I'm all for recycling, but human waste?

Fertilizer is separated into two categories: organic and inorganic.
When I think of organic fertilizer, my mind ponders on the idea of cow manure and compost.
However in many countries, including Canada, the United States and several countries in Europe, biosolids from sewage treatment plants are treated and used as sustainable agricultural fertilizer. The question at hand is whether it can be a realistic alternative to our current agricultural practices.

First and foremost, what are biosolids?
Biosolids are nutrient-rich organic materials resulting from the treatment of domestic sewage in a treatment facility. When treated and processed, these residuals can be recycled and applied as fertilizer to improve and maintain productive soils and stimulate plant growth.

Before making any decision, it is best to consider the pros and cons of each choice.

Pros of Biosolids
When I first read about biosolids, another term for human waste, I was appalled by the thought of our sewage going into the food we eat! However, as I researched more about biosolids, I found out that biosolids are a result of treated wastewater, that makes the sewage safer for recreation and harvesting.
Biosolids are used for:
• land reclamation;
• mine reclamation;
• agricultural land fertilization; and
• forest fertilization.
• erosion control;
• horticulture;
• slope stabilization; and
• roadside aesthetic improvements.

The first pro to using biosolids as fertilizer is that it solves the sewage problem- after we dispose our wastes into our sewage, it does not magically disappear, for governments have to find somewhere to put it. Other considerations for solving sewage drainage is to incinerate it, or bury it in a landfill. Incinerating and burying the sewage can cause issues with the atmosphere and takes up valuable space. Recycling the biosolids as fertilizer on the other hand, is beneficial to stakeholders- farmers and gardeners, because it is inexpensive and organic.
This brings me to my next "pro", biosolids used as fertilizer improves and maintains soil and stimulates plant growth. In addition to this, biosolids are organic and contain many nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and trace elements such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, sulfur and zinc, which are essential for crop production and growth.



Cons of Biosolids
Although biosolids are high in nutrients, it can contain a multitude of metals, organic pollutants, and pathogens, which are harmful to us and the environment. A main concern on the issue of biosolids as fertilizers is that metals such as cadmium, zinc, and copper could build up to levels high enough to damage agricultural soils, causing long-term metal build-up.
In addition to this, there is controversy of biosolids negatively effecting soil organisms, soil processes, and fertility. It is proven that metals found in biosolids could have adverse effects on total soil microbial biomass,nitrogen fixation by cyanobacteria and by the nitrogen-fixing bacteria, Rhizobium.
Some scientists also believe biosolids used as fertilizer can cause a potential threat to water quality from leaching, erosion, or runoff losses.
Also, biosolid fertilizer can have a strong odor, which can be offensive to some people. Most of the odor from biosolids are from ammonia and sulfur compounds, plant nutrients.
Another concern addressing the use of biosolids are the pathogens: bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and helminth worms.



However, governments are currently regulating the uses of biosolids as fertilizers, checking and analyzing metal levels to ensure safe usage for the environment, those consuming the agricultural crops, and the stakeholders- farmers, gardeners, and the government, because they are responsible for the safety of their citizens.

In my opinion, I first found the use of biosolids as fertilizer unsanitary and disgusting because using human waste to fertilize our food is a daunting thought.
However, as I researched more about it, and learned it was treated, as our tap water is treated and cleaned, I became more open to the idea of biosolids fertilizer.
Although it is high in nutrients that are vital to plant growth, I do not believe biosolids should be used for agricultural fertilizer because even if it saves money and provides a solution for sewage waste, it can expose and release harmful pathogens and metals that will not be beneficial to anyone. The quote, "A team is only as strong as its weakest link" applies to biosolids because its most beneficial quality is only as advantageous as its worst quality. Therefore, I do not think governments should take the risk as to use biosolids as fertilizers when there are other alternatives- organic fertilizers such as compost in the situation.

What would you choose?

