By Sean Holden (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: October 29, 2014
Thousands of species, including our Canadian geese, are dwindling annually at astonishing rates according to a World Wildlife Fund study. This change in climate has ruined ecological sights around the world and has done so since the industrial revolution. Unfortunately, our true great white Canada goose may enter that category in the near future. But how could this have happened? These iconic birds have flown across the great snowy plains of North America for centuries and are now being plucked out of their existence by — you guessed it — people!
So what is causing this sudden shift? Well it all comes back to climate change through landfills, agriculture, deforestation, changes of land use, and fossil-fuel burning. These transformations are unfortunately confusing our winged friends.
During summer, many Canadian geese return home in the northern regions of Canada. But there’s an issue, most noticeably with those that land within the Hudson Bay region. Due to premature heat, our now-discombobulated geese come seven weeks before their food supply is ready. Marsh plants — the goose’s diet — grow only through the process of time, regardless of temperatures. As the geese have just completed the Tour de North America, they land exhausted and ravenous. Grumpy and impatient as they are, they begin snapping and pecking at the ill-prepared sprouts of their diet. This practice destroys the plants’ ability to replenish for the next season. In short, climate change is causing Canadian geese to starve themselves for future seasons.
NASA climate observations agree that “human activity since 1760 has contributed, with a 90 per cent likelihood, one third of increase in global temperatures.” However, ecological sustainability is being ignored, mainly because of competitive marketplaces. Enterprises and other operations are reluctant to switch practices because of the loss in revenue from being unable to contend against other, just as reluctant companies.
People are shoving the truth of climate change aside for the sake of convenience rather than face the issue — denying geographical truths and professional opinion. North America is only now unwinding the entangled preference of “economy over ecology.” The question remains, though: Can we salvage this meltdown? Or will we see the proud Canadian goose fade from existence, except on our dollar coin?
Despite overwhelming circumstances, environmental maintenance can be assured with the participation of industries conforming to a more eco-friendly approach, better control of landfill and agriculture emissions, and public attempts at conserving fuel and energy as well as switching to alternate sources. Protecting the environment is not simply an obligation we carry. But it is also defending, in essence, our pride as people. As Canadians, the Canada goose represents that pride. The sooner we realize that, the faster we can begin to take flight toward a better future.
