefore feed the growing population? If so, I guess I do.
So you are saying that there will be a point when it won't rain enough to quench the thirsts of all the people on this planet?
Count Iblis didn't say that all animals will not be able to live. He stated that we're destroying the habitats of some species. We'll certainly have many animals such as squirrels, deer, and cockroaches that seem to adapt to urban habitats.
What does Owens say about the number of species he expects to be extinct by 2001?
Much of our plant food crops depends upon irrigation from rivers and ground water. As the population increases, it will use more water which can not be replenished by rainfall.
What arguments does the author give for this crisis by 2100?
I'm pretty sure he's saying that all species will be gone. He says we will have to artificially recreate animals.
He personally only talked about plants and animals. But I just wanted to know about how people think we're running out of water.
There are several arguments that suggest a potential crisis by 2100 regarding the availability of water. One argument is that as the global population increases, the demand for water will also increase. However, water is a finite resource, and there may not be enough freshwater sources to meet the growing demand. In addition, climate change is expected to impact precipitation patterns, leading to droughts in some regions and making water scarcity even more pronounced.
Another concern is the over-extraction of groundwater. Many regions rely heavily on underground aquifers for their water supply, but if these aquifers are depleted faster than they can be replenished, it can lead to serious water shortages. This is already happening in some areas, such as parts of India and the United States.
Furthermore, pollution and contamination of water sources pose a significant threat to their usability. Industrial activities, agricultural runoff, and improper disposal of waste can all contribute to the degradation of water quality, making it unsafe for human consumption or agriculture.
While it is difficult to predict the exact extent of the water crisis by 2100, these factors raise legitimate concerns about the sustainability of our current water usage practices. It emphasizes the need for conservation, efficient water management, and the development of alternative sources of water to mitigate future shortages.