Commented on:
Amanda Phen http://www.bio4phen.blogspot.com/
Michael Ansell http://michael15ansell.blogspot.com/
Sources:
http://www.epa.gov/owm/mtb/biosolids/genqa.htm
http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:ayTG0RNPYOAJ:www.compost.org/Biosolids_Composting_FAQ.pdf+stakeholder+of+biosolid+fertilizer&hl=en&gl=ca&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESiovllwBAvwC5VHnPsQc3gj02-m8V2HXSsFMUAj7msduBIp_eyXEyO_Q02EgiPT3KzWSasrR0z1qgVoeB8EcPCBIRmE3-kLrtdP5dzFwn7q86E_iKKNjL55QeHiPyOj80M3VO0J&sig=AHIEtbTA5u7jCjJi8_azNDjuV8dXevPcFQ
http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/Sewage-Sludge-Pros-Cons.htm
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:UBQ9oI3kH9UJ:sospathogens.ifas.ufl.edu/PathogensandBiosolidslecture.ppt+biosolids+fertilizer+pathogens&cd=5&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca
http://www.aces.edu/crd/publications/ANR-721.html

Technology Biology

"Every breath you take and every move you make"
Every time I listen to these lyrics from Police's song, "Every Breath You Take," I think about everything society and my life revolves around.
It just so happened that while I encountered this unit's bio blog topic- technologies enhancing our understanding of internal body systems, I was listening to "Every Breath You Take," which urged me to realize,
Every breath you take and every move you make-- new technology surrounds you.

By definition, technology is the use of scientific knowledge to solve practical problems, especially in industry and commerce. However in my perspective, technology is so much more than that; technology can enhance lives, technology can change lives, and most of all, technology can save lives. Heck, we would not be able to blog about biology without the technology of the computer and the world wide web!

Without technology, many scientific theories would not have been discovered. Thanks to technology, the world has a rather insightful understanding of human internal body systems.

In my opinion, one of the most beneficial inventions to the human race that Canada has contributed is insulin, a treatment for diabetes.
Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas that regulates the amount of sugar in the blood by stimulating cells, especially liver and muscle cells, to absorb and metabolize glucose. Insulin also stimulates the conversion of blood glucose into glycogen and fat, which are the body's chief sources of stored carbohydrates. It was discovered by Canadians- Frederick Banting and Charles Best.
Individuals with diabetes have pancreas' that either do not produce enough insulin or cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. As a result to this, glucose builds up in the bloodstream, potentially leading to serious health problems such as blindness, heart disease, kidney problems, amputation, nerve damage and erectile dysfunction.
There are two types of diabetes:
type 1: People with type 1 diabetes do not naturally produce insulin, resulting in their need to take insulin daily.
type 2: People with type 2 diabetes need to carefully watch their glucose levels and diets, sometimes requiring extra doses of insulin.

In this case, the discovery of insulin using modern technologies has definitely contributed to the understanding of the human blood stream.

Back in the day, when heart transplants failed, patients grieved and cried, knowing there was no other solution. However, the EVAD has changed that.
Another example of how technology contributes to our understanding of internal body systems is the EVAD (electrohydraulic ventricular device). This artificial heart was produced by Canada's Dr. Tofy Mussivand. The EVAD is a giant leap for humankind and its knowledge of the body. By using this externally controlled artifical heart as a replacement for part or a complete heart ventricle, it allows freedom of movement to patients, as they would no longer be attached to a machine. The EVAD is revolutionary because if this device efficiently works and can move fluids as well as the natural biological system, it can save thousands of lives per year!


In society, a reoccurring medical issue concerning the respiratory system is asthma. Asthma is a chronic condition of inflammation in the air passages of the lungs of a person. Anyone can get asthma: at any age and time. It is the number one reason for absents in schools. Fortunately, thanks to technology, asthma inhalers were invented. There are two different types of inhalers: relievers and controllers.



Relievers are used to provide quick alleviation to asthma, but do not treat inflammation; controllers on the other hand, do. In easiest terms, relievers are for a quick remedy to asthma whereas controllers are for long-term treatment.

These asthma inhalers have definitely contributed to the understanding of the respiratory system, they provide knowledge of how the body works internally, what external factors can help our bodies, or damage them.

Therefore, I think technology has benefited the world scientifically. Technology is extremely important to us for medical purposes. We rely on the results from MRI scans, X-Rays, ultrasounds, and many more machines to determine the healthiness of our bodies. After this, we hope for technologies that can cure us; inhalers, artificial hearts, chemotherapy, radiation, etc.

Ergo, the constant urge to depend on technology to decifer our internal body system justifies that various technologies such as the asthma inhaler and EVAD are crucial to understanding and assisting our bodies.

Hopefully in the future, scientists and technology will be able to solve every medical mystery humans have been pondering about and yearning to learn more about.


