Can We Live at Peace With the Earth?

I don't really have any insight to President Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize and how climate talks will be affected. The topic does however raise the bigger question for humankind, "Can we live at peace with the earth?" Will we be able to achieve some sort of harmony or balance with the limited supply of resources and space where people congregate to live?

With the double effect of population growing at an enormous rate and the average person on earth using more energy in daily living, it seems that drastic measures will have to be taken in controlling climate changing emissions in order to continue living in civilized societies. Two centuries ago Thomas Malthus predicted dire consequences for out of control population growth with limited agricultural improvements. We have not reached those situations yet due to scientific improvements, but I think climatologists and politicians need to look to somehow curbing population growth as a necessary part of limiting climate changes brought about by human activity.

Those of us with Judeo-Christian beliefs read in Genesis that Creator God instructed Adam to till the Garden of Eden and "keep it". Humans were also given the privilege to have "dominion" over the earth.  Surely the Lord meant for us to use the earth wisely, and like a gardener, put as much back into it as we harvest.  While we can't replace the fossil fuels that we are using, we can try to find alternative means of creating energy that are much less harmful to the environment. At this point in history we seem to be reaping without sowing.

While this view might seem pessimistic, I believe it is realistic, but also believe that with God's guidance we as a species have the capability to arrest some of the destructive ways we are using up the earth's resources. We will need the best minds and determination of the world's peoples to achieve a peaceful relationship with our planet.

By Rick Edmund  |  October 12, 2009; 11:42 AM ET Save & Share:                 
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