Chapter 4

In Chapter 4 Kolbert discusses the risk of extinction. "Any species that is around today, including our own, has already survived catastrophic climate change." That quote is interesting because I've never thought of it that way. When I think of global warming, I'm nervous about what the consequences will be for thousands of species, including our own, but I never put into perspective that these same species have survived other changes before. Could they handle another change? That's still the unknown question that we're faced with because of global warming.

I thought the most interesting part of the chapter was about the number of species that have been wiped out. Even before the full effect of global warming has set in, humans have still managed to kill many species because as Kolbert describes, "of farms and cities and subdivisions and mines and logging operations and parking lots..." We are all worried about our future and paying little attention to the present and ignoring the problems we are causing for the world at this moment.

I continue to enjoy Kolbert's writing and love her descriptive words. She makes the difficult subject easy, interesting and enjoyable to read about.