Balancing the Consumers and the Disconnected
I am taking two very interesting courses right now. My Honor's Perspective course is called Buying and Selling in America. We are studying the consumer history of America. At this point, we've been required to read Ted Steinburg's "Down to Earth," which gives ecological background to America's history. At the same time, I'm studying Geograpy, which is constantly talking about human influence on the environment.
I am struggling with this issue for several reasons. First, I really do think that there are serious problems with human's consumptive nature. There is this assumption that there will always be resources and that we have no duty to consciously ensure returning resources back to the Earth that we do not use. However, I think that the vast majority of environmentalists are completely disconnected from any concept of reality. It is not likely that humans are going to cut the population in half, stop eating for fun, and toss their cars to recycling plants. Even if we did, I still don't think that would be enough to return the world to their idealist view of nature.
Ultimately, I have infinite faith in humanity. I believe that as we become more aware of problems, we will seek to find solutions. I believe, though, at some point we'll have to feel some pain before we really invest in this issue.
I am struggling with this issue for several reasons. First, I really do think that there are serious problems with human's consumptive nature. There is this assumption that there will always be resources and that we have no duty to consciously ensure returning resources back to the Earth that we do not use. However, I think that the vast majority of environmentalists are completely disconnected from any concept of reality. It is not likely that humans are going to cut the population in half, stop eating for fun, and toss their cars to recycling plants. Even if we did, I still don't think that would be enough to return the world to their idealist view of nature.
Ultimately, I have infinite faith in humanity. I believe that as we become more aware of problems, we will seek to find solutions. I believe, though, at some point we'll have to feel some pain before we really invest in this issue.
posted by Jesi E. at 3/04/2005 08:31:00 AM
2 Comments:
Human beings will probably come up with some very innovative solutions to ecological disasters, but that doesn't mean we should sit back and wait for ecological disasters to put the fire under our feets. Unless you don't have kids and think you can die before the roof comes crashing down.
Let's take alternative fuels, for instance. Eventually oil is going to run out. At that time, we will have a very large incentive to come up with some other source of energy. Of course, as we wait for petroleum to dribble out of existence, China and other countries are industrializing. So, when the market does come crashing down, it will be a global phenomenon. And in the meantime the Middle East will become more and more valuable.
By contrast, if we developed effective and financially feasible alternative energy sources we could head off potential economic and ecological disasters. Waiting for a crisis is like assuming last minute pressure will stir your creative juices on a paper.
Last minute fixups can hypothetically happen, but empires are built with foresight.
I absolutely agree! My faith in humanity expands to include pre-emptive action against ecological disasters, and there is nothing that is more feasible than an alternative fuel source. I believe that members of the engineering circle are focusing a great deal on that right now. My brother went to an engineering college for one semester and was required to read a book called "Out of Gas." The author covered not only the understanding that oil was running out quickly, but that it should be the most important issue for every engineer to find an alternative source. This is not my forte, so I am left to hope that men and women of that field are as dedicated (if not more dedicated) as I am to mine.
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