Earth is our island

KAP on Tongariki - Easter island
Originally uploaded by Pierre Lesage

I was thinking recently about the mystical history of Easter Island, known to local Polynesians as Rapa Nui, and one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world.

The rise and fall of the once great Polynesian nation is well documented. Upon arriving in their canoes the Polynesians began chopping down the island's dense palm tree forests. They used the wood primarily to build large frames for transporting the magnificent statues, called moai, that are iconic symbols of Easter Island around the world today.

As their religious quest to build more statues continued the forests dwindled, with soil erosion becoming widespread and many species of animals disappearing as their habitats were destroyed.

In his book "A Short History of Progress", Ronald Wright speculates that for a generation or so, "there was enough old lumber to haul the great stones and still keep a few canoes seaworthy for deep water". But the Easter Islanders had reached a point of no return because when the last boat was no longer seaworthy, war erupted over the remaining planks that could be used for fishing. Soon, unable to fish, the people of Rapa Nui exhausted all possible resources, including eating their own dogs and all nesting birds. And then there was nothing left.

All that remained were the giant stone moai who symbolised the devouring of a whole island. The statues became monuments where the last starving islanders could keep faith in hope of salvation, but more than a few were toppled over in anger and remorse.

The civilisation had flourished in a frenzied, unsustainable state until the resources completely vanished, resulting in widespread famine, extreme hardship and cannibalism. Being so remote, there was nowhere to go.

I liken the situation on Easter Island to a potential scenario for our entire planet Earth. On a micro-scale the ancient Polynesians destroyed their habitat in a quest for building objects that were essentially useless. The statues had religious significance but could certainly not feed the starving people who were left in the end. We seem to be following their footsteps: constructing buildings, pillaging resources and lusting after material objects that are often unnecessarily and blindly consumed. Advertising and availability coerce us into harbouring desires that are often completely irrational.

If only we could take a slower approach to everything we do. If only we could learn to savour the natural resources we consume rather than expect them. Learn to place less importance on material gain and more on the health of our environment and ourselves. Before we build weapons in the name of some unseen deity we should honour the Earth that feeds us.

Remember, if we destroy our natural resources and poison our air we will be no more fortunate than those Easter Islanders. At the end of the day Earth is an insignificant island in the vast reaches of space and if we destroy it, there really is nowhere else to go.