After watching the first episode of Earth to think humans should wipe themselves out.

[pompomdaisy]

After watching the programme about the great extinction 250 million years ago it's made me think this planet will be far better without us and the sooner we become extinct the better.

Fair enough, I thought you were actually interested in a discussion, my mistake. I don’t see how my posts are trite but your replies weren’t!

And anyway, us being top of the food chain (or not) is completely irrelevant, it in no way makes us The Most Important Animal.

Me too. Statistically, humans will die off as a species by either going extinct or evolving into another species. This is all part of life on the planet and I think it is an act of hubris to fiddle with it. We are best simply living as lightly on the planet as we can, humans have infinite potential as caretakers of the natural world by being alive and present - not by offing ourselves and taking a million species with us in the process.

Yet, if the internet goes down, we're fucked as a species. We rely on technology for survival.

And anyway, us being top of the food chain (or not) is completely irrelevant, it in no way makes us The Most Important Animal.

But from a power & dominance point of view humans are the most important, it's just reality.

Statistically, humans will die off as a species by either going extinct or evolving into another species. This is all part of life on the planet and I think it is an act of hubris to fiddle with it. We are best simply living as lightly on the planet as we can, humans have infinite potential as caretakers of the natural world by being alive and present - not by offing ourselves and taking a million species with us in the process.

Exactly & because of human nature you aren't going to get them on board with the message "humans are bad, die now".

People advocating for the end of their own species is peak ridiculousness. Get a grip ffs. The ultimate first world problem

Have you not heard of temperate rainforests https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/habitats/temperate-rainforest/

The smattering of temperate forrest tucked away on the outskirts of Bosnai are not really comparable to the Amazon.🙄

Bosnia even !

Hopefully nobody but I'm sure some people will.want to.

The Amazon it ain't! 🙄

What exotic species are roaming the great plains of Norwich

Ah, that just proves that your knowledge is of the “I watched a TV programme and am all outraged but I don’t actually know much about it” variety, as Norfolk is a very good example of the ‘not a sterile wasteland’ parts of Europe. It’s not just about tigers, you know?

There’s some very literal thinking here.

Biologically, viewing what is right for the Earth is very different to how we implement measures that help it ( we have to take the human factor into account).

But the Earth will do what is necessary to heal itself - it already is. If it has more tsunamis and natural events that destroy cities, than it needs to do that.

The fact that it is western lifestyles that cause these imbalances that play out in developing countries is something we should acknowledge and try and find solutions for.

My interest in the planet is linked to our survival, primarily my dc and hopefully theirs and so on.

It’s also wonderful as a natural thing in many ways and I’d like to protect that

But no I’m not going to say humans being wiped out sooner the better, I find that a bit ridiculous and think similarly to @FromEden and others

@onefinemess
Surely biodiversity requires that all diverse habitats are valued not just the one’s you consider important.

For example, as well as rare temperate rainforests, the U.K. has an internationally significant number of chalk stream habits and coastal seabirds breeding sites.

Perhaps seabirds aren’t as exciting as rhinos but they matter to a connected ecosystem. Get people to value the significance of what is around them and they will realise that the choices we all make have implications.

@onefinemess surely the very essence of biodiversity is that it all counts? Not just the big exotica.

According to most people, we are already doing a great job at reaching that outcome…

Honestly Ive never heard such a load of drivel in my life!

They would be qualified engineers, technicians etc, various experts in their fields,
Unless the tourists were qualified to use the machines then I would prefer they did tourist things rather than the digging.

@Horta what you on about? Oh. Sorry. Did I forget to check with you before having an opinion? 🙄

Why can't we have just one decent discussion on MN without all the personal digs, sniping and downright nastiness?

Feel free to start one

There are an odd few islands left for wildlife around the coasts of Britain. I have thought once or twice that we could do with leaving more. Maybe this entire group of islands, Madagascar, maybe the islands at the other end of Asia, Japan and Philippines. But I wouldn’t want to lose island cultures: and Britain’s development at least has included humans since it was wiped almost clean by the ice ages, it’s impossible to imagine an ecology without some human interference. Even the wildwoods here are contain results of some human use. Many wild plants thrive on the clearings we make, think of hedgerows. Humans are a natural part of the ecology: we do need fewer of us and much less consumption. Fortunately our population is due to fall, the other species just need to hold out and we need to support them to do so.

I agree with this. We are just a speck on the face of the planet. If 'Earth' should have taught you anything, its that.The dinosaurs were around for 350 million years. We have been around for 6 million. I doubt we will last for even another 10 million years. Environmentalism is about making human life tolerable while we are on this planet. Not wiping out the Human race. The earth will then replenish itself and a new dominant life form will appear.The atmosphere when the dinosaurs were around was toxic to humans. Environmental issues are about making the planet more habitable for us as a species. Lions and tigers don't care whether or not they will be extinct in 50 years time as long as they can find food to eat in he next couple of days and can find another lion to mate with. They only care about their immediate vicinity. The reason we want lions and tigers around are because we care about them. Wishing the human race to die out, as others have said is eugenics couched as environmental concern. You want to wipe out humans, presumably ones who arent' you or your immediate family or friends. Just the 'unworthy' ones.And who decides who is 'unworthy'? People like you? White Europeans? Or maybe all those other people living a much more simple non polluting life. Africa is the only continent with an increasing birthrate. Shall we start with them? Lets let disease run rampant so their babies all die, shall we?

Your contribution has been ..... yawn.

Humans are 'greedy, short term creatures' because we are animals, and like all animals, our main purpose is to survive and reproduce. That is it. We are no less brutal than any other animals. We just have a more advanced brain, which means we can think longer term than the average cat for example, so can contemplate the future.