Indicators of Ecological Collapse

The Oceans

On a whole, coral reefs are dying.25
Oceanic dead zones found all over the world are increasing at alarming rates.26
Concerning oceanic pollution, corporations “dump on equivalent, at the smallest, 5,000,000 gallons per day of toxins…everything from benzene, acrylic nitrile, mercury, copper, you name it, they got it.”27
“In 1997, the US Academy of Sciences estimated the total input of marine litter into the oceans, worldwide, at approximately 6.4 million tons per year.”28

Zooplankton (organisms forming the base of oceanic food chains) populations have plunged 70% in four decades.24

The oceans help sustain our atmosphere and provide a large portion of the world’s oxygen. When the healthy functioning of these systems becomes threatened, as they have been, so does the very health of the biosphere.

Mass Extinction

Nearly fifty percent of all species are disappearing.7 1 in 3 mammal species, 1 in 8 bird species,8 and 1 in 3 amphibian species are being threatened with extinction. Just two years ago, only 1 in 4 mammal species were threatened with extinction.9
According to the World Resources Institute, more than 100 species go extinct every day.10 For the past 300 million years, excluding this century, approximately one species went extinct every four years. Today, scientists see one species going extinct every 15 minutes.11
Species extinction has increased to rates of 10 to 100 times greater than that of 30 years ago.12
Furthermore, current species extinction rates are thought by some experts to be grossly underestimated due to mathematical misdiagnosis.13
If nothing is done, one-half of all species will be gone by the end of the century.14

Climate Destabilization

Climate models predict that the average temperature of the Earth could increase up to 11 degrees Fahrenheit by the year 2100.33
According to NASA, the Earth’s average surface temperature has increased by about 1.2 degrees Fahrenheit (0.7 degrees Celsius) in the last 100 years.1 For some perspective, the last ice age occurred at eleven degrees Fahrenheit less than the current global temperature.
Levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide have increased to 385 parts-per-million by volume (ppm)2, a 100-ppm increase since pre-industrial times.3
Gaseous methane has recently begun entering the atmosphere after escaping from melting permafrost in many Arctic regions. Methane is 30 times as effective as carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas.4
In a recent conference of climate experts, it was shown that carbon levels are highly unlikely to be restricted to 650 ppm, or perhaps even 1000 ppm. This would translate to the mentioned increase of roughly 11 degrees Fahrenheit (6 degrees Celsius), enough to “bring extreme food and water shortages in vulnerable countries and cause floods that would displace hundreds of millions of people.” Other experts agree that “we’re at the very top end of the worst case [emissions] scenario.” Unfortunately, carbon levels of 350 ppm or lower are required to “preserve a planet similar to that on which… life on Earth is adapted.”5
“It is also important to note at the outset that even reducing emissions 80 percent by 2050 will not eliminate all serious risks and damages.”6
From a 2009 report in the most respected Scientific journal, Science: “The last time carbon dioxide levels were apparently as high as they are today — and were sustained at those levels — global temperatures were 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit higher than they are today, the sea level was approximately 75 to 120 feet higher than today, there was no permanent sea ice cap in the Arctic and very little ice on Antarctica and Greenland”. 30
Human activity (especially in Industrial economies) releases roughly 7.4 Billion tons of Carbon Dioxide per year into the atmosphere. That is 20 Million tons of Carbon Dioxide per day, 843,000 tons per hour, 14,000 tons per minute, and 230 tons per second. 32
Recent research in the journal Nature reveals that there has been a 40% decline in ocean phytoplankton populations since 1950. These creatures are the foundation of the marine food web, produce as much as half the world's oxygen, and absorb vast amounts of carbon dioxide.34

Deforestation

“In the U.S., 95% of our old growth forests are gone.”29
“70 countries in the world no longer have any intact or original forests.”15
More than 72 acres of rainforest are destroyed every minute (that’s 38 million acres per year).16
Every year, enough rainforest is cut down to cover the entire state of Florida.
Every hour, more than 500 acres of land become desert.
More than 75% of the topsoil that existed worldwide when Europeans first colonized North America is now gone.
Over three hundred tons of topsoil are lost worldwide every minute (it takes an average of 400 years for a forest to create enough topsoil able to sustain crops).17
Forests are critical parts of many healthy ecosystems, as they prevent soil erosion and support healthy topsoil. Trees also act as huge carbon sinks, sequestering as much as 10% of the annual carbon dioxide emissions in the United States.18
Between 8 and 16 billion trees are cut down every year. That averages to 22-44 million trees per day, 916,000 trees cut down per hour, 15,000 trees cut down per minute, 250 trees cut down per second. 31

Toxification

Studies show that nearly every mother has dioxin, a known carcinogen, in her breast milk.19 Samples from mothers also show contaminants of over 350 chemicals from substances such as perfumes, suntan lotion, and pesticides.20
The percentage of girls under eight years old with swollen breasts or pubic hair has gone from 1 percent to over 6 percent in just the last eight years.21
Male sperm counts have dropped more than 30% in the past 60 years.22
To be specific, below are twelve of the most toxic chemicals that are present in large quantities due to the existence of industrial technology:23
PCBs (Poly-chlorinated biphenyls), which are carcinogens
Dioxins, which are carcinogens
Furans, which are carcinogens
Aldrin, which is both a carcinogen and mutagen
Dieldrin, which is a carcinogen and linked to Parkinson’s disease
DDT, which is a carcinogen and xenoestrogen (artificial estrogen)
Endrin, which is toxic and adversely affects the nervous system
Chlordane, which damages the nervous system, digestive system, and liver, as well as being highly toxic
Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), which is a carcinogen
Mirex, which is a carcinogen
Toxaphene, which harms the lungs, kidneys, and nervous system
Heptachlor, which harms the liver and decreases fertility

