What are we doing to our environment?
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), sustainability is the pursuing of creation and maintenance of “the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations.” This idea of sustainability “first appeared in a handbook of forestry published in 1713, and was used to mean never harvesting more than the forest can regenerate. The translated term appeared in English beginning in the mid-19th century.”
Despite that people know of the importance of sustainability, it is becoming more evident each day, not many people care enough about our environment or to future generations. Natural resources are becoming scarce and, in some areas, it is completely depleted like in some regions of Africa. Irreparable damages are being done like the overexploitation of fossil fuels, and the destruction of the Amazon forest. Such damages become apparent like permafrost, an ice layer that usually stays frozen all year long melts away; droughts and devastating storms destruct everything, making people sick because of the lack of drinkable water and food.
Yet, many people that have access to such resources like water and food tend to abuse and waste it. Tons of toxic chemicals and pesticides are applied to plants, contaminating our soil, water beds, killing bees and other important bugs like ladybugs that are essential for cultivation. I can only conclude that most humans maintain a parasitic relationship with the Earth, instead of a symbiotic relationship. This relationship needs to change otherwise it will be our DOOM.
A few people that care about our environment, has attempted to bring awareness to the mass population or act as an example. For instance, Will Allen teaches people how to grow and cook food, while embracing a way of living that is sustainable. Allen, “developed innovative methods of growing fruits and vegetables, of producing fish through aquaculture, and of using earthworms to transform waste products into fertilizer”(xiii). This new farming technique is not yet profitable nor self-sufficient, but it is working towards that goal. Another person trying to bring awareness is Spela Kunstelj. On her TED talk “Save That Drop”, she investigates the amount of water waste and how the chemicals on hand soap affect the environment. According to Kunstelj, by 2030 two thirds of the population will live in water stress conditions because of waste.
Another example is the artist Chris Jordan, who uses his art to depict many of the issues affecting our society and environment. For example, the picture below “depicts 213,000 bees, equal to the number of pounds of toxic chemical pesticides applied to plants and soils around the world every 20 minutes.” (By clicking on the picture, you will be taken to Chris Jordan's website and will be able to see the art up close)
I work in a school, and every day I see how much food and water is wasted by kids and adults in the building. I have strongly recommended that we reuse and conserve the resources that are given to us. I tell students how we should not take it for granted, but It is a mindset that is difficult to change. At my home alone, I am guessing that my water footprint is well below 60 gallons per day.
As go around my home turning off lights, making sure there are no leaks around, and turn down the heat, I can only wonder and ponder: What are we doing to our environment? What will we do to change our behavior and our relationship with our planet? What can we do today to have a possible tomorrow?
Another example is the artist Chris Jordan, who uses his art to depict many of the issues affecting our society and environment. For example, the picture below “depicts 213,000 bees, equal to the number of pounds of toxic chemical pesticides applied to plants and soils around the world every 20 minutes.” (By clicking on the picture, you will be taken to Chris Jordan's website and will be able to see the art up close)
I work in a school, and every day I see how much food and water is wasted by kids and adults in the building. I have strongly recommended that we reuse and conserve the resources that are given to us. I tell students how we should not take it for granted, but It is a mindset that is difficult to change. At my home alone, I am guessing that my water footprint is well below 60 gallons per day.
As go around my home turning off lights, making sure there are no leaks around, and turn down the heat, I can only wonder and ponder: What are we doing to our environment? What will we do to change our behavior and our relationship with our planet? What can we do today to have a possible tomorrow?
References:
A Brief History of Sustainability. (2014, August 20). Retrieved from https://theworldenergyfoundation.org/a-brief-history-of-sustainability/.
Allen, W., & Wilson, C. (2013). The good food revolution: growing healthy food, people, and communities. New York: Avery, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Learn About Sustainability. (2016, October 18). Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/sustainability/learn-about-sustainability#what.
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ReplyDeleteI agree that more needs to be done to preserve our environment for future generations. I do however believe that today we are able to reach more people concerning sustainability than in the past. I myself didn’t understand the impact of what we as a society were doing to our world. Technology has allowed this issue to reach millions/billions of people and I feel that we are moving in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up in the town of Waukesha with farms surrounding my parents’ home, I wasn’t aware that people didn’t have the opportunity to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. I grew up gardening and getting fresh eggs from our neighbors. We baked our own treats. I remember kids bringing hostess items in their lunches and thinking how lucky they were to get those treats. I know now that I was the lucky one.
You touched on many fascinating points that I had little to no knowledge of. It is crazy to think that in just 10 years we could be fighting for a drop of water like the movie Rango. And the sad truth of it all is not many people will care until it is too late. The same has happened throughout history to multiple civilization. The Mayans, Indus and others created their own down by using up resources and illness from improper sanitization.
ReplyDeleteYouth is the best place to start when trying to create change, but yet it is also one of the hardest because they fall back on what they know best. Providing them with good role models, content encouragement, and positive reinforcement when taking those forward steps with help encourage them to continue making smart choices.
You bring up good points in regards to the food waste. This is happening in homes, schools, hospitals, restaurants, grocery stores, and so much more. I work in a hospital and whatever the patient doesn't eat goes in the garbage. Is there a way to cut that waste down? That is a question I don't have an answer to besides cutting portion size.
ReplyDeleteAfter listening to the TED talk you linked, I really thought to myself about how I can save water, for my future and for so many others. I can't imagine not having unlimited access to water in just 9 short years. At that time I will be 32 years old, and will hopefully have children of my own, do I really want to live in what you could say 'Water poverty'? Absolutely not, the time is now, things need to change, people need to change, or else our environment and everything around us will change.
You voice your opinions well throughout your blog making it easy to relate to and see another persons viewpoint on these topics you present. Keep that up as it makes your post relatable.
I had a hard time following your blog with the large paragraphs and no headings introducing a new topic. For the next blog, I would recommend splitting up your paragraphs to make it an easier read.
I really like your word choice of "irreparable" damages that are occurring. The world is getting to a point where the damages we have caused as humans is irreversible. It is a very scary thought that is coming up in our near future and something needs to change. Via technology, we are hopefully able to spread awareness on these issues before it is too late.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the video you chose. It is a very harsh reality that in less than 10 years nearly 5 billion individuals across the globe will be living under stressed water conditions. Spela Kunstelj shares some great information regarding the harmful chemicals to enter water and ways to decrease water usage. She also makes a good point on how this will affect us, not just future generations.
You mentioned you work in a school and see a lot of waste between food and water. I work in the hospital and there are countless times where I see supplies, medications, food, and water wasted. I have tried to work on reducing the things I bring into each patient's room to hopefully help reduce waste.
I have such a hard time with pesticides and relating it to the food I eat. I hate the fact that people are killing harmless insects and destroying the soil, but I can not get myself to pay more for food to be organic. I know this is a big issue in today's world of the cost of fresh produce versus cheaper unhealthy options like fast food. If there is a good way to view this better and bargain why organic is better I would love to hear it!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I try my best to say no thank you to items I know I will not eat, to try and help save it for others, but I feel like at schools especially we didn't have the options to say no to a lot of things even though I knew I did not like it. It is insane how much food is wasted. How is it in school's today? Are they allowed to say no thank you to items or does everyone pretty much have to take everything that is offered?