preview

Essay on Is Humankind Dangerously Harming the Environment?

Decent Essays

Is Humankind Dangerously Harming the Environment?
The issue of whether mankind is dangerously or negatively harming the environment has been a debate over a long period of time. Individuals and scholars make quite compelling arguments on either spectrum of the issue. From the argument between Lester Brown and Bjorn Lomborg, it is evident that the debates on this issue may continue for a much longer period of time. Both authors did agree to some extent that humans do deplete the earth’s resources; however Lester Brown had a more sonorous argument because he equated the effects of such depletions towards the livelihood of mankind.
Though opposing, both authors agree on some key issues regarding the environment which are highly supported by …show more content…

324), Lester mentions its effect on crop production. “Crop ecologists at the Rice Research Institute in the Philippines and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have jointly concluded that each 1º C rise in temperature during the growing season cuts 10% off the yields of wheat, rice and corn (p. 315). In Lester Brown’s article the issue of industrialization was addressed. It shows a direct relation towards the growth of a country economically and its subsequent decline in the field of agriculture. Lester, using Japan as an example along with China, South Korea and Taiwan, says that through rapid industrialization of a country lands that were dedicated to crop production begins to be utilized for industrial and residential development. Also sparks an increase f roads highways and parking lots to accommodate cars and drivers. This leaves farmers with lands that are not economical to cultivate, thus forcing them to abandon their plots and seek employment elsewhere. With the vast reduction of cropland and individuals willing to continue work in the field the country is forced to import a large majority of their crops. The effect of largely populated countries like China to require the importation of crops would be that is causes a strain on the global economy. Also the subsequent rise the world grain prices may destabilize governments in low-income, grain-importing countries (pgs. 316-317).
Although both authors agree on certain issues, they seem to

Get Access