Here's my philosphical rant for today. Take it as you will.
Humanity as a whole has learned to react fiercely to clear and imminent danger. We know how to fight when we can see the enemy. However, our reaction to theoretical or distant danger is entirely different. If it's not likely to affect us, we tend to do nothing at all.
There are those who choose to believe that the current trend of global warming is simply a natural cycle. I've listened to these people speak and they have very convincing arguments showing that there is no need to do anything at present. However, with a little bit of logic and critical thinking, their viewpoint quickly becomes nonsense and the real danger becomes clear. Yet we do nothing or at least very little.
I don't think that anyone would disagree that humanity is on a collision coarse with disaster. The trouble is that for the most part we are all optimists. We believe that we will change just in time to save ourselves. I believe this, or at least I want to.
In spite of the impending dangers, we haven't really figured out how to change anything that doesn't benefit us in the present. Our society is reactionary and driven by consumerism, not forward thinking and conservative planning.
It remains to be seen if humanity can really change anything of significance where sacrifice is required. We will have to sacrifice our standard of living to deal with issues around peak oil, national debt, personal debt, global warming, food shortages, and yes, perhaps even the state of our oceans and the reefs.
It doesn't matter if one person can change anything. The point is that we need to learn to enact change on a larger scale. Communities such as Canreef can influence market trends in the aquarium hobby. If we do nothing, what then?
If we cannot change things at a societal level, then we really are doomed and trying to save the reefs is nothing more than an exercise in futility.
I remain an eternal optimist, although perhaps it is only my defense mechanism and a healthy dose of pessimism would do the world some good.
In consideration of the reefs, I don't believe that the aquarium hobby is the primary threat. The problem has more to do with global warming and the chemistry of our oceans. I recently witnessed this first hand while snorkeling in the Caribbean. The reefs that I visited were almost completely dead and it had nothing to do with the aquarium industry.
For the remaining reefs, survival will depend on education and knowledge. It will depend on sustainability and economic motivators. Our hobby contributes to these things, if only on a small scale.
Unfortunately, I also believe that for our reefs, it is really too little, too late. I fear the worst and it may be that the only surviving corals will be found in captivity.
- Brad
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