posted by Catherine on May 22
We all know that 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity – so what’s special about today?
International Year of Biodiversity is a time where huge projects can be started, or completed. Many projects across the world take years and years of planning and can take up to 15 years to start to become effective – and according to climate change experts: we don’t have much time left.
So the idea of this ‘year’ is to highlight the need for research into biodiversity and the beginnings of a change in the way that we deal with climate change, extinctions and the environment as a whole.
So Why The ‘Day’?
Well, the day of Biodiversity is a time where ordinary people like you and you family can become involved in something much bigger without having to devote months of your life to field research, and without cracking out the cheque book!
Events across the world have been organised for today that involve the very simplest of events such as pond dipping – to show you what actually lives there; through woodland creation – to help what is already there; right up to scientific meeting and lectures discussing everything on the world agenda.
So today you could be introducing your friends and family to the whole diverse world out there – and hopefully making a difference to their future.
And What About Tomorrow?
Well, the future isn’t looking like it’s going to be as good as it has been in terms of many weather related things, such as farming and soil fertility.
I mean many people think of ‘bio-diversity’ as being about all the amazing wild animals and plants that we love to see in parks and zoos – but diversity also means in terms of ‘boring’ plants and animals too.
Take for example the ability of wheat to grow in certain weather conditions, and we all know that rice needs water to grow – but the weather could change all that and make these crops very difficult to grow in the huge amount that we currently do. So we need a diverse range of crop plants to take their place when we start to get short. If it’s to dry to grow rice – we need to find something that we can grow instead!
Then think about all the thousands of different bugs and creepy crawlies that live in the earth and under rocks and even feeding on other dead animals – we need thousands of them to get the job done! If not then the soil loses it’s fertility and we will be surrounded by dead animals and plants, festering in the sun!
The more species that become extinct, the less chance we and the planet has of finding a solution to our problems – whenever the arise. For example, imagine you have a serious disagreement with one mobile phone company – you can currently just go and use another one; there are plenty to choose from today.
But what if there was only that one phone company? What if you had to put up with their charges or go without a phone?
This is the scenario that many of our animals face today – and more will so in the future. If they can’t find the food type or the habitat or the nesting site that the need to survive – they will have only 1 choice: Move on and hope to find it elsewhere – or die.
Your Actions:
However you can stop this – in both the example and in real life.
If you make sure that there is always a vast array of choices for both your family and the wildlife in the world – then there will always be a second, third, fourth or fifth choice. So when species are faced with the effects of climate change or the results of human encroachment, they can evolve a different way to deal with it – like eating berry B instead of the usual berry A.
And we all know that when something is the only thing left – it will be in demand (it’s scarcity value) – and then it becomes very expensive and very difficult to get your hands on.
So by keeping the world rich in choices and full of variety – there will always be a fair spread for everyone involved. This is what sustainability is all about – and it can make a huge difference to humans and the environment.
So think about that today: Biodiversity Day
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