| The march of human progress comes with grave | | | | untrammeled wilderness. That era is now rapidly |
| costs, and some of the natural and manmade | | | | coming to an end, as mining companies continue to |
| wonders we've long taken for granted will be gone | | | | encroach upon these areas with almost no regard for |
| or severely diminished in the near future. Some of | | | | the well-being of the natural ecosystem. Companies |
| these destinations consist of fragile ecosystems | | | | are participating in a process called "mountaintop |
| where humans should tread lightly, while others are | | | | removal," which essentially flattens and completely |
| once-thriving places that are now being lost due to | | | | deforests the upper portions of mountains. They also |
| forces much bigger than us. In either case, while | | | | create large amounts of waste that goes into the |
| many of these destinations need to be seen sooner | | | | soil, air, and water. Sadly, these catastrophic |
| rather than later, you might want to approach them | | | | processes have gone largely unchallenged by |
| with great care so as not to contribute to their | | | | regulators. |
| decline. | | | | The Great Barrier Reef: Still one of the world's top |
| Mount Kilimanjaro: The mountain itself is not going | | | | destinations for scuba divers, the Great Barrier Reef |
| anywhere any time soon, but the famed "Snows of | | | | has undergone rapid changes in recent years. |
| Kilimanjaro" immortalized in the Hemingway short | | | | Because of rising sea temperatures, coastal |
| story aren't going to be around for long. The glacier | | | | development, and overfishing, the natural ecosystem |
| atop Africa's tallest mountain (19,334 feet) has lost | | | | that once made the reef so interesting is now losing |
| 26 percent of its bulk over the last 10 years, and 85 | | | | much of its color and variety. Some species of plants, |
| percent over the last century. Some predict that, due | | | | fish, and other animals have completely disappeared |
| to deforestation and climate change, the mountain will | | | | from the reef, and others are severely threatened. |
| be completely bare of snow by 2020. | | | | Venice, Italy: Venice, Italy is still one of the most |
| Barrow, Alaska: The northernmost point in the U.S. | | | | interesting cities in the world, with a completely |
| was once both home to a thriving polar bear | | | | car-free landscape featuring beautiful historic |
| population, and a destination for adventurous | | | | architecture and cityscapes. Sadly, rising sea levels |
| sightseers from around the world. Today, however, | | | | and soil conditions are causing this one-of-a-kind island |
| the permanent snow plain that once served as | | | | city to sink toward sea level. It's already causing |
| stomping ground for the majestic bears is rapidly | | | | frequent flooding in low-lying areas, and experts |
| disappearing. The bears are losing their home and | | | | aren't quite sure how long it will be before the |
| their means of hunting for prey, which has caused | | | | flooding spreads to other areas. Engineers are |
| some to call for the polar bears' endangered status | | | | working to rescue the city from an unfortunate fate, |
| to be elevated. | | | | but the task may simply be too large for anyone to |
| Appalachia: Even into the late 20th century, large | | | | stop it. |
| swaths of the American southeast remained | | | | |