The true nature of the perilous condition of the Earth is rarely appreciated, and thus there is little hope of ever achieving global ecological sustainability. Even ardent environmentalists tend to be concerned with climate change, wildlife loss or any number or other environmental issues mostly in isolation. There is a general failure of most to appreciate that climate change, extinction, water shortages, ocean dead zones and others are all symptoms of the same problem. Too many people are consuming too much while failing to maintain adequate intact ecosystems that provide humans and other animals with their habitat. Inequitable, unjust and unsustainable economic growth running rampant over ecosystems required for all life is the disease. Climate change, forest loss, other environmental issues, poverty and conflict are the symptoms - and each is amplifying the others. The world's protected areas are too small relative to the human enterprise. The problem with the environment is that we are experiencing global ecological collapse.