The World Without Us

The World Without Us discusses how nature would respond if all Homo sapiens disappeared abruptly from the earth. Alan Weisman illustrates what would happen to the structures that humans produce such as buildings and roads, as well as the fate of the ecosystems we alter. The first part of the book focuses on a place that seems to be completely devoid of natural processes, New York City. Weisman interviews hydraulics specialists that work in the sewer systems under the city. This interview details the painstaking efforts that these men endure in order to prevent the city from flooding. The city desperately relies on pumping systems to cast out enormous amounts of excess water. According to these men, if power were to be shut off from the pump systems, the water level would cause subways to be impassable in only a half hour. 

It is difficult to imagine what would remain after years without humans and what would vanish. I think of this process in terms of succession, a natural process that happens in ecosystems. For instance, after a fire, which species populate the area first? Which are more efficient? Weisman suggests that the city would become over run with tree of heaven, a rampant invasive tree, and other invasive species. Weisman also interviews a bridge specialist. Apparently bridges would remain intact from two to three centuries without us because they were built so excessively. I guess decay and succession also depend on the climate and habitat in which we live. I presume that deserts would continue on being deserts, but many cities would become the forests and rivers that they once were.

Sidenote: I mentioned in an earlier post the idea that maybe it is in human nature to devour to the point of depletion. I compared us to squirrels and wondered if this was also the nature of other animals. Interestingly, Weisman answers my question. He talks about squirrels hindering tree populations in the pristine areas of the New York Botanical Garden. He says that without natural predators, these squirrels gorge themselves on every single acorn and hickory nut, before they can germinate. I wonder if any animal species is smart enough to stop and save some for later?

I love looking at pictures of abandoned places that display the power of nature.