Sources:

http://www.diabetes.ca/about-diabetes/living/insulin/should-know/
http://www.discoveryofinsulin.com/Home.htm
http://www.asthma.ca/adults/about/whatIsAsthma.php
http://www.aetna.com/cpb/medical/data/600_699/0654.html
http://www.asthma.ca/adults/treatment/relievers.php
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1751113

ART-ificial Selection?

"Dogs are man's best friend." This commonly used saying demonstrates the close, and loving relationship humans and dogs have, thus referring to dogs as, "best friends." However, would you- readers of this blog, alter your best friend; if he or she did not have the hair colour you prefer, your definition of the perfect sized ears, or an 'outtie' belly button instead of an 'innie'? From my perspective, the thought of wanting to alter the appearance of one's best friend is unethical. Dogs are not the only species that are artificially selected; cows, horses, wolves, wild grasses, roses, orchids, broccoli, cabbage, and more plants and animals are too.

As I learned from the studies of Charles Darwin, natural selection is the process in nature by which only the organisms that are best adapted to their environment tend to survive and transmit their genetic characteristics to the next generation. However, natural selection is not the only process of evolution that species adapt for... artificial selection is an invigorating process in today's society that has modified most of our lives.

Artificial selection is the intentional or unintentional reproduction of individuals in a population that have desirable traits. In organisms that reproduce sexually, two adults that possess a desired trait are bred together to create the desired offspring. Although it is not the natural way of evolution, artificial selection is used in the creation of many of the foods we eat, like corn! However, artificial selection has caused controversy and is an intriguing subject for discussion.

Two weeks ago, while I was watching the TLC special, "The World's Strongest Toddler," they featured a three-year-old boy whom had no body fat, and was as strong as a seven-year-old. In the show, they compared him to Belgian Blue Cattle, a.k.a., 'Super Cows'. After researching more about them, I learned that Belgian Blue Cattle are created through artificial selection of muscular cows. The double muscled gene configures and forms a 'super cow'. Another perfect example of artificial selection is the development of the Heike crab. From accidental artificial selection, a face of a Japanese samurai is imprinted on Heike crabs!

video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVSJNhUhV-4

Learning about natural and artificial selection brings us to the question, and matter at hand: Under what circumstances should humans be artificially selecting plants or animals?

Strengths and Advantages of Artificial Selection:

On Earth, humans have been preventing species extinction of different plants and animals through preservation in zoos, and wildlife parks. The topic of artificial selection relates to this because it can save endangered species from extinction such as the: prairie dog, whooping crane, grizzly bear, bald eagle, gray wolf, green sea turtle, key deer, Florida panther, Kirtland's warbler, and American alligator. Therefore, artificially breeding species that are unlikely to survive on their own, allows them to survive longer.

Artificial selection is also used to benefit agriculture. Through genetic modification and artificial selection, larger quantities of eggs from chickens, more milk production from cows, and superior strains of corn, wheat, and soybeans were produced. The enhanced quantity and superiority of these 'super-organisms' causes efficiency to humans, and more money.

In addition to this, artificial selection is also beneficial for medicinal purposes. The discovery of stem cell research and manipulation of stem cells has revolutionized medicine forever. Stem cells are able to become and be used as any cell, to replaced damaged ones. Artificial selection can be used to select the best stem cells for researchers to use. Stem cells can eliminate heredity disorders- such as cystic fibrosis, and other diseases.

Thus, artificial selection can be used to benefit the Earth through- protecting endangered species, efficiency, and stem cell research.

Weaknesses and Disadvantages

Although artificial selection has its strengths, it has weaknesses too. Referring to its advantage of protecting endangered species, the use of artificial selection can set certain ecosystems to an imbalance, causing the food chain of that ecosystem to change, and every one its organisms to adapt to the change... this could become chaotic or destructive.

The use of artificial selection to enhance and morph agriculture can be dangerous too. It can cause mutations; such as featherless chickens-A cross-breed of a naturally bare neck chicken and a normal boiler chicken. Unfortunately, featherless chickens have experienced difficulties mating and flapping their wings, and been more prone to parasites and mosquitoes. The example of the featherless chicken demonstrates the dangerous possibility for mutation when artificially selecting species.

Mixed dog breeds, also referred to as 'mutts', are just as beautiful as full breed dogs, but are more prone to Canine Hip Dysplasia- abnormal joint structure in dogs, where the articular surfaces of the two hip bones lose contact with each other. This unfortunate malfunction is a con to artificial selection.

