Deforestation: a God's-eye view

After recalling a small scant of information that caught my attention a week or two ago I remembered something worth sharing. A little tid for thought. Something that I would think most people would want to know...or maybe not...

The following pictures were taken from a program I've been using which I think is an excellent tool for understanding the scope of our world a little better. A real God's eye view of us little insignificant peons trying to make it day to day. That program is Google Earth. Now some of you might be a little taken back or even afraid of the implications a program like this may represent but I assure you that your fears are only half measured in comparison to the technology that is not available to us.

During a current course of Environmental Studies my professor shared with the class a video from the late 80s of the deforestation taking place in Oregon. The video which I'm sure you can imagine was the old VHS type where if you paused the film everyone on screen would start doing la cucaracha. The film itself was very much dated not only cinematically but also antiquated by its research. The film would take a single plane's trip around one mountain top and leave the rest for the imagination. Well dear friends have I got a gem for you.

Now, the pictures below are authentic and if you deem necessary feel free to download the application yourself (for FREE on both PC and Mac) and see for yourself.

This is what the west coast of our United States looks like.

As you can see there is a blotchy area at the top of California. Right above that blotchy spot is the state of Washington. Feel free to click on image for an expanded view.







Zooming in a little on that blotchy spot we can start to see some grainy detail such as those whitish looking crackles.










Zooming in on those little crackles we can start to make out hillsides. Some more blotches of white appear all over.










Now I ask you, do you think we have a problem?










Clearly there are different policies between the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. To think that deforestation, pollution, radical consumption, and the likes are not really happening then dear friends of mine, allow me to simply open your eyes.

Our non-involvement in life is what leads to this. There is a fundamental law in nature that no scientist will argue and it is this. When certain ecological needs are not met a species of some sort will come in to fill that niche. We as humans are dividing a species within a species. The more inactive you are the more a more organized body of people will look to fill your niche for you. Most Americans have willingly given up their freedoms in return for a short lived joy. I for one would rather see Earth progress at her own rate without us getting involved and fucking with a system that is far more sophisticated than our own. How short-sided can we be to think that we can OUT-think a system that has proven itself time and time again. The earth will outlive us. The earth has done this many many many times before for more species than we are possibly a fraction of being aware of. We must slow our actions down and take into account what consequences our "no worries" generation has brought. I'm an optimist believe it or not. I think we are capable of turning things around and we are. But at what speed and with what amount of damage is where the tension in this world derives.