A Native American Proverb

WE DO NOT INHERIT THE ENVIRONMENT FROM OUR ANCESTORS; WE BORROW IT FROM OUR CHILDREN.
A Native American proverb.

So, why do we insist on leaving our children with nothing? A report from 2005, based on a study by 1,360 experts in 95 nations, stated that "humans are damaging the planet at an unprecedented rate and raising risks of abrupt collapses in nature that could spur disease, deforestation or "dead zones" in the seas." How many reports need to be published before people realize that this planet is in a downward spiral?

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast. With greatly diminished wetlands, the storm surges ran inland for miles almost unchecked. The logical response to this disaster is to begin reclaiming coastal areas for planting trees and restoring wetlands. Or is it? The Corps has proposed reducing and even eliminating permitting requirements for filling wetlands in the Gulf Coast to aide in rebuilding efforts. The need for so much rebuilding was exacerbated by the diminished wetlands and now they want to make it easier to fill in what is left.

I think we have already borrowed more from our children than we can ever pay back. It's time to do something different.