Belief 1: Anthropogenic Climate Change largely affects biodiversity. Humans have implemented a lot of processes that emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which has played a large role in inducing climate change effects. Humans have also not taken proper precautions in where they build and how what is being constructed will affect the local environment. This has caused species to become endangered or go extinct completely. This shrinks the diversity of species in existence, and also reshapes the biospheres and food chains of each remaining species. Through various college courses I’ve learned about the age of the anthropocene, and this abundance of information has largely contributed to my belief.

  • Belief Strength: Strong.

Belief 2: Human society largely affects biodiversity. My reasoning behind this belief ties into my thoughts related to Belief 1. Society, at least in the U.S., focuses on how businesses can increase profit. The competition among businesses for more money causes some to cut corners in regards to the environment simply because that is the path of least resistance to growing profits. This means they use non-renewable and/or harmful resources and implement practices that damage the environment, both locally and globally.

  • Belief Strength: Strong.

Belief 3: Global biodiversity loss must be immediately addressed on an ongoing basis. Through articles and research read as part of a course, I’ve developed the following conclusion/belief: I firmly believe the loss of biodiversity contributes to worsening environmental conditions.  As species go extinct, those depending on the extinct species as a food resource must evolve to consume new species or they too will die off. In an anthropocentric viewpoint, as more species die off, the food chain becomes affected and eventually, humans will need to change their food consumption habits too unless they can figure out sustainable agriculture to maintain the population. On a more ecocentric stance, both living and non-living species in the environment have intrinsic value and thus are afforded quality treatment regardless of where they lie on a food chain or intelligence scale.

  • Belief Strength: Very Strong.