Therefore, artificial selection can be a factor of ecosystem destruction, unfortunate mutations of different species, and abnormalities.

Artificial selection is also unethical, because practically forcing an animal, or a plant to reproduce with only certain species, is entrapment. As humans, our morals, and society lead us to believe every one is equal, and all deserve freedom. However, although animals and plants are not humans, and are often thought of as beneath us, is it right to use artificial selection on them? A dog breeder found artificial selection as her 'art'; she said that by manipulating distinct dogs to mate with each other, creating a desired dog provided her creative expression. I'm all for manipulating images, and paints for art, but manipulating innocent animals? I'm not so sure. This brings me to the thought of arranged marriages. Although they are not 'artifically selected', arranged marriages are caused by parents and guardians setting their children up for marriage, whether the children want to or not. I definitely think arranged marriages can work, and sometimes lead to love, and a wonderful marriage. However, I also think arranged marriages could turn into a mess- what if the bride and groom can't stand each other? The bittersweet thought of arranged marriages brings me to my conclusion about artificial selection.

Artificial selection and designer babies-my last blog entry, have their advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, I am against artificial selection and genetic modification of plants and animals for agriculture unless ethical- because many harmful mutations and abnormalities could occur. However, I believe that artificial selection should be used to benefit our world; through reasonable preservation for endangered speicies, and for medicinal purposes- stem cell research. I also believe that some of the uses of artificial selection that see no harm to humanity, or the Earth and it's species such as, the creation of corn, and the breeding of dogs are okay, and can be continued to be used, if reasonable.

In conclusion, artificial selection is reasonable, and bittersweet like designer babies. We just have to be careful when to use them and how.

Sources:

http://www.learner.org/courses/essential/life/session5/closer1.html
http://geneticsevolution.suite101.com/article.cfm/natural_and_artificial_selection
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/cool_stuff/tour_evolution_7.html&%20link=/mythology/cepheus.html&edu=high
http://www.helium.com/items/1735710-selective-breeding-gmo?page=2

http://www.greenexpander.com/2007/09/21/10-amazing-animals-saved-from-extinction/

http://webecoist.com/2009/09/18/altered-evolution-strange-animal-deformities/
http://www.lycos.com/info/artificial-selection.html

http://www.hemmy.net/2007/07/16/belgian-blue-cattle-super-cow-aka-incredible-hulk-cow/
http://www.dogshealth.com/pages/hip.html

Bittersweet Babies.

Christmas memories, priceless.

The smile on a child's face when they learn how to ride a bike, priceless.
An amazing time with your friends, priceless.
The miracle of having a child, priceless.
For everything else, there's mastercard.
like,
Having a designer baby, $18 000.


Source: http://www.goldprodukt.de/wearables/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/designer-babies.jpg
In our lives, we are capable of so many opportunities and experiences to benefit our world and change society. However, the affect media has on our modern society is inevitable. People- men and women are pressured to look a certain way; women are constantly self-conscious, and sometimes do anything to be thin, and men are urged to be very muscled, and toned. As a result of this, men and women put their healths at risk to alter their appearances to match the media's. Through reproduction technologies, people can now design their babies by selecting and deselecting different traits and genes for them. The thought of perfection varies in one's eyes. If society accepts designer babies, will the thought of perfection change? People are already being judged on how they look, which causes us the desire to change our appearances constantly, from makeup to plastic surgery.... but now, our parents can choose for us, before we are born? Designer Babies... for the better, or for the worse?

First and foremost, before we discuss them,
What is a designer baby?
A designer baby is; a baby whose genetic makeup has been artificially selected by genetic engineering combined with in-vitro fertilization to ensure the presence or absence of particular genes or characteristics.
or
the term being used by the media to describe the future of modifying or selecting our children's genes for desirable characteristics (medical and cosmetic).


Source: http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/strollerderby/2008/10/23-End/birth.jpg

Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis, or P.G.D. is when one or both of the parents has a known genetic abnormality and testing occurs to see if the embryo has it too. The testing done is Pre-implantation genetic screening. Or, P.G.S. These technologies are used to produce normal children. The idea of reproduction technology began with I.F.V., in-vitro fertilization which enables infertile parents to reproduce. Both P.G.S. and I.F.V. are used to solve reproduction problems. However,in the future, P.G.S. may be used for other purposes, not relating to disorders or infertility, but for cosmetic purposes. With the technology of P.G.S., parents will be able to choose what genetics and characteristics they want their children to have, like sex,eye colour, skin colour, hair colour, height, etc. The use of this technology could benefit the world, because in addition to its cosmetic purposes, PGD can be used to control obesity levels, serious diseases; like down syndrome, and possible heredity disorders. Thus, the name, "designer babies."

