Human activity threatens the survival of a million species – what can one person do?

The document responds to a United Nations report on biodiversity loss, asserting that the primary drivers of ecological collapse are decisions made by governments and corporate boardrooms. It identifies the meat and cocoa industries as major contributors to biodiversity loss and deforestation, specifically citing the impact of meat production on greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution, and the role of cocoa farming in deforestation in West Africa. The author encourages individuals to support Mighty Earth's campaigns to pressure companies like McDonald's and Whole Foods to implement sustainable sourcing standards and to choose responsibly produced chocolate to protect endangered species such as chimpanzees and African elephants.

• Human activities, including climate change, deforestation, development, pollution, and disruption, are causing a million species to face extinction and making global ecosystems susceptible to collapse.
• The meat industry is a primary driver of environmental damage, accounting for over 60 percent of global biodiversity loss, with top meat and dairy firms producing greenhouse gas emissions comparable to the largest oil companies.
• Cocoa production is a major driver of deforestation in West Africa, specifically in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, threatening endangered species such as African elephants and chimpanzees.
• Mighty Earth's campaigns in Southeast Asia have resulted in a significant decrease in deforestation linked to palm oil companies, and the rubber industry in the Mekong is moving toward sustainable natural rubber.

APA

Hurowitz, G. (2019). Human activity threatens the survival of a million species – what can one person do? Mighty Earth. https://mightyearth.org/article/human-activity-threatens-the-survival-of-a-million-species-what-can-one-person-do/

Chicago

Hurowitz, Glenn. Human activity threatens the survival of a million species – what can one person do? Mighty Earth, 2019. https://mightyearth.org/article/human-activity-threatens-the-survival-of-a-million-species-what-can-one-person-do/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Hurowitz |first1=Glenn |title=Human activity threatens the survival of a million species – what can one person do? |publisher=Mighty Earth |date=9 May 2019 |url=https://mightyearth.org/article/human-activity-threatens-the-survival-of-a-million-species-what-can-one-person-do/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{hurowitz2019human, author = {Hurowitz, Glenn}, title = {{Human activity threatens the survival of a million species – what can one person do?}}, publisher = {Mighty Earth}, year = {2019}, month = may, url = {https://mightyearth.org/article/human-activity-threatens-the-survival-of-a-million-species-what-can-one-person-do/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }