The Catastrophes Experienced in the Modern World - Essay Example

In the world, we live in today catastrophes are on the rise; the use of antibiotics creates pandemics and may cause global warming and extreme climatic conditions. This is a research essay about Oryx and Crake, a novel written by Margaret Atwood. The essay will address the most plausible apocalypse in the book, with explanations on the decisions that human beings made to hasten or create this apocalypse. The essay also focuses on the justifications that Crake has to eliminate the human species and commit the greatest genocide in history. In addition, the essay will seek to explain how we can avoid inspiring someone like Crake from doing what he did. The most plausible apocalypse in the novel is global warming, which entails an increase in the temperature of the earth’s oceans as well as the oceans. Global warming occurs when greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, and nitrous oxide trap light and heat from the sun (Maslin 9). It affects many plants, animals, as most of them cannot withstand the changes, and so they die. Greenhouse gases contribute to the green house effect, with the largest source of these gases being the burning of fossil fuels, leading to carbon dioxide emission. The catastrophe of global warming has been created and hastened by decisions made by human beings (Atwood 8). Some human actions have played a role in creating global warming and escalating the calamity in the world. The primary cause of global warming is the greenhouse effect. Upon reaching the surface of the earth, an amount of sunlight is absorbed, while the rest radiates back to the atmosphere (Balachandran 107). The sun that radiates to the atmosphere does so at a longer wavelength, with some wavelengths being absorbed by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Some of the heat energy that would be lost to the space is reflected to the earth’s surface by the greenhouse gases. Thus, the decisions of human beings to adopt the widespread use of green houses have significantly contributed to the escalation of global warming. The increase in global warming can be attributed to high incidences involving the use of greenhouse gases (Atwood 15). The emission of carbon dioxide also causes global warming; burning of fuels plays a role in escalating the incidences of global warming all over the world. Fuels such as diesel, natural gas, petrol, oil, organic diesel, and organic petrol mainly contributed to global warming and overall environmental degradation. Industries emit harmful carbon dioxide gas to the environment, causing massive destruction of the environment. When carbon dioxide is released to the environment, it remains in the atmosphere for as long as 100 to 200 years. The increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the environment creates a rise in earth’s temperature (Maslin 25). Another factor responsible for the rise in global warming is the increased pollution caused by clearing of vegetation cover. Human beings invade forests and clear vegetation and trees in order to settle. The burning of land has contributed to the emission of gases into the atmosphere. Lack of vegetation results to dry conditions and degradation of the environment, as vegetation provides favorable climatic conditions (Maslin 25). In the modern world, humans burn massive amounts of land to cultivate and built industries. With industrialization, the environment has experienced destruction, as the industries pollute the environment. Gases emitted from industries pollute the environment, and they may cause drying of rivers. When the chemicals from industries find their way to water bodies such as lakes, rivers and oceans, they lead to the death of animals such as fish (Maslin 39). Thus, pollution causes environmental degradation and eventually global warming. Crake has the determination to eliminate the human species, an act that can be termed as the greatest genocide in history. He is motivated to do so owing to the high levels of inequality brought by scientific innovations (Balachandran 107). Crake purports that science has robbed the earth of its great riches, as well as denied human beings of emotionality. To Crake, humans have no moral and cultural values; sex, power, and the urge to be violent only motivate them. Crake’s determination to eliminate the human species emanates from his urge to make people work. Crake thinks that human beings should be workaholic instead of being reluctant to work by focusing on less important things (Balachandran 108)). Social inequality among human beings also motivates Crake to eliminate the human species, and replace them with other creatures. The gap between the rich and the poor has widened, primarily because of technology. Rich people and the elite live in expensive, hygienic, and heavily guarded compounds. On the other hand, the poor live a life filled with unhygienic conditions as well as unsecured areas (Atwood 24). According to Crake, technology makes the gap between the rich and the poor wide; rather than narrowing it. Thus, Crake’s motivation to eliminate the human society originates from the determination to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor. Exploitation of the poor by the ruling elites and wealthy individuals in the society makes Crake justify his actions. His motive is to bring equality in the world and ensure that inequality no longer exists (Atwood 28). To some extent, Crake is wrong in his assessment of the fundamental failure of human beings to live peacefully in their own environment. Although global warming and massive environmental degradation are evident in the society, human beings should not be eliminated. Apart from causing environmental destruction, technology plays a major role in the development. Human beings cannot live peacefully with their environment so long as technology advances. Social inequality in the society has to be there, as human beings cannot be equal. Conflicts between human beings have been in existence for long, and people cannot solve this problem. The struggle for inadequate resources brings disagreements in the world (Balachandran 109). In order to avoid inspiring someone like Crake from doing the same thing, it is vital to focus on how to end the apocalypse and catastrophes that cause environmental destruction. Global warming can be minimized in a variety of ways that can lead to reduction in the level of environmental degradation. One of the ways to stop global warming is to adopt sources of energy that cannot pollute the environment. For example, the use of nuclear power can play a role in reducing the amount of harmful gases emitted to the atmosphere. Unlike greenhouse, gases, nuclear sources of energy cause little damage to the environment (Maslin 65). The use of renewable sources of energy can also contribute to the reduction in global warming. Wind power, solar energy, biomass, biogas, and waterpower do not pollute the environment. Such sources of energy reduce the use of oil, gas, and petroleum sources of energy that pollute the environment. Human beings should rely more on renewable energy sources that occur naturally, as compared to relying on artificial energy that pollutes the environment. Thus, the use of renewable sources of energy is an alternative to reducing the amount of global warming being experienced in the world today (Maslin 67). Pollution should also be minimized by locating industries in areas far away from water bodies or human settlement. Many rivers dry due to the spillage of chemicals that also kill the aquatic animals such as fish. Climatic changes over the years have been caused by industrial emissions, particularly if industries emit wastes to water bodies. Government should put across laws and regulations prohibiting industries from directing wastes to rivers. In addition, industries should have proper ways and means of controlling their waste products to avoid the destruction of environment from industrial waste. Another way to stop global warming is through the planting of trees, which absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. People should be encouraged to continually plant trees and minimize the cutting down of trees. When trees are cut, rain declines, and the surface of the earth becomes dry. The recent changes in climatic conditions have been caused by the destruction of the environment through cutting down of trees. Cutting trees causes erosion of rich soil from the surface of the earth. Thus, the planting of trees will help in minimizing global warming and extreme climatic changes (Maslin 69). In conclusion, this essay has described the catastrophes experienced in the modern world. The essay has explained human actions that cause global warming. The study has also focused on the reasons behind Crake’s determination to end the human race. Crake’s motivation emanates from the inequality witnessed in the world, resulting from technological advancements. Finally, the essay has given appropriate ways to end the catastrophe, instead of striving to end the human race. Works cited Atwood, Margaret. Oryx and Crake: a novel, Volume 1. Anchor Books.2004. p 1-30.Print. Balachandran, Karma. Canadian literature: an overview. Sarup & Sons. 2007. p107-110. Print. Maslin, Mark. Global Warming: Causes, Effects, and the Future. MBI Publishing Company. 2007. pp 9, pp 25, pp39, pp 65-71. Print.   Read More