[geeks] Mr Bill?

[der Mouse]

> I teach Environmnetal Science and from all I've read it appears that
> 99% of the time when humans "improve" on nature, they usually just
> f__k it up.

First off, I agree with the basic sentiment I think you are trying to
express.  But there's something which bas been bothering me for a
while, which I can perhaps best phrase as a rhetorical question:

Why do we consider it "damage" when humans alter the planetary
ecosphere but not when other creatures (pine beetles, ocean algae,
beaver dams, etc) or effects (volcanoes, sunspots, whatever) do so?

The reason I prefaced that with the remark I did is that it would be
easy to jump from the rhetorical question to the (completely erroneous)
conclusion that I think we shouldn't pay any mind to our effects on the
planet's ecosphere.  I haven't yet resolved these conflicting
attitudes, and I'm curious to hear any thoughts on the matter any of
you care to talk about - whence this post.

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