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12/23/2004: "Paradise Lost"

My attitudes on environmentalism were profoundly affected by an insight I gained while once watching a presentation on Easter Island, a presentation that triggered long-term interest and research. Easter Island prior to arrival of European explorers was the place on Earth most analogous to Earth itself, a place where interactions with other places are essentially non-existent. Just as people on Earth have no interaction with whatever other species might inhabit this universe, the inhabitants of Easter Island had no communications with or knowledge of any other cultures. Easter Island is the most isolated small island on Earth, more than 2,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean from the nearest continent. Its original settlement 1,600 years ago must have occurred through blind luck by a very small percentage of the Pacific Islanders who launched themselves into the void with no hope of return. Despite its small size (only 64 square miles), archaeological study has shown that it must have been a Polynesian paradise when mankind arrived. It has fertile volcanic soil and a temperate climate, and an ideal location for diverse bird and marine life. Yet when European explorers first encountered Easter Island, they found a sparsely inhabited wasteland. Despite archaeological evidence of lush forests, not a single tree remained standing. Despite archaeological evidence of a unique abundance of bird, porpoise, fish, and shellfish species, virtually all of these were missing from the island’s biosphere. As archaeologists worked through the remains of the cultures that had occupied the island, the story became clear. The archaeological record showed a rich island civilization that gradually declined as the lush resources of their home were consumed. Tomorrow let’s look at a specific example.