Pollution

"The precautionary principle says that if the health of the environment and humans is at stake, precautionary measures should be taken even if the cause and effect relationships have not been scientifically established with certainty. The principle says, in effect, if you are not completely sure, always err on the side of caution" (Robertson, 2014, p. 155)

Photo: Andy Sacks, The Image Bank/Getty

Our current approach to the maintenance of pesticides and pollution as a whole has been very poor.
The results of our actions have started to be shown throughout the world, and it has been for many years. Again, it all comes down to the human ignorance and lack of a proper education on pollution and the ripple effect that results from being ignorant. The topmost priority should always be reducing or eliminating pollution at the very start of it's source. The quote presented above stresses this importance; to consider the health of our environment and other beings first and foremost. A lot of us still refuse to look at the direct impact we are having on this world which in turn affect our well-being. This impact can be through the way modern society uses chemicals in a manner that the variables and outcomes become completely difficult to control down the road. This brings on the following quote by Carson (1962)...

"The rapidity of change and the speed with which new situations are created follow the impetuous and heedless pace of man rather than the deliberate pace of nature." (Carson, 1962, p.154)

Photo: Robb Kendrick, National Geographic

I strongly feel that Carson manages to hit the nail on the head with this one. Time is such an essential ingredient for the restoration of pollution, and a lot of our environmental problems, but at this current time and age there is no such thing as time. It's not something that the modern world manages to lack tremendously. Carson goes on to further explain,"...it would require not merely the years of a man's life but the life of generations." (Carson, 1962, p. 154), but even then the copious amounts of new chemicals entering in the atmosphere are endless. These chemicals range in killing insects, rodents, weed, etc. These common chemicals (i.e., sprays) to do so have managed to succeed in turning man against nature. If anything, it has completely become an almost contradiction as more and more of the pests that were trying to be eliminated only return 10x stronger and more in abundance. "Thus the chemical war is never won, and all life is caught in its violent crossfire." (Carson, 1962, p. 155). We have to find a way to stop this "war" Carson has stated. A stark and obvious solution for this is education. This was coincidentally something Carson went on to state towards the end of the excerpt. But it must be considered that this was written in 1962 and we are in 2017 but very little has been done with this matter. Yes, many things have been proposed to help minimize pollution but I feel as though very little to no progress has been done. What ultimately all comes down to is that we are to this day living in "... an era dominated by industry, in which the right to make a dollar at whatever cost is seldom challenged" (Carson, 1962, p.160) and I couldn't agree more with this statement. The use of chemicals is being placed in the hands of people that are not educated about their potential for further harm. It's this "industry domination" that goes on to blind these individuals.



Source: 
Carson, J. (1962). Excerpt from Hope for Animals and Their World, In University Colloquium: A Sustainable Future. Acton, MA. XanEdu Publishing Robertson, M. (2014). Sustainability Principles and Practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

An Interconnected Relationship

"We know that organisms not only live within ecosystems; they are each ecosystems themselves, containing myriad smaller organisms. If nature is a complex net of energy connections that concentrate in places to form organisms, the distinction between individual and community is merely a question of scale. Move beyond the local scale, and it's all the same flow" (Robertson, 2014, p. 35)

As I found myself reading through these assigned pages, a little voice in the back of my head kept saying "there is an interconnected relationship everywhere we look" in an incredulous tone. This has been something I have been aware of, but it's not until I am presented with these words further explaining this interconnection that I become taken aback .. One specific quote that was stated in the very beginning intensified this feeling for me. The quote was this: "We are made of star material, and every atom of matter on Earth originated in the core of a star" (Robertson, 2014, p. 24). How breathtaking is it to think that this is true. To think, that this interconnection begins light years away, in space.. Stars release their transformed energy out into the universe while here, on Earth, material is being constantly moved, that of which can be seen with the cycles. For example, it can be seen from the minute bacteria who have the ability to capture nitrogen and release back out into the atmosphere when they are eaten or decompose. Without this type of bacteria, most life would no longer exist. How mind-boggling is that? Bacteria is responsible for keeping this world thriving. Bacteria. This brings me to my next point..


"In fact, it turns out that bacteria are not only the oldest, most numerous, and most diverse organisms on Earth, but they also run the planet. Every living system on Earth depends on these tiny complex beings. They  form the essential thread of the intricate planetary web of life processes. Without them, carbon, nitrogen and other materials would be unavailable to plants and animals. Bacteria regulate the temperature and chemical composition of the atmosphere and without them the planet would grow too hot to support life." (Robertson, 2014, p.31)

This ultrasmall bacteria cell could be the world's tiniest life-form.

