Using our Earth wisely

In 2005 the United Nations published a landmark study called the ‘Millennium Ecosystem Assessment’ It stated that ‘everyone in the world depends completely on Earth’s ecosystems for food, water, disease management, climate regulation, spiritual fulfilment and aesthetic enjoyment’. While that may seem obvious, our behaviour sometimes appears to put the earth’s systems under unreasonable strain. Our extractive economy is stretching the resilience of the planet’s resources to near breaking point. So to be reminded that we all depend completely on our earth’s systems does make sense.



The study found that we are using 60% of available resources unsustainably, notably fresh water and marine fisheries, and it concluded ‘over the past 50 years humans have changed ecosystems more rapidly and extensively than in any comparable period of time in human history, largely to meet rapidly growing demands for food, fresh water, timber, fibre and fuel.’



This has resulted in a substantial and largely irreversible loss in the diversity of life on earth. The distinguished primatologist Jane Goodall has written recently that mankind is causing the sixth mass extermination of species in the history of the planet, and that it is probably unstoppable. So while one part of the UN study affirms that everyone (and everything) in the world depends completely on earth’s ecosystems, the same study is confirming that we are using these resources in an unsustainable way – indeed we destroying the life-support systems that created and support us.



We all have to budget in order to live. Imagine trying to run a house where the weekly shop is €300 and the weekly income is €200.Soon enough action would have to be taken to balance the books.



The bigger budget of the earth is really no different. Currently we are using up what the planet can produce by September of each year. From then until December we are dipping into the earth’s reserves. Unless the deposit account is very large we all know we can only dip into it for so long. There are adjustments which we need to make and it is well within our capacity to respond. The first steps are to acknowledge that there is a problem and that business as usual is not an option for us or our children.



By putting our heads together and working together we can begin to work within earth’s budget, but we do need to give it our attention. That is what we are trying to encourage at Cabragh Wetlands. We encourage you to share your thoughts, offer your advice, respond to our efforts and to get involved. Thoughts for these articles will also be passed on and used whenever possible. Contact us via e-mail at cabraghwetlands@eircom.net and visit our website at www.cabraghwetlands.ie.