Alan Weisman The World Without Us written by Alan Weisman is an intriguing book about what the world would be like if humans influence never took place and better yet, now that humans have invaded the space of natural wilderness, how would the environment adapt if humans disappeared? What would it be like if none of the creatures in our environment had to deal with the constant demands of humans? How would the forms of life take over all the buildings and materials humans left behind?
In the opening chapter, Weisman talks about the greatness and exotic life of the Bialowieza Puszca. This forest spanned parts of Europe and Weisman talks of its biodiversity due to the lack of human influence. The way that he describes this area of wildlife and wilderness, really helps the reader visualize what the world really might be like if humans didn’t destroy the habitats of many species and use their homes as land for industry. Weisman goes on talking about what our homes would look like after humans disappeared and even how major cities, such as New York City and Manhattan, would be affected.
The houses and buildings would eventually break down and form habitats for animals, such as rodents, and even insects. New York City’s subway tunnels would flood which would lead to other disastrous events to deteriorate the infrastructure. Weisman suggests plant life to begin to grow in new places that would usually be prevented by human upkeep. He goes on to explain in detail of the many ways the environment would start to “grow back” to its original state; the natural wilderness before humans took over the land and destroyed it.
The Essay on The role of world cities
World Cities are cities that act as control or command centres, transport and communication hubs, and often the headquarters of trans-national companies. (senior geography 2). They can also be defined as a very large city that has outstripped its national urban network and become part of an international global system. The three dominant world cities are New York (United States), London (England), ...
The author, Alan Weisman, then continues on and discusses his other proposals of how humans are affecting the environment. He talks about the increase of carbon dioxide emissions in every day human life and its affect on global warming. He mentions how the discovery of paleontology proves that extinction of species could be due to the affects of human influence on their habitats. Humans are now known to be willingly killing off and hunting overpopulated animals whereas Weisman thinks it is not necessary. He suggests, “You don’t actually have to shoot the songbirds to remove them from the sky.
Take away enough of their homes or sustenance, and they will fall dead on their own” (The World Without Us, page 83).
Subsequently, the book continues through the idea of what would happen to the world’s greatest structures, how the pollution in the ocean would be affected, how mosquitoes would benefit greatly once the human race disappears, and how evolution may be impacted by the proposed explosion of the petroleum plants once human maintenance has ceased. Weisman also continues talking about how the impact of farm fertilization will have on the rebirth of the natural environment.
Some fertilizers will level metals in the ground and take almost 100,000 years to degrade. The nitrates that some farmers use in their soil may take awhile for the soil to recover as well. He states that old architectural structures will have no significant impact because without humans to help maintain its structure, the environment, such as plants and animals, will be able to adapt to it. He talks about how the Great Wall of China will degrade and plant life will suffice. Weisman also notes that the bird population will greatly benefit if the human existence ceased.
The Essay on Human Behavior and Environment
1. Every person we come into contact with on a daily basis is able to teach us a little something about life. You just have to be open to learning. This particular counselor who was introduced to Steve for whatever cosmic reason, but left the encounter more knowledgeable about the human condition than when initially introduced. At first glance and without knowing any background on Steve the ...
Because of all of the towers, buildings, and telephone poles that humans have placed in their way, many birds die each year. The overall last few chapters of Alan Weisman’s book, The World Without Us, explains how the human population will most likely not become extinct in some mass extinction epidemic. Moreover, if humans were to be killed off, other species would most likely be killed off as well. Alan Weisman’s intentions for this book was not to point out that humans ruined the natural beauty of the world, but to explain that humans can choice to adapt with the natural environment instead of intruding it.
