Short-sighted planning leads to suffering the long-term effects in creating systems that are not sustainable. Urban development may be producing habitat for some animals while driving others away. Keeping in mind America’s current economic crisis, looking long term is especially hard while trying to improve our financial system as quickly as possible. Factories and mills may generate local income and job security, but release pollution and toxins into the atmosphere causing medical issues for humans and wildlife alike.
People are beginning to focus more on the ethics behind problems we’re causing in the present. Philosophically, future generations are not as discussed as they once were, said Diehm. Awareness is spreading to the fact that lifestyles need to change and sustainable practices need to be observed.
The next generation is already paying closer attention to the planets environmental problems than we are. At the Museum of Natural History in the UWSP library, 33 children with one of the local area elementary schools signed the guest book. Banners and signs repeat throughout exhibits saying, “Habitat Variety Sustains Species Diversity.” Great lions lay majestically on rocks behind glass; a black bear stands mid-step among mallard ducks frozen in time, as museum-goers stare through the display window, half expecting the creatures to come alive at any moment. All this inspires kids to pay more attention to the environmental ramifications of their actions lest they loose the real-life counterparts of the museums permanent residents.
“There is plenty happening in the present that will affect future generations,” said Diehm, “but the harm we’re causing ourselves is just as bad.” Teaching children and adults sustainable practices will help curve the effects of climate change now, in hopes that future generations will have learned from our mistakes and commit to not repeating them.
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