A Deeper Look: Our Environment's Future
Human interference with our environment is excessive, and the situation is rapidly worsening due to our population growth. Policies must therefore be changed. These policies affect basic economic, technological, and ideological structures. The way to these policy changes is in the"Deep Ecology" ecosophy (110). Deep ecology is a philosophical way of looking at our environmental problems that was founded in 1972 by Norwegian Arne Naess, a former head of the philosophy department at the University of Oslo. Naess' writings show us what is wrong with the world and give us a blueprint by which we can bring about change. In its most basic form, deep ecology is a necessary wisdom, requiring humans to see themselves as part of the bigger picture. That picture is our sacred relationship with Earth and all beings.Many believe overpopulation, the greenhouse effect, global warming, and loss of habitat are no cause for alarm. Some, in fact, claim media and politicians perpetuate the hysteria regarding our environmental decline because they have something to gain by painting such a bad picture. Countless studies I have read or am personally involved with, however, have convinced me these problems are real and can be resolved if th
This growth means more energy and resource needs, more land occupied, and more waste. This is the next principle, but the notion is difficult to characterize since quality of life cannot be quantified. Just as philosophies taught by Aristotle, Hume, and Kant have open the door to new thinking, so can Naess beliefs. Conservation and restoration of ecosystems. Changes that affect our population growth, hazardous waste, and global warming dilemmas must include birth control, recycling, and yielding sustainable resources for energy and building. If there are not enough resources to adequately support the population, poverty results. This means everything about life is valuable, including individuals, cultures, species, habitats, and populations. Selfishness and egocentricity is rampant and these attitudes need to be changed. Continued inquiry into the appropriate human roles on our planet. We should teach the deep ecology philosophy in school when the kids are small. This will ensure that our earth's future will be in the hands of humans who have appreciation of our world and its inhabitants, living and nonliving.
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