 
PHOTo BY BERKELEY LAB

I recall a specific discussion within my assigned group in which one individual had a dramatically contrasting view. We had been discussing the development changes that were happening on campus and how this change will negatively affect what land fgcu still has and the ecosystem in of itself, of course. This person mentioned how the smallest living organisms would make no impact if they were to be removed because, after all, what are they compared to us. We are the ones on top of the food chain, afterall. I firmly bit my tongue to the person's remarks, something I wish I hadn't done. One of my many faults is keeping to myself when I so desperately want to speak out, but my strong dislike of confrontation has always succeeded in keeping my mouth closed. Without the smallest of organisms the entire complex web of life will fall to nothing. We as a human race would cease to exist. So even though it may appear that something as "insignificant and minute" as bacteria might appear worthless, it's most certainly not when you look at the grand scope of things. As the reading progressed to that of our impact as a human race, the same interconnection seemed to present itself, further supporting and raising that little voice in my head..

"The whole world is interconnected, and certain sustainability issues by their nature can only be considered by looking at connections on a global scale." (Robertson, 2014, p. 54) 

Muhammed Dobibar Rahman (foreground) and Jinnat carry rice in the fields of the village of  Jogahat,
Chunamonhathi, Jessore, Bangladesh. Photo by Jim Richardson © National Geographic 

This particular quote hits home with the overpopulation, as well as the failing state, issue. For example, I remember studying overpopulation specifically and its direct effects and huge toll it takes on natural resources in high school.The concept of a failing state was never touched on. But it's now as I read through this text that I realize the immense impact it has. "Starving people cannot make ecosystem preservation their top priority when they are struggling to stay alive, and armed conflicts almost always result in severe degradation of destruction of habitat." (Robertson, 2014, p. 55) I couldn't agree more with this. It makes me angry to think that third world countries could easily thrive if only more attention was placed to the people's current situations. These people depend entirely on natural resources to simply survive, and by reducing to eliminating their poverty would take off a gigantic load off the stress being placed on environmental resources. I only hope that in the very near future we can reach some type of agreement on this issue.

Source: Robertson, M. (2014). Sustainability principles and practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

Empty Earth Syndrome

Shiva has managed to create a simplistic manner of explaining what our world is currently experiencing, in regards to biodiversity. This was a very enlightening read in that it only further shows the deterioration of our natural resources through a monocultural paradigm of production. "According to the dominant paradigm of production, diversity goes against productivity, which creates an imperative for uniformity and monocultures" (Shiva, 2000, p. 46) It is this dominant viewpoint which really struck a cord with me. This only goes on to show and support our incesant greed for which in turn destroys the biodiversity of local communities. We are "highly ignorant" as Shiva rightfully put it, and it couldn't be any closer to the truth. The increase in our population is another contributing factor in of itself. This, in turn, sparks our limited capacity discussion and how our resources are not producing as quickly. The fact that we are leaning towards monoculture and uniformity and away from diversity is frightening as can only be further exemplified with the numerous negative global trends. We are further over-exploiting natural resources and this can be readily seen with our consumption patterns. An example Shiva stated on this topic was the dramatic decline of apple varieties. This of course is only one of the numerous trends that have have taken a turn for the worse. Another common example is over-fishing. Our actions have become the main thing to blame for these dramatic changes and extinctions worldwide.

"This is the heart of the present conflicts over biodiversity. Systems that destroy biodiversity and that conserve it both need it. In biodiversity-based economies it is the growth of biodiversity that is the measure of progress. In biodiversity-annihilitaing economies, it is the growth of money that is the measure of progress." (Shiva, 2000, p. 55)

Shiva's comments on "the wealth of the poor" further demonstrates how biodiversity doesn't only fall under a conservation issue, but also on an economic standpoint. The majority of those in a first world country take for granted the grand aspect of their lived- whether that be with jobs, or food in the fridge. What we are failing to consider is how many third world countries rely on biodiversity as a means of livelihood and production. People in these countries depend on the wealth of biological resources that are unfortunately depleting quickly. The industrialization of food and agriculture, amongst other new mechanisms, to the North is what is stripping the Third World of its biodiversity, and as a result is leaving it, "...poorer both ecologically and economically". (Shiva, 2000, p. 56)

