‘Conquest without conscience.’ To what extent would you agree with this assessment of our relationship to the environment?

Against the backdrop of an increasingly cosmopolitan global community, every country is embroiled in a rat race to grow its economy and augment the standard of living of its people. This led to the conquest of technology, medicine, and even nature. Oft-times, little considerations is given to the state of the environment and these nations, corporations and individuals pollute the environment without compunction. While it is heart-warming to note the presence of some countries and corporations which are environmentally-conscious, the global trend is still that of excessive consumerism with minimal attempts at environmental conservation.

In the pursuit for technological advancements and economic progress, many companies have no qualms about polluting the environment. In fact, 90 million tons of global-warming pollutants are dumped into the atmosphere each day, as if it were an open sewer. The ramifications of global warming are conspicuous: scientists have confirmed that the last 10 years were the hottest decade since modern records have been kept; almost all of the ice-covered regions are melting- and see levels are rising at a dangerous rate; and droughts are getting longer and deeper in many mid-continent regions. Many companies, such as Exxon Mobile, does not adopt any green practices and have no compunction about polluting the environment. More heinous is how corporations try to shirk off all responsibilities by postulating that environmental change is a natural process, rather than a pernicious result of their relentless pursuit for economic progress. "The global warming swindle", for instance, has been met with many controversies and has been censured for trying to mislead the public into thinking that corporations are not responsible for the environmental degradation we see today.

Eco-tourism is an industry that is abused by profit-driven corporations. Under the veneer of promoting economic growth while protecting the environment, many corporations simply make use of Eco-tourism as a revenue-generating tool. In Eco-tourism, virgin lands are exposed to throngs of tourists for walk-throughs that strip these lands of their natural value. The development of infrastructure for Eco-tourism in Mexico, for instance, ruthlessly annihilated a whole species of native butterflies. After the island of Galapagos was announced as conservation site for Eco-tourism, migrants flocked to Galapagos in search of jobs, causing an over-swell in population number. What was once recognized as exotic areas of nature have now become pollution-generating spots. Evidently, Eco-tourism is a failed venture. Yet corporations are continuing this business because the potential benefits far outweigh the environment costs that they may have to bear. For the monetary benefits, these corporations often overlook their moral conscience and little consideration is given to the welfare of Mother nature.

Similarly, in the conquest for better living conditions, humans poach wildlife for their medicinal and commercial value and little consideration is given to the possible threat of their extinction. The rate of human-induced extinction is an unparalled catastrophe, and earth has not seen a spasm of extinctions like this for 65 million years. Killing of elephant for ivory is rampant in states like Orissa, Uttarancha l, Assam, UP and Karnataka. The proportion of sub -adult and adult tuskers has dropped drastically in the last 20 years. Rare rhinos, such as the one-horned Asiatic rhino are found in protected habitats in India such as Barida National Park in Nepal and Assam. Alarmingly, poachers kill them even in these protected habitats. The flagrant fact that poachers can still hunt animals despite knowing that they are protected shows that they have no conscience at all. In fact, profits is always of paramount importance to them and conservation of wildlife is oft-times a peripheral consideration. More often than not, in our quest for a higher quality of life, through merchandise made from animal tusks and skins, as well as their medicinal value, such as the treatment of cancer, fauna are abused by mankind. Only a small minority, such as animal conservationists and environmentalists are conscious about the survival of these animals.

Despite many countries, corporations and individuals who better themselves at the expense of the environment, there exist a minority who are conscious about the potential threats to the environment and are indefatigable in saving the environment. Many Scandinavian countries aim for economic progress but still maintain efforts in protecting the environment. Brazil has the second largest and most economically honest biofuel industry, which already provides 40% of the fuel consumed by its cars and will soon supply 15% of its electricity through the burning of sugarcane waste. Concomitantly, Norway earns a high spot for being first to the world's largest solar production plant, and has pledged to become carbon-neutral by 2030. Some corporations are also gearing up on their green initiatives to save the environment. General Electric (GE), a large American Engineering firm, already has a thriving wind-turbine business and is gearing up its solar-energy business. BP and Shell, 2 of the world's biggest oil companies, are also sponsoring research in green technology. Such proactive actions by various countries and corporations show that while they are on a conquest for a higher standard of living, they still have a conscience to keep the environment protected.

Incontrovertibly, the conquest for a better life has blinded the conscience of many resulting in the degradation of the environment. Managing the often-conflicting demands of fast economic growth and saving the environment is hard. While it is almost out of the question for us to stop this conquest, perhaps we should slow down and start searching our conscience and play our part in conserving the environment. This is not just for ourselves, but also for our posterity.

