In A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf, John Muir writes, “The world, we are told, was made especially for man - a presumption not supported by all the facts. [...] Why should man value himself as more than a small part of the one great unit of creation?” Unfortunately, unlike Muir, too many people continue to live lifestyles that imply a reckless disregard of the bigger picture. Too many people seek financial riches, not caring about what it takes to get there. Too many people assume someone else will take care of the environmental issues plaguing the planet. As a result, Earth’s oceans are acidifying, thousands of species are going extinct every year, glaciers are melting at an alarming pace, all consequences scientists inform us about but that we continue to ignore. We have no excuse. …show more content…
Do the trick, get the treat. Chew on the couch, get scolded. Humans have been bestowed with a greater capability of reasoning, yet we have failed to respond to the clear message that the Earth is sick. Instead of responding with urgency to our only home burning down, we turn a blind eye. Mother Nature has always provided for us. And how do we repay her? With brash indifference, evidently lacking the understanding that we are a part of the Earth, not above it. If we destroy our habitat, we will become extinct just like other animals have. We must accept the reality that we are merely another specie of animal on this great, big Earth.
My desire to advocate for the environment began my sophmore year in high school, but it wasn’t until this year that I was able to take AP Environmental Science (APES for short) and became aware of the magnitude of the issue. Now, nothing else seems to matter. The destruction we have brought onto other living beings bring tears to my eyes, but also fills me with