There are social and ethical implications of designer babies. Designer babies cost at least $18 000 each, which means that only wealthier people will be able to afford them. Putting a price on a baby? That's unethical. What has the world come to? Reproducing should not be like a buffet table, where you can pick and choose whatever you like. Plus, if parents do this, their children won't resemble them or have any of their traits. The whole idea of, "Son, you have my eyes." will be erased.
An extreme violation of ethics is being able to select the sex of your child! In certain parts of the world, especially Asia, males are believed as the superior sex. If designing babies becomes available to all, many parents will have male children, causing an unbalanced population--no women, no children.
In a society where fashion trends are followed,if the colour of skin, eye colour and hair colour of a baby can be changed, our world could begin to lack diversity if a trend for a certain hair colour, eye colour, etc. evolves.
So we've covered that the cosmetic purposes of designer babies are unethical and useless.
On the other hand, its medical purposes, can come to great use.

Imagine you're a 29 year old woman, who falls in love and marries an amazing man; he's funny, smart and your best friend. Both of you definitely want children, but are afraid to because your husband has muscular dystrophy. Neither of you want to adopt, what are you going to do? If you could design a normal child, that was biologically yours, would you? The amazing aspect of designing a baby is you can screen the embryos for hereditary disorders, like Huntington's chorea, Cystic Fibrosis, and Muscular Dystrophy and select healthy ones.

I asked myself this question and decided that I probably would have a designer baby- if there were no risks, rather than have my child suffer with a disorder. However, some of these technologies are not perfected yet. Germline therapy enables the replacement of faulty DNA in eggs, sperm, and fertilized embryos for healthy ones. This technology is revolutionary. However, since it has only been tested on animals, it is not guaranteed that it will work well with human DNA, without side effects.

In my mind, designer babies are bittersweet, they cure infertility and birth disorders, but at the same time they can be used to segregate, manipulate and they defy ethics. As I was reading through numerous studies and articles about designer babies, I came across many comments from the general public. In many that I read, people encouraged the cosmetic purposes of designer babies, saying that there was no harm in doing so. However, the depletion of females and emphasis on certain colours of hair, eyes, or another human feature, is harmful to our society. Yet, the ability to design a baby can act as a miracle to those whom are infertile.

Are things getting out of hand with our research into genetic processes?

I think there is no reason for more research into altering cosmetic genes, because it's unethical, negatively affects society, and could have side effects. The world would turn upside down if designer babies were born for cosmetic purposes. Diversity could be lost, because with designer babies, the wonder and possibilities of how one's child will look will be erased, and people wouldn't look unique! What if we were all blond, straight haired, green eyed, had fully attached ears, six-feet, had twenty-eight inched waists, and perfect visioned? Would this create a new definition of beautiful? Beauty is defined by one's perception of something. If designer babies created a new wave of beautiful, that would destroy the self-esteems of the millions of people would couldn't afford it. However, I definitely believe more research and funding should be given to designing a baby for medical reasons because it can prevent children from receiving hereditary diseases.

Designer babies for cosmetic purposes are not worth lowering the self-esteems of the millions of people who will not be able to afford them. If the world is going to allow designer babies into our societies, medical reasons should be the only purpose for it, because it can benefit society and humankind.

Designer babies are bittersweet, at least that's what I believe. What's your verdict?

Sources Consulted
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/03/designerdebate/
http://www.bionetonline.org/English/content/db_cont1.htm
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/pros-and-cons-of-designer-babies.html
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/designer-babies.html
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/273415-overview
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/in_vitro_fertilization/article_em.htm

Its time for a change. Earth, here humanity comes!

Families are fleeing for safety, fighting against their own species, humanity for their own lives, battling nature against its tsunami's, earthquakes and tornadoes. People scurrying around in despair trying to find safety and shelter, unaware that it's too late, the damage man-kind has caused is irreversible. The world could end during our lifetime,immeasurable, but could because of the human race. Our harm to our wondrous Earth could lead in the extinction of it.

