Environmental Science

Abstract

Homo Sapiens have evolved tremendously over the last 200,000 years and during a large period of this time they lived as a productive and integral part of the biodiversity of the Earth. About 12,000 years ago humans began to have a measureable affect on the plants, animals and landscape which has continued to develop into a bigger problem each day. With the increasing population of humans the earths landscape has been changed to support their needs forever affecting the biomes naturally occurring climates and ecological balance and sustainability. The Earth can only produce so much revenue from it’s natural capitol and humans must find a way to maintain that balance and consumption before the life support system expires.

Humans Changing the World

The human species evolved around 200,000 years ago and for nearly 180,000 years they lived and survived on the Earth’s naturally available resources without causing any significant negative impact upon that reserve. The Earth’s biodiversity was allowed to transform through natural selection, differential reproduction and adaptation of the plants and animals. Around 12,000 years ago humans began to affect this delicate system through their practices and need for more resources, shelter and improvement of their lives thus adversely affecting the Earths biological diversity.

Initially humans were hunters and gatherers and learned to survive on only the income provided by the Earths natural capital having only a modest if any impact on the surrounding plant and animal systems. Living as members of the Earths delicate and crucial ecosystems the biological evolution of the planet was permitted to evolve along its ordinary course which included the evolution of humans. During the next 183,000 years humans themselves evolved through adaptation and natural selection and eventually leaving us with only 1 of the 3 original species of humans.

Approximately 12,000 years ago humans found...