To the Editor:
Scientists are warning us that the planet Earth is in the midst of a sixth great mass extinction. More than one million species are at risk of disappearing. Why does it matter? All life, including human life, is woven into the fabric of our world, inextricably interconnected in ways we might not even imagine or understand. Aside from the travesty of losing some incredible and beautiful creatures, they are an integral part of what makes our world so awesome.
It also matters because we, the species Homo sapiens, are creatures of this planet as well, and we also face a future potential extinction risk. Whether this risk may arise from global climate change or our befouling of our environment, so some other unknown cause, our planet may become uninhabitable. Of course, we humans are ever so myopic, so willfully shortsighted and dismissive of an uncertain future, we will likely ignore the risks. But, sometime in the world to come, future generations may no longer have the “luxury” of ignoring potential risks to our survival.
Ken Derow
Swarthmore
