As we focus all of our efforts to become a species with a minimized environmental impact, positive changes are in the works. But many of these efforts are a result of guilt that humans are solely responsible for climate change. But is that really a reasonable assumption to make?
Some say that the human contributions to global warming have been measurable since 1970. While there’s no denying we’re causing harm through emissions output, construction, agriculture, deforestation, and more on a long list of ways we as humans are detrimental to the environment; how do we know that global warming might not have been in the cards anyways?
After all, 14000 years ago marked the end of the last Ice Age when the Antarctic ice sheet began its final melting process. Specific reasons for this environmental change are unknown (and shrouded in heavy debate), with researchers still speculating about the origins of the last melt and the reasons for it. But what is known is that the environment was to blame on its own, not people.
There were regular evolutionary and natural changes that took place on this planet far before the human race stepped in to screw things up. Just ask the dinosaurs whose fossils speak to this truth. We are causing our share of environmental harm, but when you look at history, it might not be fair for humans to take all the blame for climate change.
http://www.globalpost.com/notebook/global-green/100119/should-humans-take-all-the-blame-climate-change