Examine the claim that the world is too dependent on oil. ('05)

The rapidly industrializing world has seen an exponential increase in demands for oil in the past few decades. Often termed as the "black gold", oil is an essential component in the lives of individuals, corporations and the government. In the US alone, approximately $1 billion is spent each day on oil. With the emergence of other industrializing nations such as China and India, the oil extraction rate has reached an astonishing 1, 016 barrels per second, amounting to a whopping 1 billion barrels a year. Our over-reliance on oil and its various forms is manifested in its high price of $US 200 per barrel. A slight reduction in oil supply can result in severe economic downturns, disturbances in food production and distribution, as well as conflicts within countries. Although there do exist countries which are turning to alternative sources of energy to ease their over-reliance on oil, majority of the world is still largely dependent on oil- and this does not look set to change in the near future.

The availability of oil greatly determines the state of the economy of the world. Many newly industrializing economies (NIEs) are importing increasing amounts of oil from oil-rich stats to fuel their bustling industry and economy. China, for example, has had a 30% increase in oil imports from African states and Venezuela in the past two years. In addition, many Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia and United Emirates have strong and rich economies because they have a lot of oil. As the demand for oil continues to skyrocket, these countries will be able to thrive by providing this natural resource. There are also countries that process raw materials from oil, and oil is a major source of their income. Situated at the crossroads of international sea and air roads, Singapore is particularly reliant on the processing and refining of crude oil at its offshore islands. If oil runs out, the economy of the world would be in a complete paralysis. This is most evidently seen in the 1973 oil crisis, when the world tumbled into a deep recession due to the low supply and thus, high prices of oil.

Our over-reliance on oil can also be seen through our food system. The many processes involved in food production before it is finally served and consumed requires the use of cheap crude oil. Vast amounts of oil are used as raw materials and energy in the manufacture of fertilizers and pesticides, and as cheap and available energy at all stages of production: from planting, irrigation, feeding and harvesting, to processing, distribution and packaging. In addition, oil is essential in the construction and repair of equipment and infrastructure needed to facilitate this industry, including farm machinery, processing facilities, storage, ships, trucks and roads. The industrial food supply system is one of the biggest consumers of oil. To transport 1 calorie of lettuce across the Atlantic, 127 calories of energy is required. Evidently, a reduction in oil would cause the processes of food production of food to come to a halt, and this would result in global hunger. It is alarming to note that even the most basic thing to keep our population alive is so heavily dependent on oil.

The need for oil in many countries has even translated into conflicts and violence between nation states. A casual glance at the last few decades of history suggests that oil exporting states such as Iraq, Venezuela and Iran have an unfortunate habit of getting involved in international conflicts. During the Iraq war, the United States justified their invasion of Iraq in 2003 and occupation of Iraq as an operation to find weapons of mass destruction and to stop the oppressive regime in Iraq. However, many experts believe that this was more of energy security, as Iraq is an oil rich nation and the US wants to keep the oil flowing into their economies. There are even speculations of a World War III in which the world would fight over the remaining limited supply of oil. Our willingness to kill our own kind for oil is more than enough to prove that we are over-reliant on oil.

While it is irrevocable that the world is heavily dependent on oil, we must not forget that there do exist countries that acknowledge their over-reliance on oil and are slowly but gradually reducing the need. Currently, there are alternative sources of energy, like hydroelectric energy and solar energy that are used by some countries to cut emission rates from the combustion of oil. In Canada and some parts of America, hydroelectric power is used as a source of electricity. Norway, on the other hand, earns a high spot for being first to the world's largest solar production plant, owned by REC Group. They have also pledged to become carbon neutral by 2030, mainly through funding green projects abroad and reducing driving and flying at home. All these technologies and the fact that countries are in the pursuit of alternative sources of energy goes to show that some parts of the world is trying to reduce their dependence on oil. However, such actions are only taken by a minority of the countries in the world, especially by developed countries which have the financial resources to undertake researches on alternative sources of energy. Oft-times, developing countries lack the technology to venture into such alternative resources and they continue to deplete the limited supply of oil.

Oil is becoming a universal commodity and it seems hard to reduce our dependence on oil. The oil supply is expected to peak in a few years' time before it starts to fall drastically. If we do not take any action to reduce our reliance on oil, the world would plunge into a perilous state of entropy. The threat is real, and we need to do something about it now, before the ticking time bomb is finally triggered off.

Special thanks to:

http://www.energybulletin.net/node/5045

http://seekingalpha.com/article/263639-oil-forecast-for-second-quarter-2011

http://www.scribd.com/doc/31925554/Examine-the-Claim-That-the-World-is-Too-Dependent-on-Oil

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1163516/oil_and_our_overdependence_on_it.html

http://www.oildependency.org/articles/index.htm

Discuss the appeal, and the dangers, of attempting to predict the future. ('01)

Since time immemorial, the idea of predicting the future has always been a tantalizing one. Be it looking at the stars to speculate the stability of a country or the simple interpretation of dreams to learn about one's destiny, humans have always been caught up with learning about the future. However, it is their preoccupation with this mysterious art that that they have failed to realize its potential dangers. While precognition is enticing in many aspects, the pitfalls it entails is far too egregious for us to handle.

