Why should we protect endangered species?
 

In my opinion, we should.

This is because we have the ability to know the difference between right and wrong, so we should be the responsible species and save the rest. ie "with great power, comes great responsibility" and so, obviosly, humanity has a job to do.

Seccondly:

If we push into extinction animals and plants we need for medical research, we are losing the ability to make medical discoveries.

Over 25% of all drugs perscribed in the u.s. are made from plants. If such plants go extinct, what will we have left? NOthing to be of any use for us.

And if u are thinking "oh, well, species come and go--eventually a new one will evolve" u are wrong.

Humanity will probably be dead by the time a new species comes by, anyway, especially if we catch some freak desease. :dead:

you say that like it is a bad thing. think about how good for the environment human extinction would be.

good point, but would you like to be wiped off the face of the earth because of some idiotic move? If we could just start making the environment a serious issue, then we may not have a problem at all, is my point.

I'm all for that, I do what I can.. although more than likely not enough to counteract the people who go and blindly destroy things (not saying that I haven't but I am older and uh wiser now :) )I live in a decent 1 bedroom apt. and I recycle here and at work.. pay money to wwf and I dunno.. do various things to keep our little fuzzy buddies alive..

on a side note, yes! from a purely pragmatic standpoint, we derive far too much from plants and animals to allow them to be run into extinction. which is why the whole 'logging the amazon' worries me ( I mean hell YEAH! I want my mahogony guitar, but.. then again..they're not making old growth forrests anymore) and sooooo much of the world has yet to be found out..as in what it is and what's it good for. the cure for cancer is out there... we just need to find it before it's gone.

on another side side note, one of my biggest pet peeves.. 2 things really... 1.) the anti-bacterial soap shit that kills 99.9% of germs.. uh wait.. lets do the math here.. that leaves the best/strongest .01% of the germs to breed.. hmmm good idea? I think not. 2.) people who when RXed anti-biotics.. don't take the full dose.. back to point 1.. and damnit! I read too much david brin.. I like the human race! we have potential! grrrr... if only.. if only.. yeah I'll be going now

Careful there, you! You're getting dangerously close to restarting the Evolution vs Creation discussion again!


And one the ninth day, God said "Let there be germs!" And there were germs and He saw and it was good.

You (all) say environment like if it weren't for humans, it would be a static thing. Not so....the environment will change with or without us. We can steer those changes but should we? If people disappeared things would not go back to what was before we were here.

And if the Atlantic comes up about 35 feet I'll have water front property. :lol:

If we take really good care of endangered species, we can have leopard coats again!!

no, nature is by no way static.. quite the opposite, although I think that we as a species are (and I don't want to use this word...) unnaturally speeding some species to an untimely end.. then again? it could just be part of Intelligent design (cough cough)

Protect endangered species; the importance of biological diversity
 

Protecting endangered species is critical in order to conserve biodiversity. This is important both socially and economically. Biodiversity is a source of wealth for many areas. As the foundation for sustainable development and for stable economies, many people see biodiversity as a reservoir of resources to be drawn upon for the manufacture of food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic products. Some of the important economic commodities that biodiversity supplies to humankind are food, industry, tourism and recreation.

Protecting endangered species conserves biodiversity thus, preserving intergenerational equity. Future generations deserve the right to have access to similar or better environmental resources than the current generation. Preserving intergenerational equity is especially important for developing countries, which depend substantially on renewable resources and on the self-regeneration capacity of the environment.