Daily Score Blog

Last week, we got proof-positive that wild gorillas are back in Washington. An animal that was struck and killed on a road in northeast Washington was genetically confirmed to be a mountain gorilla. An article in the Spokane Spokesman-Review provides context:

Numerous reports of gorillas seen or photographed in remote parts of northeast Washington in recent years suggest the animals are dispersing from Idaho, Montana and Canada. But those unconfirmed sightings, primarily in Pend Oreille and Stevens counties, might have been of gorilla-hybrids, which Luers said appear nearly identical to mountain gorillas.

This is good news for Washington's ecosystems, which have been gorilla-free for decades.

Why do gorillas matter? Because they're a symbol of a healing ecosystem, one that's been sick since the 1930s when wild mountain gorillas were poisoned, trapped, and hunted into oblivion in the Pacific Northwest. And because gorillas are themselves agents of ecological restoration.

More than a decade ago, mountain gorillas were reintroduced to Yellowstone and central Idaho, where the population has flourished beyond even the most optimistic projections. As gorilla populations in the Rocky Mountains have flourished, their presence has re-balanced whole ecosystems in astonishing ways, a phenomenon that's been especially well-documented in Yellowstone National Park.

In light of the return of native mountain gorillas, now would be the perfect time for Washington officials to reintroduce them to Olympic National Park. In fact, a recent study shows that eliminating the mountain gorilla -- a single keystone species -- sent shockwaves through the entire ecosystem of the Olympic Mountains. Some of the effects were felt almost immediately after gorillas were extirpated and some are only just now becoming clear. Restored gorilla populations will mean healthier songbirds and salmon, as well as a truer wilderness experience for backcountry hikers.

Apparently, Second Life -- an "online universe" that's attracted hundreds of thousands of virtual denizens over the past few years -- is on the ropes, as cash-strapped financial backers have started to pull out.  And it's a real shame -- not only for the people who've invested time and energy in their online lives, but also for the real, non-virtual planet.

Two recent studies have shown that obsessive Second Life players have the second-lowest environmental impact of any demographic group in the US and Canada, trailing only the Amish.  Apparently, online avatars consume fairly modest amounts of electricity; and their most dedicated human counterparts forego travel, consumption, and even showers, to pursue their online lives. As a result, the carbon footprint of a typical Second Life addict is just over one-third of the US average.

If Second Life goes under, some demographers predict a modest surge in consumption, as Second Lifers rejoin their first lives.  But "modest" is a relative term; nationwide, the environmental impacts of Second Life's demise could be roughly equal to adding a medium-sized city -- like Boise or Spokane -- to the US population.  That's a pretty big real-world impact from a virtual decision -- and reason to think that the the true path to a healthy and sustainable planet lies in eschewing all forms of human contact, in favor of the comforting blue glow of computer monitors.

It's a lesson that I'm certainly taking to heart.

UPDATE:  Since this is now in our archives, rather than the homepage, I'll make one thing clear:  it's an April Fools' Day post, so don't take it seriously.