Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

If humanity up and disappeared tomorrow, most of the environmental damage from cars, overpopulation, etc. would sort itself out in a couple of hundred years.

PFAS, however, are extremely chemically stable and some of them will still be around in 1,000+ years time. They also bioaccumulate, and biomagnification occurs in predators (similar to mercury). It is a massive problem and the repercussions will be with us for a very long time.

If you don't care about your own health, fine. But don't try and take a moral stance about caring for the environment and then complain about PFAS products going away. Being slightly uncomfortable while exercising is a very small price to pay for not screwing up the planet.



If humanity goes away, I don’t particularly care about what happens to the environment — because that is a stupid hypothetical.

And if you think your energy on environmental consciousness is best spent on getting me to care about jackets, good luck.


If there are no humans around does life on earth have any value? It’s just another planet among billions.


Life on Earth is what's special, not us. We're just animals, nothing more.

Given that multiple species can evolve to fill the same niche, I would expect that as long as life of some kind survives on the planet another species would evolve to replace us.


Special to who?


Special to the universe. As far as we can tell,so far we are the only planet with life of any kind.


Why is that special?


counter-question : do you only place value on things that are human-centric?

there is a lot about Earth that makes it unique outside of humanity.


Let me ask this. How do we know something has value? Through what process do we arrive at that conclusion?


You can’t be serious?


100% serious.

Value is 100% a human construct. If there are no humans there is no value, at least in any sense that we talk about it.

If you disagree then argue your point. Asking if I’m “serious” is not an argument.


[flagged]


Based on your response I'll assume you have no argument since you've resorted to name calling.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: