The timescale on which we appeared (hundreds of thousands of years) is a blink of an eye in comparison to the life-span of the planet. I'd like our species to last at least another hundred-thousand years, not be wiped out because of our own stupidity.
So yes, it's important to conserve our environment for our own selfish well-being, not to save the planet. After we're gone, the planet will re-consume whatever we've taken from it - Or at least, the stuff we haven't blasted into space.
|