An Afternoon of Reading and Reflecting: The End of the World, The Environment, and James Rollins

"This book will have you running under a warm blanket"

I have just read Ice Hunt by James Rollins and I don’t know what’s worse, the thought of extinct carnivorous whale species being brought back to life after thousands of years of hibernation or experiencing the second ice age brought by intentionally melting the polar ice caps using a sonic bomb.  

Although to actually discover and potentially study an “Ambulocetus natan” (walking whale) is a marine biologist’s dream and nightmare!

Despite enjoying James Rollins macabre fascination for paleo-fiction and compelling storyline, I can’t help but wonder if a second ice age could, in fact, be a good thing for our horribly depreciated planet. 

I know it might seem like something an environmental extremist might say or do for that matter, but looking at how the environment has suffered somehow makes me wish for a fresh start. Although in order for me to experience it, I might have to build one of those ultra-submarines from the movie 2012 or maybe even a good old-fashioned ark. 

With the increased climate change and man-made pollution that has reigned over the world for the greater part of the century, it’s not a surprise when nature fights back to regain its balance. 

Although it can be argued that climate change does not cause the occurrence of super storms like Sandy, it does, however, act like a steroid that enhances a storms capability for destruction. 

Super storms are not the only proof that nature is fighting back. 

The recent red algae bloom in Australia had left scientists and most of my colleagues dumb-founded.  If environmental atrocities will continue, we might really see the world end and it won’t necessarily be at December 21, 2012.

And yet whenever I see the sunset over the horizon and watch as porpoises swim gracefully across the open sea, it fills me with an overwhelming sense of joy and an ironclad resolution to protect the world and all its inhabitants, because however bleak the future may be, there’s still hope that everything will be alright.

   

“We share this planet with many species.
It is our responsibility to protect them, 
 both for their sakes and our own.”
- Pamela A. Matson