Is Modern Society In Decline?

Is Modern Society In Decline?

by | Feb 9, 2021

It is widely believed that modern society is in sharp decline. Among the ills cited are skyrocketing rates of crime, divorce, teenage sex, teenage births and drug abuse; war; and a general decline in personal morality and religiosity. There is also concern that modern science and technology is leading to a widening of the gap in living conditions and educational opportunities between prosperous first-world nations and impoverished third-world nations. Such concerns are raised by both the secular left and the religious right. So what are the real facts here?

The Man Who Planted Trees

The Man Who Planted Trees

by | May 17, 2020

The Man Who Planted Trees is an allegorical tale by French author Jean Giono that was published in 1953. This post contains his story, along with many real world tree planting organizations and efforts…

Columbus, Genocide & Climate Change

Columbus, Genocide & Climate Change

by | Feb 8, 2020

European settlers killed 56 million indigenous people over about 100 years in South, Central and North America, causing large swaths of farmland to be abandoned and reforested. The increase in trees and vegetation across an area the size of France resulted in a massive decrease in carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. Before this study, some scientists had argued the temperature change in the 1600s, called the Little Ice Age, was caused only by natural forces. But by combining archaeological evidence, historical data and analysis of carbon found in Antarctic ice, the UCL researchers showed how the reforestation — directly caused by the Europeans’ arrival — was a key component of the global chill. The depopulation of the Americas may have inadvertently allowed the Europeans to dominate the world. It also allowed for the Industrial Revolution and for Europeans to continue that domination…