Editorial: Biodiversity loss, and the ways you can help stop it

We live in a world full of wondrous plants, fungi and animals. No one knows for sure how many species there are on planet Earth, but the National Science Foundation estimates up to 100 million. Some scientists believe there are more. Unfortunately, that number is dwindling as species go extinct around the globe. A World Wildlife Fund (WWF) study found we are losing species at a rate of 0.01 percent to 0.1 percent every year. At first, that may not seem like a disastrous loss, but if there are 100 million species on Earth, then 10,000 to 100,000 species are going extinct every year. Another WWF survey of nearly 4,000 species found a massive 58-percent reduction in species around the globe since 1970. Some experts assess the rate at which species are becoming extinct at 1,000 to 10,000 times higher than the natural rate would be. There are several reasons. Many species are losing their native habitats because of human actions like deforestation and development. When forests are cut down, not only are the animals living there forced to move into unfamiliar territory, the plants, fungi and other organisms in that area are destroyed. The introduction of exotic and invasive species is also heavily impacting biodiversity. In many places, new species have been introduced into non-native areas to either try and fix a problem or by accident. Those species often outcompete and kill off native species, leading to less biodiversity. Overharvesting and overfishing hurt biodiversity. Other causes include the release of pollutants and plastic in rivers and lakes. The biggest threat to biodiversity is climate change because species cannot adapt as quickly as their environments are changing. Some species cannot handle an environment that is even a few degrees warmer or a little drier due to climate change. According to the National Academy of Scientists, one-third of all animal and plant species could face extinction by 2070 due to climate change. You might wonder why extinction halfway across the globe affects you in Auburn, California. Unfortunately, biodiversity loss of this magnitude means a large amount of ecosystems won't be able to sustain themselves. This means we will have huge changes in the dynamics of our planet. Biodiversity loss means we will likely experience large declines in crop yield, more infectious diseases and increased natural disaster risks. Natural biodiversity is essential for climate change adaptation and correction. Biodiversity loss means we won't be able to adapt to climate change as well. Fortunately, there is a lot you can do to help stop biodiversity loss. You can reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. You can join or start an ecological restoration project. You can start composting. Buying and using eco-friendly cleaning products can help significantly. Buying food produced without chemicals can help a lot. Buying sustainably harvested and produced meat and seafood, or avoiding them completely, can stop biodiversity loss. One major way you can help stop biodiversity loss is to support organizations working to fight it and support legislation limiting it. Can you imagine a world where in 50 years, one-third of plant and animal species are extinct? Biodiversity loss is an issue affecting every one of us. Because all of us are affected by it, all of us can do something about it. Go out and make a change today, for our natural biodiversity, for our planet and for our future. Thanks for reading. For more information on what you can do to help, check out our podcast: 5 Minutes for Earth, or follow us on Instagram @placer_environmental_club.