The Penan people of Sarawak state have been pushed out of their forests by dam projects Photo by: © www.aljazeera.com

"The shutting out of alternative ways of knowing and making leads to the assumption that the dominant knowledge and techniques are the only option. The monoculture of the mind destroys biodiversity by blocking the perception of the multiple benefits and uses of biodiversity." (Shiva, 2000, p.57)

The idea of living in an "empty earth" paradigm only further supports the monocultural perspective that was mentioned earlier. This paradigm defines what the greed of human beings has, and continues, to place on both the environment and the minorities. It has certainly created a divided world, as Shiva states, which is definitely present to this day after 17 years. We need to start opening our eyes to what is right in front of us- we are a monocultural world that only considers land and others with an economic value. There must be more compassion, especially for prior inhabitants. Many are seeing land through the "empty earth" colored glasses where instead of seeing biodiversity and a healthy ecosystem that should be left alone to thrive, they are seeing an empty land used only for profit.

Source: Shiva, V. (2000). Excerpt from Tomorrow's Biodiversity, In University Colloquium: A Sustainable Future. Acton, MA. XanEdu Publishing 

The Greed of A Nation

Reading:                Excerpt from: A Sand Counnty Almanac    

    

                                The Land Ethic by Aldo Leopold

"Land use ethics are still governed wholly by economic self-interest, just as social ethics were a social ethics were a century ago" (Leopold, 1949, p. 64)

A cleared forest in Riau province, Sumatra, Indonesia. Photo by: © Alain Compost / WWF-Canon.

 This excerpt has only further supported and enhanced my argument regarding the unfair treatment of our natural world. We have taken for granted and advantage of our resources. Our self-interest has become priority. Aldo Leopold brings in the concept of a "land ethic" claiming- and rightly so- that there is still no true ethic that deals with our relation,"...to land and to the animals that grow upon it." (p. 59). Instead, a man's ethic today strictly revolves around an economic drive by further considering simple privileges but no "obligations" to the land we live and depend on. In part, however, keeping in mind that this is an excerpt dating back to 1949, our times have been changing for the better. By no means does this means that no further work needs to be done, though.

"In short, a land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it. It implies respect for his fellow-members, and also respect for the community as such."(Leopold, 1949, p. 60).

The implementation of a land ethic is definitely a step in the right direction with bettering our lands and remedying the complete deterioration of many ecosystems due to our selfishness. This can readily seen and proved by how in the 1930's, farmers, only focused on remedial practices that showed an economic gain for themselves, Even when given the absolute freedom to write their own rules as to their land-use, farmers still selected those that were most profitable to them. It's this act of self-interest which is to this day having a dramatic ripple effect. Our ignorance to our community as a whole has been present for many years, and it's terribly sad that this is the case.

"In each field, one group (A) regards the land as soil, and its function as commodity-production; another group (B) regards the land as a biota, and its function as something broader" (Leopold, 1949, p.73)

Farmer Joe and his crops. Photo by D. Martinez

Numerous organizations throughout the years have started practices that have been showing a more ethically acceptable means of caring for land. My service learning opportunities throughout my time as a college student has certainly opened my eyes to this hope for change. The current organization my team and I are currently working with, for example, provides a perfect example of the "biotic" relationship. It further falls under the group B category Leopold presented. As I was reading through the section titled "Land Health and the A-B Cleavage", I realized how much this entire concept resonated with the farm and overall organization we are working with, called Healthy Harvest Community Farms. It's not only these farms but the practice and methods used that falls perfectly with Leopold's concept of having an "ecological conscience". Their farming techniques constitute the prime example of what a sustainable type of farming should consist of."Group B, on the other hand, sees forestry as fundamentally different from agronomy because it employs natural species, and manages a natural environment rather than creating an artificial one." (p. 73). Joe, our supervisor and CEO of a restaurant that's in co-collaboration with the farms has shown our team what a proper method of farming should be, that of which involves keeping the land as undisturbed as possible and cared for in the best possible way. By providing organic crops and fresh food to clients day in and day out, farmer Joe, is hopeful for a positive shift in land ethic and presents himself as a prime example of what a true farmer should consider.

Source: Leopold, A. (1949). Excerpt from A Sand County Almanac. In University Colloquium: A Sustainable Future. Acton, MA. XanEdu Publishing