> From: Bob Whitmire <bwhitmire@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> It's what happens when organisms inhabit ecosystems.
I make cider. (That's "hard cider" to those in the north western quadrisphere.)
I put yeast in pear juice, and the little critters have a marvellous time,
immersed in what must seem to them like an endless resource.
Over a period of a week or two, at a certain temperature, the yeast doubles in
number every day.
I often wonder if, on the penultimate day, a couple yeast cells have a
conversation:
"Hey, it's getting a little crowded in here, there's not so much sugar, and I
can taste the yeast piss in the juice. You think perhaps we should slow down a
bit, perhaps not have yeast kids?"
"What are you talking about? Look around! There's at least HALF the resources
left! Besides, there are natural cycles! It's not OUR fault!"
But of course, yeast lack a nervous system, and cannot have such conversations,
except perhaps through chemicals.
The more I observe humans, the more I prefer yeast. At least they don't
rationalize consuming all their resources and dying in their own excrement. And
their piss is tastier than ours. :-)
I suspect us "boomers" are about to be the first generation since the
exploitation of fossil sunlight whose life-span will be less than that of their
parents. But I also work hard to have a Buddhist attitude of detachment. I
agree with Bob about "It's what happens."
That isn't to say those of us who admit to such things shouldn't try to
minimize our impact, but darn it, phase reversals in population growth rates
are pretty rare events, and it's an interesting time to be alive, no?
----------------
:::: Here’s the deal: forget that this task of planet-saving is not possible in
the time required. Don’t be put off by people who know what is not possible. Do
what needs to be done, and check to see if it was impossible only after you are
done. -- Paul Hawken
:::: Jan Steinman, EcoReality Co-op ::::
--
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