"The struggle to save the global environment is in one way much more difficult than the struggle to vanquish Hitler, for this time the war is with ourselves. We are the enemy, just as we have only ourselves as allies."
-Al Gore

The Earth is an amazing planet, filled with all sorts of life- animals, plants, and of course, humans! The world enables us to explore, learn, laugh, experience, love and most importantly, live. Without the Earth, we as humans would not be here- to live, we need approximately 17,280 breaths of air a day. Humans live off of the Earth's flora and fauna, but are we giving back to the wondrous world that provides us life?

Currently, environmental issues are circling around the globe, those that are effecting the biodiversity of our ecosystems. Biodiversity refers to the variety of living organisms on the earth. According to the scientists of the Ecological Society of America, an ecosystem is any geographic area, including the living organisms that live there and the nonliving parts of the physical environment. Have humans been positively or negatively affecting the biodiversity of ecosystems?

As the Iroquois believed, humans are stewards of the Earth. A steward is one appointed to supervise the provision and distribution of food and drink in an institution. According to many scientists, we are the most invasive, powerful and intelligent species to roam the Earth. As a result of this, it is our duty to protect the world and all that lives on it- plants, animals, insects, and other organisms. However, from our daily behavior, we've caused the Earth catastrophe.

Unfortunately, we have been negatively affecting our ecosystems and its biodiversity. Since 2003, 11000 organisms are now said to face extinction! The dodo bird, dinosaurs, the Tasmanian wolf, the Irish deer, the saber tooth tiger,the quagga and hundreds more species are extinct, could humans be the next?

Quagga:half zebra, half horse. Extincted since 1883.
Irish Deer: the largest deer to ever live. Extincted about 7700 years ago.
Dodo bird: a flightless bird. Extincted since the late 17th century.

The issue of humans' intervention of the Earth's ecosystems from urban civilization has negatively affected the Earth. The pollution humankind has caused is irreversible. From our car emissions to factories. Although unbelievable, 60% of air pollution caused by American families is from the goods and services they buy. Due to the fact that harmful pollutants such as fossil fuels are burned to create them. Not only does it harm our health but the Earth's health. The Earth's ozone layer, atmosphere and ecosystems are crumbling from acid rain, smog, bio magnification, carbon dioxide and green house gas emissions. In association to the Earth, we are negatively effected by our actions too, causing us hundreds of illnesses including cancers, respiratory diseases, skin irritations, hearing loss, birth defects, and death.
I believe that humans are not acting the way God and the aboriginals wanted us too. From our selfish behaviour,: cutting down trees- they provide us oxygen to live; intoxicating our lakes and bodies of water- they provide us water to drink; hunting innocent animals for recreation- our lives depend on them;and so many more reckless activites we humans participate in. Just today, I saw landscapers and construction workers destroying land, once used for agriculture to create a retail space,which is far less beneficial to us than agriculture. As the most powerful and intelligent species,we humans have the potential to become stewards to the Earth, but as for now, we are not living up to it.

"I think the environment should be put in the category of our national security. Defense of our resources is just as important as defense abroad. Otherwise what is there to defend?" - Robert Redford

In our lives, we often regret decisions we make. For instance, "I should've read that book," or "I should've gone to work today." As the Earth's environment crumbles, we'll think, " We should've done something about it." It's time for us humans to look outside the box, to look outside of our society, and to do something to fix our environment. An act as simple as using reusable containers, closing the lights when you leave a room, buying less-packaged goods, recycling and reusing, and definitely spreading the movement to "go green," will benificially affect the world.
Unfortunately, most humans don't look at the bigger picture of the world. We often get caught up in our modern society and the lifestyle its embedded into each and every one of us. As a result of this, we are not taking care of our Earth and it's organisms to the best of our capability. It is crucial that we act and change our ways, like animals adapt to their different environments because humans are not stewards of the world. However, we most definitely can be.

"We generate our own environment. We get exactly what we deserve. How can we resent a life we've created ourselves? Who's to blame, who's to credit but us? Who can change it, anytime we wish, but us?" -Richard Bach

The world is in our hands.

Works Cited

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/pf/52144423.html
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_breathes_does_a_person_take_each_day
http://www.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/Whatisbiodiversity.html
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/MAB/whatisbio.cfm#whatisbio
http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-6057270_ITM
http://www.cleanerandgreener.org/programs/schools/pollution.htm