Don't Go to Mars!

GM and I are working on a project on Mars for school, and we came up with this.
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Right now, there’s this huge buzz over a giant rock orbiting the Sun. That object is the planet Mars. People are getting all worked up over what could have been on Mars and what is on Mars and all that.

            First of all, Mars is being explored for life. Many people seem to think we should try to see if Mars has ever had any life. This is highly impractical. Come on, so what if we discover that there is or has been bacteria or something of that nature on Mars. So what? If there’s no life now, how would that benefit us? What would we gain if we found life anyway? A cure for our never ending curiosity? (Well, since it’s never ending, no.)

            Besides, the probes cost money, a lot of money. Taxpayers’ money is being wasted on probes that probably won’t find anything really helpful for the problems on Earth. Why isn’t the money being spent on the troubles that we have on Earth? Imagine how greatly poverty could be reduced if we used all that space exploration money on food and help for the less privileged! It seems like we are avoiding what’s not so good on our planet by trying to find good stuff on other planets.

            People also have considered moving everyone to Mars if Earth runs out of resources or maybe just to be deemed awesome for setting up colonies on another planet. If we go live on Mars, we’d either have to live underground or build giant plastic bubbles filled with plants. Would you like to live in a confined clear bubble much like a fish tank? Even if you ventured outside, after putting on some complicated spacesuit, the landscape would be pretty repetitive and mostly one color. Besides, if Earth ever runs out of resources and we can’t move to Mars, it would be a good lesson and a just consequence. Plus, on Mars, how would you get that much water and oxygen there? Earth wouldn’t be an option if we were moving to Mars due to lack of resources. Think about that.

            After reading all that, if you still think it’s a good idea to go to Mars, the please take into consideration all the money it takes and find exactly why that is a good idea. If your answer is that something very helpful for problems on Earth could be found there, explore the unexplored parts of Earth before taking off to another planet and using up precious money. Still want to go to Mars? Well, you should really work out the kinks before you do.

            But still, why not stay on Earth where there is life, plenty of bacteria, your home, and water that is not 0.52 astronomical units away?