Blog #2

Reading Summaries:
Selection 4-A Sand Country Almanac
This particular selection is an investigation of ethics in relation to the ecological communities we live in today. It discusses the relation between the land and the individual person, and what our roles as humans are in regards to the land we live on. The author actually states that the way our educational and economic system is set up, we are acting as if we are unaware of the land we live on and use.
"The Community Concept: The Individual is a member of a community of interdependant parts"
"Land Ethic: Enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants, and animals."
These two ideas discussed in the reading, explain the two separate views: the individual, and the land.
Selection 6-Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis
This reading, actually has quite a different outlook on the crisis our planet is in today. The author looks back on history of the Western traditions, Medieval views, and Christian views of nature.
The Western Tradition: The author explains that science that is successful is from Western culture. We actually got a lot of our scientific practices from the Middle Ages period.
Medieval View: This particular view on nature revolves around the idea that humans and are distinctly two separate ideas. Man, however is higher than nature in this particular view.
Christian View: That man is made in God's image not just a part of nature.
Alternative Christian View: However we chose to treat the planet, has to do with our relationship with nature.
Selection 15-More Profit with Less Carbon
This selection discusses how businesses can actually benefit from energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. The key point here is, that it should be done correctly by lowering costs and at the same time creating a more energy efficient system. There are many examples of improvements that have already occurred: Compact fluorescent lamps, PGE's experiment with smart design, and RMI mines. Transportation also can have a major effect on reducing our worlds carbon emissions. The author states that we must remodel the modern car to make it more energy efficient and also to use oil instead of natural gas. The next point the author makes is how we must use renewable energy sources instead of coal. The final point stated is that these problems in fact will save us money in the future and will help our environment which will create a better system.
Selection 16-Reinventing the Energy System
This article explains how we need to change our energy system today in order to save future generations. The author focuses on the point that our society needs to switch to just meeting our basic needs instead of what were doing today. Also, the problems that are occurring today are 'ending climatic stability that has endured over the past 10,000 years.' (pg.72) The main point of this selection, is to emphasize that in order to help protect the future generations, we must base our society on renewable energy.
Selection 26-Climate Change 2007:The Physical Science Basis
This particular reading is quite different from the other assigned selections because it includes a fact based style of writing. The author focuses on greenhouse gas emissions effect on the planet and states that in the past 11 out of 12 past years have been the warmest since 1850. IPCC then explains other factors that  explain why greenhouse gas emissions are high: high sea levels, ice melting, temperatures higher in Arctic, and more lengthly droughts. The next set of information is based on why our planet is at high risk. The author comes to the conclusion that all these events are occurring because of greenhouse gases. Also it is pointed out, that, even if greenhouse gases are reduced, it will take a long time for them to actually be removed from our planet.
Selection 28-Food Scarcity: An Environmental Wakeup Call
This selection explains how food is at risk as long as our environment is unsustainable. The author Lester Brown explains how the food system is linked to the economy and will decline accordingly. He also points out that water is a major problem because it is declining. Also, he makes an interesting point that there needs to be 'balance between people and food.' This is important to note because it will not only help us today, but our future generations as well. Later on in the paper, he discusses that by reducing carbon emissions, we will help save the future of food. He says that 'stabilizing population and climate' are the hardest factors to control in regards to food supply. The only way to achieve that however, is to change our lifestyles and create a whole new economy which is more sustainable.


Activity:
Jason Clay: How Big Brands can help save biodiversity

CNN money.com: Fixing Farming

Jason Clay's video on biodiversity and brand names had quite a unique outlook that I had not considered or have come across before. His talk was about the problems that our planet is facing and how we can help to stop them. He explained it as "Population X Consumption=unequal." His explanation for this figure is our everyday lifestyles and how they are unfair and unequal, and that our consumption must go down or else we will not be able to save our planet. He then explains how sustainability must be achieved by everyone working together. He showed 100 companies that are in control of the world's products and expressed that 25% of the 100 companies control 15 commodities that will change our planet. A company he pointed out was Cargill who are already practicing sustainability. He ends with a quote that is very influential "Not what to think, its how to think"-Jason Clay.
This video shows us as a society that we must start thinking about the products we consume and how they are affecting the future of our planet.


Reflection:
After reading all of the selections and viewing Jason Clay's talk, I found that our planet needs to achieve two goals in order to become a better place: become more environmentally sustainable and to improve energy efficiency. Those two aspects really were emphasized for me personally and made me want to change the way I live in order to help the future of our planet. I realized that our society needs to change emotionally and intellectually in order to understand and put these practices of sustainably living in place. Also, after watching the video in class, Fresh, I was very intrigued in what my family was eating and where the food came from. It showed me as an individual, that I need to be aware of this because it not only will effect my health, but will help our environment in the future because of sustainability, which is a common theme of the crisis we currently are in.


Blog Reflection #1:Where do your environmental ethics lie? Anthropocentic, Biocentric, or Ecocentric?
My ethics are more towards the anthropocentric view. I believe that humans do have power and control over nature but at the same time, we must take care of nature. I think that nature has been created to take care of itself, but what we as humans have done over the years has had a major effect on nature and therefore we must fix the problems that have occurred. Man is higher than nature, but it is our responsibility to monitor and take control of environmental issues at hand.


Blog Reflection #2: Can parks meet its dual mandate of access and protection? How can this be achieved in Wapusk?
Yes, I believe this can be achieved in a careful and well thought-out way. Because parks are home to many animals in Wapusk we must preserve the protected area that is left for them to live in. If are consistent with the plan, animals will survive but at the same time people will be able to visit parks for their own pleasure. There just needs to be a concrete plan that does not change, so that animals living in the area of Wapusk will not be threatened to keep moving their habitat. Personally, I believe that the majority of the land should be kept as it is naturally created for the animals to roam and live on, and if needed, land that needs to be used for oil drilling be kept to a minimum area. The main problem with this is that oil companies need to change their thinking in regards to the animals safety, if that is achieved, this problem can be positive for everybody.


Blog Reflection #3: What future would you like to see for the Alberta Tar Sands Project? (Continue current path, stop development entirely, some modified continuation)
I would like to see some modified continuation for the Alberta Tar Sands Project because obviously Alberta and Canada depend on it's resources but I think that they can improve the amount of damage being done to the environment at the same time. If they are not too extreme on either side of the spectrum (damaging the environment or retrieving oil), a lot more people will be happier about Fort McMurray and the negative effects that the tar sands have on the people today.

Works Cited

Gunther, Marc. CNN Money. Wired[Online] Avail from:    http://money.cnn.com/2008/05/21/news/companies/gunther_farming.fortune/index.htm File: Fixed Farming [2008, May 22]

Easton, Thomas. 2009. Environmental Studies. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies. 10-12, 19-22, 65-69, 70-75, 127-135, 141, 145 p. 

-M.C.
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