Industrial processes are contaminating the bodies of nearly every individual in this culture, as well as many others. Although the levels of toxins found in the body are often deemed as acceptable, their presence is a clear sign of the unhealthy nature of this culture’s practices. We should not be surprised by the enormous increase in cancer rates in the United Sates when nearly every baby is receiving carcinogens from their mother’s breast milk. Ultimately, toxins produced from industrial processes could very well cause male and/or female infertility, preventing humans’ natural ability to create life.

Sources

1 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “Basic Information.” http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/basicinfo.html
2 James Hansen et. al. “Target Atmospheric CO2: Where Should Humanity Aim?” Open Atmospheric Science Journal, 2008.
3 W. L. Hare. State of the World 2009: Into a Warming World. “A Safe Landing for the Climate”. The Worldwatch Institute. 14.
4 Steve Conner. The Independent. “Exclusive: The methane time bomb.” http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/exclusive-the-methane-time-bomb-938932.html
"Global Warming: Understanding the Forecast" By David Archer. 3rd Edition, 2008 (with addendum)
5 David Adam. The Guardian. “Too late? Why scientists say we should expect the worst.” http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/dec/09/poznan-copenhagen-global-warming-targets-climate-change
6 W. L. Hare. State of the World 2009: Into a Warming World. “A Safe Landing for the Climate”. The Worldwatch Institute. 13; M. Parry et al. “Squaring Up to Reality”. Nature Reports Climate Change.2008.
7 “Study: World is Undergoing Mass Extinction.” United Press International.http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2008/10/21/Study_World_is_undergoing_mass_extinction/UPI-86681224612180/
8 “Half of mammals ‘in decline’, says extinction Red List.” Agence France Presse. http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hpftiFBrckhaI_mtTA15UzqTfubg
9 International Union for Conservation of Nature, 2007 Conference
10 “Species Extinction.” Rainforest Web http://rainforestweb.org/Rainforest_Information/Species_Extinction/
11 Richard Leakey, expert on paleoanthropology
12 Paul Roberts. The End of Food. Houghton Mifflin.
13 “Species Extinction Threat Underestimated Due To Math Glitch.” Science Daily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080702132238.htm
14 Edward Wilson, Pellegrino University Research Professor in Entomology at Harvard University
15 Tzeporah Berman. The 11th Hour. Warner Independent Films.
16 Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (study funded by World Bank and United Nations)
17 Thom Hartmann. The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight. Three Rivers Press.
18 “Executive Summary.” Environmental Protection Agency. http://epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/downloads06/06ES.pdf
19 Philip Shabecoff. “Dioxin in Breast Milk is Evaluated in Private Study.” The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9B0DE3DB133AF93BA25751C1A961948260
20 “Breast milk studied for toxins.” BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/391514.stm
21 Gldsmith, Zac. “Chemical-Induced Puberty.” Ecologist, January 2004, 4.
22 Shiva Dindyal. “The sperm count has been decreasing steadily for many years in Western industrialised counties.” http://www.ispub.com/ostia/index.php?xmlFilePath=journals/iju/vol2n1/sperm.xml#r2
23 “The Dirty Dozen.” United Nations Industrial Development Organization. http://www.unido.org/index.php?id=o29428
24“Zooplankton Populations Plunge 70 Percent in Four Decades; Alarming Marine Biologists.” Natural News. http://www.naturalnews.com/024798.html
25 “The death of coral reefs.” San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/07/20/ED93305.DTL
"82 Corals, Threatened With Extinction Due to Climate Change and Ocean Acidification, Advance Toward Endangered Species Act Protection." Center For Biological Diversity press release, 9 Feb. 2010. http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2010/corals-02-09-2010.html
26 “150 'dead zones' counted in oceans.” MSNBC. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4624359/
27 Diane Wilson. The 11th Hour. Warner Independent Films.
28 United Nations Environmental Program
29 "Strangely Like War: The Global Assault on Forests." By Derrick Jensen and George Draffan. 2003.
30 "Coupling of CO2 and Ice Sheet Stability Over Major Climate Transitions of the Last 20 Million Years." By Aradhna K. Tripati, Christopher D. Roberts, and Robert A. Eagle. Science 4 December 2009: Vol. 326. no. 958, pp. 1394 - 1397 DOI: 10.1126/science.1178296. Abstract available here:http://climateprogress.org/2009/10/18/science-co2-levels-havent-been-this-high-for-15-million-years-when-it-was-5%C2%B0-to-10%C2%B0f-warmer-and-seas-were-75-to-120-feet-higher-we-have-shown-that-this-dramatic-rise-in-sea-level-i/
31 "Global Forest Resources Assessment 2005." United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization. ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/008/A0400E/A0400E00.pdf
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34 "Nature Stunner: “Global warming blamed for 40% decline in the ocean’s phytoplankton” www.climateprogress.org. July 29, 2010.http://climateprogress.org/2010/07/29/nature-decline-ocean-phytoplankton-global-warming-boris-worm/