The Sun sends a finite supply of energy to Earth. Plants absorb this energy and store it. Animals eat the plants and absorb this energy for their own uses. If there are no plants available, the animals starve. If enough of the food supply disappears, a species becomes extinct. Once extinct, it will never return no matter how much energy comes from the Sun.
Many species have gone extinct from the Earth. Some, such as the Great Auk, directly fell because of the influence from people. By usurping food and area, human’s can lead to indirect extinction as with the Baiji Yangtze Dolphin. This path to extinction will be followed by many plants and animals unless people ensure they receive a share of energy.
As fossil fuel supplies diminish, we will replace their energy with energy directly from the Sun or second hand, via plants. The more energy we claim in this way means the less available for other life forms. This will further accelerate the rate of extinction. None of these life forms will ever return. As the rate of extinctions increase, the future of the world will include fewer and fewer life forms and all their real and/or potential benefits. We can save species for the future, are we ready to make the sacrifice for them?
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