We Should Sacrifice The Environment For Economic Gain

Trees and clouds and little bunny rabbits are at the forefront of my list of favorite things. However, loving nature and being an environmentalist are two drastically different things. Being an environmentalist means prioritizing the protection of the environment above all else. But there are more important things. Things like the human race.

For instance, one issue constantly attacked by environmentalists is the use of fossil fuels. Yes, fossil fuels are the chief cause of man-made pollution. But there are more pressing matters. The entire economy of the world is centered on energy costs, and the primary source of energy is fossil fuels.

If we were to completely ban fossil fuels today, many people would be unable to commute to work due to the exorbitant cost of alternative energies. Not only that, but the cost of everything would go up. The consumer will end up covering these surplus costs from their pocket.

I want a cheap electric car because it will be efficient and renewable and benefit society as a whole—the positive impact on the environment is, quite frankly, an added bonus.

What it all comes down to is this: do you care more about human beings or Planet Earth? It sounds cynical, but I'd blow up the entire planet if it meant protecting our species. Air pollution is awful, but it is, at least for now, a necessary evil for the masses to get cheap 

usable energy.

Another example are the world's rainforests being leveled for lumber. Yes, rainforests are majestic and the annihilation of them is egregious. However, the population of the world has just surpassed seven billion. That means we need a lot of houses, and houses require lumber.

Granted there are many people on the planet whom society has rejected housing for, but there would be even more homeless souls if we were to cease deforestation altogether. We need to save parts of nature to enjoy, but stopping tree-cutting completely is not only irrational, but condemns millions to go without homes.

The Earth is a thing of beauty. The way that nature balances itself in a massively complicated string of causes and effects, resulting in rainforests and clouds and evolution is awe-inspiring. The human species has thrown this timeless balance into pandemonium, and it is inexcusable. But even more inexcusable is condemning fellow human beings to poor living conditions in favor of plant matter. If you were really in love with the environment you'd recommend the extinction of the human species altogether. And that is just wrong.