The Rise of the Machines

According to Matt, today’s top conservation issues include the introduction of invasive species and the spread of diseases, climate change, ocean acidification, habitat alteration, overconsumption and an increasing world population. And while each of these issues are complex and have a multitude of contributing factors, I see one constant in every case: the rise of machines. In my opinion, increasing mechanization over the past 100 years directly resulted in the conservation issues we now face today.

First, let’s consider the introduction of invasive species and the spread of diseases across the globe. This is because people all over the world are now able to interact and travel to places they have never gone before. And how is it that people (and their unintended hitch-hikers) can visit the world over? Simple – by jumping aboard machines that allow us to travel at fantastic speeds across great distances (NAP 2006, nationalatlas.gov 2013).

Second, climate change. According to the Government of Canada, the two major human factors behind climate change are the use of fossil fuels and converting land for logging or agricultural purposes (GC 2009). So because fossil fuels are used by most of our machines – cars, planes, power plants, and refineries – they directly affect our climate. What is not so obvious, however, is the effect this release of carbon dioxide has upon our oceans.

Specifically, as fossil fuels are burnt by machines and carbon is released from converted land, carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere. Then a large percentage of this gas is re-absorbed by the ocean – and due to the bicarbonate equilibrium its pH decreases and our oceans acidify (NOAA 2013).

As for land conversion, machines are again almost entirely responsible for the alternation of natural landscapes into human-dominated ones. Consider current forestry and farming operations – almost all the work is done by people using machines. Previously only hand-saws and scythes were used… but have now been replaced by chainsaws, logging trucks and combines (CE 2012, NAE 2013).

So first off, without machines we wouldn’t have the current large-scale forestry or agricultural operations which are leading to habitat loss for so many species, and secondly we wouldn’t be altering the climate and oceans to the degree that we are now.

Furthermore, the impact of these machines has been compounded as the world’s population exploded over the past 100 years. Our demands and consumption of natural resources also increased, as more food and land was required to feed, clothe, house and entertain the world’s population. As has been described above, these actions are almost entirely fulfilled through the use of machines.

            So if not for machines, we wouldn’t be where we are now. But on the other hand, the development of mechanization and fuel-power are directly responsible (in one way or another) for causing the conservation issues we face today. However, (unlike in the movies) it is people who are driving these machines. So I suppose, we really oughtn’t blame machines for our troubles at all – rather, we should blame ourselves.

References Cited:

Canadian Encyclopedia (CE). 2012. Forest Harvesting. Retrieved February 14, 2013, from http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/forest-harvesting

Government of Canada (GC). 2009. Causes of Climate Change. Retrieved February 14, 2013, from http://www.climatechange.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=65CD73F4-1

National Academies Press (NAP). 2006. The Impact of Globalization on Infectious Disease Emergence and Control: Exploring the Consequences and Opportunities, Workshop Summary - Forum on Microbial Threats. Retrieved February 14, 2013, from http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=11588&page=21

National Academy of Engineering (NAE). 2013. Agricultural Mechanization - Greatest Engineering Achievements of the Twentieth Century. Retrieved February 14, 2013, from http://www.greatachievements.org/?id=2955

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 2013. Ocean Acidification. Retrieved February 14, 2013, from http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/story/Ocean+Acidification

nationalatlas.gov. 2013. General Information About Invasive Species. Retrieved February 14, 2013, from http://nationalatlas.gov/articles/biology/a_invasive.html