The ability to see into the future can help us avert cataclysmic disasters and save the lives of many. In the case of major natural events like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, violent floods, disease epidemics, tsunamis, drought and soil erosion, failure to predict the future can translate to death, sufferings and loss of loved ones for many. On the contrary, successful predictions of disasters can be a great boon to mankind. One well-known successful earthquake prediction was for the Haicheng, China earthquake of 1975, when an evacuation warning was issued the day before a 7.3 earthquake. The China State Seismological Bureau accurately predicted the occurrence of the earthquake and evacuated about a million people from the affected province. Clearly, the impeccable accuracy of such prediction of natural disasters can help mitigate the potential damages the disasters may pose. Under such circumstances, many innocent lives can be saved and this is incontestably beneficial to humanity.

However, it must be cautioned that attempts to predict the future are mere speculations and in themselves, hypothetical. There exist an element of uncertainty in every single prediction. Oft-times, predictions of the future are inaccurate and this can result in devastating damages to mankind. In the instance of natural disasters, use of advanced science equipments and weather forecasting may be able to predict the occurrence of a disaster, but the exact time and date that it will occur is often uncertain. The recent 8.9 earthquake in Japan was predicted to occur on 29th March, but it went off on 11th March and took the lives of many. High high death toll, homelessness, lack of food and basic sanitation, nuclear disaster and economic crises are concomitant with the failed prediction of the major earthquake. Evidently, the failed attempt in making an accurate prediction resulted in the inability of the Japan authorities to take necessary precautions in time to mitigate the devastation of the earthquake.

Unreliable predictions can also cause unwarranted fear and trepidation in humans. Predictions have often been made, from antiquity until the present, by using paranormal or supernatural means such as prophecy or by observing omens. Such predictions are often made without any scientific proof and analysis, and fear can be easily struck into the hearts of humans if the predictions are gloomy and cataclysmic. In extreme cases, escalating fears and apprehensions may even result in social instability and violence within a community. The "Planetary Conjunction" prediction in the early 90s is one such example. Respected meteorologist Albert Porta predicted that on December 17, 1919 a conjunction of six planets would cause "a magnetic current that would pierce the sun, causing great explosions of flaming gas and eventually engulf the Earth" This prediction, which turns out to be false ultimately, led to some mob violence and a few suicides. Another incidence in which prediction about the future can strike fear in humans can be seen in the "1910 Haley Comet" prediction. Even though the Haley's Comet had been visible many times without any reported deaths, the passing of the comet on May 18, 1910 was predicted to be a deadly threat to people because of poisonous gas coming from its tail. This caused apocalyptic panic, but eventually it turned out to be a false prediction based on religious claims. Clearly, such predictions without any concrete scientific evidences can easily instill fear in humans. The threat of imminent disasters causes humans to cower in fear everyday, and this may even cause permanent damages to their psychological health.

From a more philosophical point of view, it is ironic that humans value freedom and control and yet still seek predictability. On the face of it, it would seem that the two are related: if I can predict, I can control. However, if we view that the future is pre-determined, then it would mean that the future cannot be changed and we are mere puppets living out the life that is designed and specially tailored for us. Complete predictability would leave us with no need to pay attention to anything any longer. If one's prediction of his future, by a fortune teller or sorcerer for that matter, is one that is blithe and successful, he would have no motivation to work hard at all. Similarly, if one's prediction of his future is gloomy, he will see no point in trying to improve his well-being and will simply fester. The ability to predict the future leaves no surprises in life and life becomes meaningless. A husband can predict what his wife is going to give him for his upcoming birthday; a son can no longer surprise his mum with his good grades at school because his mum can easily predict it; surprise farewell or welcome parties become redundant because everyone can predict it happening. These little surprises are what make our lives meaningful and interesting, and without them, we are just going through the motion of life and life simply becomes mundane.

Irrevocably, the ability to predict the future can bring us many benefits if predictions are accurate. However, it can be easily noted that predictions in our millennium is still highly unreliable and brings minimal benefits to mankind. In comparison, the negative ills of predicting the future are much worse, especially with the many trepidations it brings. "Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. But today is a gift, and that is why it's called the present." The quote from box-office movie Kungfu Panda aptly captures the idea of living each day to the fullest. Perhaps, we should slow down our quest of looking into the future and learn to be contented with the blessings of today.