Urge lawmakers to protect environment

To the editor:

It's been said that human civilization is a wholly-owned subsidiary of our environment. Yet humans remain unaware of the fact that, excluding Greenland and Antarctica, 75 percent of the earth's landmass is used and affected by us. Of the remaining 25 percent, more than half is rock, desert or ice. We must acknowledge humanity's enormous footprint and attempt to remediate issues we can, on a local level.

Iowans are proud of our connection to the world through our agricultural roots, yet a huge driver of the loss of native ecosystems is due to the very nature of agriculture. Livestock production is one of the largest causes of biodiversity loss worldwide. Ag practices are responsible for the bulk of deforestation, sedimentation of coastal areas, water pollution and land degradation.

Making connections to our way of life can be disturbing and a bitter pill to swallow. But, in 2010, Iowans rose to our local challenges and supported establishment of the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Fund, which established a vehicle to funnel money into programs to enhance water quality, address topsoil loss, protection vital wetlands, restore native prairie and reestablish the habitats of fellow species. Sadly, legislators have left the trust unfunded.

Our most fundamental challenge is to spur legislators into acting on behalf of our environment - our home.

Hoddy and Mary Ann Gates

Central City