Summary – Response:
Thomas L. Friedman’s “The Earth Is Full”
Part 1: Summary
The article written by Friedman (2011) entitled “The Earth Is Full” and published online in The New York Times presented pressing global concerns that faces the Earth in contemporary times. The main issues addressed to readers of various endeavors emphasized that global environmental crises have begun to increase in frequently and intensity; the natural resources of the Earth are being irresponsibly consumed at significantly faster pace; and that eventually, the Earth could possible not support and sustain life, if no concrete action would be done to address controllable factors. In a professional and formal tone, the author stressed that due to supposed denial, no evident immediate global action to address these environmental concerns were implemented. Likewise refering to the Global Footprint Network (GFN), Gilding, the Australian environmentalist-entreprenuer, was cited to have revealed that the Earth, in its current consumption of natural resources, has reached and even exceeded its limit. Another contention from Zhou Shengxian, China’s environmental minister, corroborated the excessive consumption of resources to confirm that indeed “the Earth is full” (Friedman, 2011, par. 6). In sum, Friedman (2011) concluded that man should apply a happiness-driven growth model, from the previous consumer-driven growth model to effectively address the global crises.
Part 2: Response
One strongly agrees with Friedman’s contention that most of the global environmental crises ensue from irresponsible, unregulated, and uncontrolled human activities. Overpopulation, for instance, both noted in Friedman’s (2011) article and in Sullivan’s (1999) article entitled “Population Control: How Many are Too Many?”, has been emphasized by both authors to be unregulated and uncontrolled; and apparently significantly contributes to other global environmental problems such as lack of food supply, water shortage, lack of efficient waste disposal system, and global warming.
In another article also written by Friedman (2012) entitled “China Needs Its Own Dream”, the author likewise asserted that overpopulation and a mindset of conspicuous consumption could lead, not only China, but the rest of the world, into a place stripped of natural resources which could support and sustain the continuously growing population. One firmly believes that these contentions are validly supported by research, studies, and published reports that confirm global poverty increasing at unprecedented pace, water shortages being rampantly experienced, and the effect of natural disasters being exacerbated by deforestation, poor garbage disposal systems, and emission of excessive carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere, among others.
One is thereby supportive of the assertions revealed by Friedman (2011, 2012) and Sullivan (2012) on the need to abate the practice of irresponsible consumption and focus on the consumer-driven growth model. Since human beings have already acknowledged the drastic effects of these global environmental issues, immediate measures must be taken to stop wanton destruction of the Earth’s natural resources and seek ways for preservation, conservation, and replenishment. It is just high time that as responsible members of the human race, each person should contribute towards immediate change and apply the happy-driven growth model through appreciating the simple pleasures and living within our means to support and sustain life way through the future.
References
Friedman, T. (2011, June 11). The Earth Is Full. Retrieved from The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/08/opinion/08friedman.html?_r=0
Friedman, T. (2012, October 2). China Needs Its Own Dream. Retrieved from The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/03/opinion/friedman-china-needs-its-own-dream.html?_r=0
Sulivan, M. (1999). Population Control: How Many are Too Many? Retrieved from Impact Press: http://www.impactpress.com/articles/febmar99/population2399.html
