eProceeding...
Judaism and Environment
Prof. Ronald E. Hurlbert's "Top Ten" List
All the useful input by Professor Ron Hurlbert from Washington State is gratefully
acknowledged.
Ron, a microbiologist, is making considerable effort to help with a variety of matters
which are important for humanity and in that context also for Israel.
Part of the Judaism and Environmrent conference planning was a quest for a
comprehensive list of "Top Ten" environmental problems now, in 25 and 50 years, at global,
Middle Est regional and Israel context, taking into account demographic projections.
Ron's informal response follows.
Biblical Cataclysms:
High profile-Low probability
These events that are caused by random natural occurrences over which humans have little or
no control a this time.
They include asteroid hits, major tsunamis, major earthquakes, massive "dirty" volcanic eruptions,
and pandemics all capable of causing extreme global/regional climactic and environmental changes,
massive loss of life and economic disruption. They are high profile because of their random nature,
their abruptness, and their massive loss of life and economic disruption.
They are rare occurrences, usually separated by 1,000s to millions of years.
However, the growing human population insures that even the small events of this type harm a
large number of people and disrupt the economy.
Human Induced Cataclysms:
Low profile-High probability
These events are solely the result of human activities and are controllable
through active human intervention.
They are low profile because they take place over time periods that do not trigger
the awareness of most people. They are high probability because
they are the inevitable result of normal human behavior and the exponential growth
of the human population. These include:
- The unrestricted population growth at the rate of 200,000 people each day.
- Habitat destruction and loss of biological diversity.
- Global warming and the resultant changes in climate and sea level.
- Loss of potable water supply for human consumption and of water for agricultural purposes.
- The shortage of inexpensive energy.
- The shortage of food to feed the burgeoning human and domestic animal population.
- The increasing pollution of the planet.
- The loss of arable land.
- Global consumption of the earth’s resources at a rate far exceeding sustainable capacity.
Jan 29, 2002