"The race is now on between the technoscientific forces that are destroying the living environment and those that can be harnessed to save it." -- E. O. Wilson

This is what most of Costa Rica actually looks like. Click here to see more.

Although most environmental issues are interrelated to varying degrees, this site is dedicated to the preservation of the planet's biodiversity. More specifically, this site focuses on the two most efficient methods of accomplishing that goal-- habitat acquisition by non-profit conservation organizations and access for poor women to education and family planning.  This is a  site for moderates and open minded critical thinkers interested specifically in preserving biodiversity.  Many from the right and left in the environmental debate will find much to agree with (and of course disagree with)  in the ideas to be expressed here. Combining ideologies from both sides into a unified game plan is our only hope of saving what is left.  Free market forces and technology have accelerated the sixth extinction event. Let us harness those same forces to end it.

The environmental movement in the United States has had a propensity to fragment. There are those who are mainly interested in the quality of our air, water, and food. They oppose genetically modified foods, push for organically grown crops, and support efforts to improve air and water quality. They are primarily interested in the human side of the equation. There are those who are mostly interested in protecting wildlife. Usually called conservationists, this group includes, among others, hunters, hikers, trappers, and sport fishermen. Again, many of them have an immediate vested interest in preserving the environment for their own recreational uses.

People who are primarily interested in preserving the planet's biodiversity for its own sake need a unique name to differentiate themselves from the generic environmentalists, animal rights activists, and conservationists. I'd like to propose one and call this subgroup, biodiversity preservationists, or even better, biodiversivists. That's a mouthful, but it has a nice ring to it.

Consensus is fleeting. It exists only for brief periods while people form into groups to compete against other people and is quickly lost within those groups, causing them to splinter, as has happened to the environmental movement. This is human nature, it is unavoidable, and the acknowledgement and understanding of this human nature is critical to finding solutions with long term potential. Solutions that do not account for it do not last very long (witness the violation of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge).

Every child born into our culture will consume enough resources (food, oil, electricity, water,  wood,  paper, metal, and plastics) to nullify the lifelong recycling efforts of hundreds of people. If all you do is recycle, car pool, and alter your diet to save the planet's remaining biodiversity, you are lulling yourself into a false sense of accomplishment.

Sorting one's garbage has its place, but that action, even when multiplied a million fold,  will not stop an extinciton.  On the other hand, a million people donating $100 to a conservation organization has a very good chance of ending an extinction because 100 million dollars will directly protect hundreds of thousands of acres of intact ecosystems.

If you are looking for discourse on related issues like clean air, clean water, recycling, animal rights, organic gardening, sustainable lifestyles, or alternative energy, may I suggest that you visit Grist Magazine. For issues of poverty and hunger, may I suggest the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Here are some interesting population facts:

• Over half of all pregnancies are unintended. (1)


• World population is presently increasing by about 73,000,000 per year. (2)


• About 40,000,000 pregnancy termination procedures are performed each year. (3)


• The world's population is expected to increase by about 50% in the next 40 or so years. (4).

• It has recently been estimated that for about $28 billion, enough critical habitat could be bought or leased to protect 70 percent  of the known plant and animal species in the world. (5)


• Conservation International's revenues exceeded 90 million in 2004. (6)


• The World Wildlife Fund revenues exceeded 120 million in 2004. (7)


• The Nature Conservancy's revenues exceeded  $860 million.in 2004 and has helped to protect more than 117 million acres (roughly the size of Washington State and New Mexico combined). (8)

You can buy a copy of my book, Poison Darts (400 pages) at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.com .
You can also download a free PDF version to read on your computer by clicking here and then using the "file ... save as" functions in the upper left corner of Adobe Reader to save the book to a folder on  your computer.

E-mail biodiversity@comcast.net