Posted on 07/05/2007 3:29:28 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
HUMANS are just one of the millions of species on Earth, but we use up almost a quarter of the sun's energy captured by plants - the most of any species.
The human dominance of this natural resource is affecting other species, reducing the amount of energy available to them by almost 10 per cent, scientists report.
Researchers said the findings showed humans were using "a remarkable share" of the earth's plant productivity "to meet the needs and wants of one species".
They also warned that the increased use of biofuels - such as ethanol and canola - should be viewed cautiously, given the potential for further pressure on ecosystems.
The scientists, from Austria and Germany, who publish their results today in the journal of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, analysed data on land use, agriculture and forestry from 161 countries, representing 97 per cent of the world's land mass.
This showed humans used 24 per cent of the energy that was captured by plants. More than half of this was due to the harvesting of crops or other plants.
The human use of the natural resource varied across the globe, ranging from 11 per cent in Oceania and Australia, to 63 per cent in southern Asia.
An agriculture professor at the University of Melbourne, Snow Barlow, said the paper showed humans were taking up too much of an important natural resource.
"Here we are, just one species on the earth, and we're grabbing a quarter of the renewable resources … we're probably being a bit greedy."
I considered living in a hole till I realized that I might be infringing on the rights of our night crawler brethren.
Well, there you go. A moratorium on all future solar power use until we do further environmental impact studies.
Someone remind me to have the sun stay out a little longer tomorrow.
Vegetarians and children are the worst offenders.
I think the author should kill himself. That would be a small but measurable contribution to the cause.
She needs spanked.
I was thinking a similar thing. Rid the planet of the wacko complainers and let the content people live without interference from the nanny-fascists.
On days when I am happy not to have airconditioning, my dog demands it. It is he who is the energy hog, not me - I swear it.
Does anyone feel guilty about the disproportionate amount of air we breath and how that must be contributing to GLOBAL WARMING!!!
Enviro meltdown.
So now sunlight is a “precious resource”?
We’re #1!... We’re #1!... We’re #1!
Well it’s only expected to last another 5 billion years or so. What do you want to do, wait till the last minute to find another source of energy?
LOL! It’s 104F outside right now, and 80F in my humble abode. If anyone came to make me turn off my AC, I’d be opening the gun locker. Some days, the cats and dog literally lay on their backs with their feet up in the air.
And a whole heck of a lot smarter.
Maybe, if you used less sunlight, the sun might last longer. You would feel good about that, wouldn’t you?
Just keep your greedy finners off my share. :~)
THANKs.....for the laugh....that is GREAT!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.