The Earth - Today, Yesterday, and Tommorrow

THE EARTH YESTERDAY ~ TODAY & TOMORROW

BY ROBBIE

As we enter the new millennium, it is imperative that we give very serious thought to where we live. That happens to be on Planet Earth, Terra Firma, The Blue Ball, or any other name that we have given it though out time. As you read this article, I want you to give very serious thought to what you think the condition of the earth will be when you turn SIXTY years old. What you think, will tell you a lot about yourself, and how you view your future. If your thoughts were, that there wouldn’t be anything left for you to enjoy, then you have a very defeatist attitude. But if your thoughts were, that it would be in better condition than it is right now, then you have a very positive out look.

I will tell you several things that are going wrong with the planet right now as you read, I will even give ideas of what can be done to help correct the problem. But then it is up to you! I would like YOU to write in, and tell us what YOU are willing to do, and then what YOU will do to help make a positive difference. I would like to know your age and gender, where you are from, and what school you go to. Let’s begin, and see if together we can make that positive difference beginning right now. It has been done with fewer people than we have reading this right now. Wouldn’t it be neat to say that THE DOG PLACE YOUNG ADULTS made such an impact that they won world wide recognition? You bet it would! And it can happen! Will YOU be on the list?

Chou Yu-sheng is a soldier in the war that must be fought to bring the earth back to being able to support its inhabitants. He is 11, and lives in Taiwan. His interest is in recycling. His governments environmental agency named him the “Young Recycling Soldier of the 21^st Century” Way to go Chou Yu-sheng!

Simon Jackson has his interest in something that is so exotic that few people even know about it. The white Kermode or Spirit Bear. Simon is 17 and not only did he start out to make a difference to the Kermode bear, but HE DID. And you know what? He’s not done. Simon won’t be happy until the Kermode bear is back to full strength. His quest is to save this rare bear from extinction. Loggers were destroying the natural habitat of the bears. Who says that writing letters doesn’t make an impact? Simon convinced 700 other kids to write letters asking the government to keep the logging companies out of the bears’ habitat. IT WORKED. There is still a long way to go, but according to Simon. “It is like ripples in a pond. If I can get through to one person, that person will get to another, that is how issues are won.” SIMON, THE BEARS THANK YOU AND WE THANK YOU. 5 GOLD STARS TO SIMON!

Zoe Wahl who is just 11 is the representative of the Zoe Foundation in Europe, a wildlife-preservation group based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Zoe lives in Switzerland, and plans on making saving endangered animals her life's work. WAY TO GO GIRL!

O.K. GUYS, here’s what I would like to see us do. If you have a plan of something you would like to do, do a little research on it, see what it would take to accomplish it, and then write to us about it. If you are looking for someone to help you say so, and maybe you can connect right here at THE GREEN DOOR. If you are already doing something that is helping planet earth, PLEASE let us know that, and we will tell the world! SO NOW IT IS UP TO YOU. GOOD LUCK AND GOD SPEED.

Two-thirds of all fish harvested depend at some point in their lives on coastal wetlands, seagrasses or coral reefs, all of which are fast disappearing. What will we do when the fish no longer live in the sea?

Freshwater ecosystems are the most critical of all since all organisms need water to survive. Human water consumption rose six fold in the past century, double the rate of population growth. Humans now use 54% of available freshwater, and additional demand will further jeopardize all other ecosystems. The outlook for our fresh water is grim.

All forests, and more specifically the rain forest in Brazil are home to two-thirds of all species. The reason? The forests temper climate and capture and store water. Not only are there species of all life that have yet to be discovered in the forest that we are cutting down, but the forest store 40% of terrestrial carbon, and can slow the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The out look for our forest world wide is grim.

Then there are the grasslands and agricultural lands that we will discuss next time. Remember that you will be left to care for this beautiful planet in just a few years when your parents are no longer able, how will you do it? And, if you don’t, WHO WILL?

REMEMBER; except for a few old people that sneak in THE GREEN DOOR, this is a site for people that are 13 to 25 years old. It is your place to plan for the future, share your thoughts, get and give ideas, and most of all, BE WHO YOU WANT TO BE. So, if you don’t write in, that will never happen. Until I hear from every one of you I will just sit here and wait….. Till then,