Science College, General Science Dept

Environmental Friendliness

by Jessie Blyton

 

WHY BE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY?

Here are three good reasons for being environmentally friendly - you may even come up with more yourselves:

*The environment will be preserved for our kittens and our kitten's kittens. Catkind will flourish into the future.

*Other animals and plants will also survive. They will have their right as fellow creatures to live in the world. And we will have the enjoyment of nature that refreshes our spirits.

*There is a certain element amongst humans that doesn't like us cats. It has always been so. In some places (like Australia, where I live) cats are blamed for environmental damage far in excess of what is rational, fair or proven - we get the blame for species losses that are largely due to human destruction of habitats. But whoever is really to "blame," if we cats can live in a way that is environmentally friendly we may ensure more peaceful lives for ourselves.

SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE VULNERABLE TO OUR HUNTING

Our effect on local animal populations depends in part on where we live. The species most easily damaged by new predators brought to them by humans are the ones living on islands. This includes the Hawaiian Islands and other islands off the USA and Canada plus other islands large and small worldwide. The world's largest island, Australia, is one of the best examples.

Basically, animals on islands are different. They evolved without cats and other hunting mammals killing them and so have developed neither the "claws nor the cunning" to survive. They often can't produce enough young to replace the extra ones we can so easily kill.

       

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