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Winds of Change Newsletter,
December 2005 See sidebar for table of contents
Human Activities Cause of Current Extinction Crisis
10 distinguished scientists including E.O. Wilson and Paul Ehrlich,
wrote the U.S. Senate to warn that the Earth is losing species at an
unprecedented rate. They ask that Congress strengthen, not weaken, the
Endangered Species Act.
The letter read, in part: "As scientists from across the United States
with many years of experience in ecology, wildlife, conservation
biology, evolutionary biology, we would like to share with you our views
on the current extinction crisis. We write out of deep and growing
concern…Biological diversity at all levels is tremendously important to
humankind. For example, hundreds of medicines and other compounds vital
to human health are derived from the natural world.
"…Perhaps even more important, however, is the value of full, intact
ecosystems, which provide ecological services such as erosion control,
water filtration, climate regulation, flood control and pollination.
"Despite the incredible importance of biological diversity, a grim
scientific consensus is emerging: we are in the throes of an extinction
crisis…Extinction is the killing off of all individuals, forever
extinguishing the life of an entire species… Human activities have
brought the Earth to the brink of this crisis… Extinction is now
proceeding one thousand times faster than the planet's historic rate…
"In the United States, habitat loss threatens about 85 percent of
imperiled species. Worldwide, the figure may be higher…The future of
humanity is inextricably tied to the fate of the natural world. In
perpetuating this, the Earth's sixth mass extinction, we may ultimately
compromise our own ability to survive. We need to steer this nation and
lead the world towards a more sustainable path…
"Fortunately, we have the wherewithal and the tools we need to address
this crisis. The most important of them is the Endangered Species Act."
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Mountaintop removal / valley fill coal mining causes unprecedented
habitat loss! The Endangered Species Act is one of many tools we employ
in our efforts to end mountaintop removal. Please contact Congress
today! Ask your legislators to preserve and strengthen the Endangered
Species Act. See
www.stopextinction.org.
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