elimination

“The Industrial Revolution began in England in the late 1700s. Great Britain was an ideal location for this development due to its stable government, island geography, and laissez-faire policy of free trade. It had a great deal of coal and iron ore in addition to a worldwide colonial market to trade with and the most advanced navy of the time. A common occurrence during the time period was for coal mines to hit the water table and flood. This required expensive and inefficient pumping via horsepower.” Bump Nose’s words are light and objective, yet something is obviously off. Dark circles have been etched under his eyes, no doubt the result of staying up all night to answer my questions.

“This issue led to the invention of the steam engine first pioneered by Thomas Savery in 1698 and later augmented to yield greater efficiency. From here railroads, and mass production via factories were made possible. The proletariat created by the enclosure movement during the Agricultural Revolution became a new class of factory workers and the wealthy industrialists at the heads of these factories strengthened the middle class. This allowed for more liberal revolutionary reforms to take place as the industrial revolution gradually spread to the continent.”

As Bump Nose reads on from his inner encyclopedia, I begin to notice that there is a noticeable lack of enthusiasm coming from him that can’t be entirely attributed to weariness. I carefully take in every wrinkle in his facial expression as he speaks. “Be sure to pay attention class.” He fixes us with his intense, unwavering gaze. “This is the most important topic we shall be covering in the context of this class’s true purpose: an explanation of the circumstances of the modern day.” It’s as though he truly doesn’t like this topic, which is odd because Bump Nose’s eyes have sparkled with excitement upon addressing every other historical era we have covered. Or at least the ones I have been present for.

“From the Industrial Revolution up until the Third World War, humans have depended greatly on the resource of fossil fuels for energy. Fossil fuels are the solid, liquid and gaseous forms of organisms from the Carboniferous period. When burned, the concentrated carbon is able to produce a great deal of energy. This energy was used for many purposes such as heating and cooling, the production of steel, efficient transportation and the generation of electricity. Burning these fuels created several complex problems. For example, excess carbon dioxide was released into the atmosphere. This greenhouse gas absorbed heat from the sun and caused the temperature of the Earth to rise. This resulted in the melting of the polar ice caps and a dramatic rise in sea level. In addition, the burning of fossil flues led to severe air pollution. Visible air pollution was composed of sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, ozone, smoke, particulates and more. The less visible pollutants include carbon monoxide, CFCs and radioactive sources.”

“This air pollution created a series of health issues for the general populous including cancers, birth defects, a series of respiratory issues, premature death and severe irritation. The remaining human health issues are listed in your reading. The additional carbon dioxide in the atmosphere also caused ocean acidification. This inhibited the ability of crustaceans to create shells, and therefore contribute to coral reefs. By the year 2060 the population of marine animals was severely reduced worldwide, creating further issues for humanity.”

“The air pollution also negatively influenced the plant life at the time, eventually leading to a lack of photosynthesizers vital for producing oxygen. This was especially problematic due to the millions of trees being cut down at the same time. Health complications and mortality skyrocketed around the world as crops began to fail. For example in the United States the corn crop and the potato crop failed. At the time the United States corn crop was cultivated in the “bread basket”—the central states produced 40% of the world’s corn. The air pollution and water pollution was so severe by 2085 that the corn crop was entirely wiped out with no hope of salvation. ”

“These crop failures were also caused by a lack of nontoxic water for irrigation created by both pollution and the practice of hydraulic fracturing. The chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing destroyed water supplies and the act of drilling disturbed plate tectonics. Despite a plethora of evidence supporting the dangers associated with hydraulic fracturing, the United States government refused to pass laws limiting its practice. By the year 2080 there was such a shortage of safe water in the US that 94% of the water supply was imported from abroad. ”

There is now a clear edge to Bump Nose’s voice. For a while I continue to dwell on him, but another thought nabs at me. Were these people stupid? Didn’t people know that this was happening ? How is it that they could know they were destroying literally everything and do nothing to stop it?

“This environmental destruction led to a global society so desperate for the resources needed to survive that governments toppled. What were once small conflicts turned into major wars. There is no better example of this than the first nuclear war, WWIII that caused the near extinction of the human race. The volcanic eruptions, nuclear explosions and fires created by this war spewed so much ash and dust into the atmosphere that it blocked out the sun creating the ice age that we have been in for the last 400 years.” I marvel at the degree of empathy in Bump Nose’s voice; is as though he is sculpting his every word out of thin, fragile glass. I regard him with an ever-puzzled expression on my face. The deaths of people 400 years ago in places long gone mean almost nothing to me. Is that how they felt about the people 400 years in the future? My heart sinks as realization sets in. The air pollution created by these people is the same air pollution that turns me into a psychotic animal on a daily basis. Apparently they cared as little about me as I do about them. The thought makes me a special kind of cold.

“Every individual circumstance of the modern day can be traced back to this nuclear war. This war can be traced back to the burning of fossil fuels. For roughly two centuries the population was aware of the negative effects of burning fossil fuels, yet failed to take adequate action and switch to less harmful forms of energy, or curb population growth. The world was owned by the greedy and despicable. Those who reaped large sums of money and power from the burning of fossil fuels chose to satisfy their insatiable greed at the expense of the health and survival of the rest of humanity. The masses could have risen up in opposition, yet they were selfish and weak. They chose not to bother themselves with the certain mortality of their grandchildren and great grandchildren. This is the single most disgusting example of weakness in all of human history. The greater purpose was fully abandoned.” Bump Nose purses his lips, eyes laced with disgust as the class sits transfixed on his every word. For once the word “weakness” fails to foster boredom. For once, I believe Bump Nose is actually right about weakness.