Eaarth Podcast and Bioregion Quiz

          The bioregional quiz asked many detailed questions regarding the environment and the surroundings of a homestead. The person taking the quiz is expected to know facts such as the local watershed, native trees and plants and the destination of residential waste. This quiz proved to be extremely challenging, as a fairly widespread knowledge of local ecosystems and resources is needed for an excellent score, which many do not have. The typical American without a previous interest in the topics questioned would receive a fairly low score. The quiz reveals a lack of knowledge in a specific area which entices the user to research the topics and become better educated to fill that gap.

          Bill McKibben spoke in the Eaarth podcast about the fact that the Earth has already hit its limit as far as population and damage to the environment. Today is too late to stop the small changes as a result of overpopulation and environmental damage, but a catastrophic event may or may not be preventable. This rapid growth is due to the availability of cheap fossil fuels. There is a challenge to have growth without consumption of resources and space. The key to recovering is local agriculture that utilizes much more labor intensive work with many more jobs. Federal subsidies encourage large scale genetically modified crops with little labor or jobs. A single widespread farming method will not work across the globe. Each region needs to use the best techniques for themselves. Rather than growing as fast as possible, the population needs to slow down and fix the issues facing the world today. McKibben supports a local agriculture-based world with a close community like a small city.

Deforestation

In his essay Island Civilization, Roderick Nash explores the human destruction of the wilderness and the effects it has on the Earth. Nash sums up the past environmental attitude by showing that “for thousands of years the success of civilization seemed to mandate the destruction of wild places, wild animals, and wild peoples” (p. 373). Humans have always and will continue to fight against the wild like a defenseless enemy. A dominant factor in the destruction of wilderness worldwide is rapid deforestation. Forests are being stripped for resources and flattened to make way for subdivisions and shopping malls.

            One of the oldest and most prevalent causes of deforestation is the clearing of land for agriculture. Farmers need open land to grow sustainable crops in large numbers. This extensive cutting and logging has gone on for decades without much thought given to the effects on the planet. It has been estimated that the world’s rain forests will have been completely logged in one hundred years at the current rate of deforestation. In addition to the absence of trees, deforestation also destroys many species whose entire population exists in specific areas of the forests. Many species with smaller populations have made it to the extinction list due to the actions of humans.

            The Amazon Rain Forest is a prime example of major deforestation. In the past 40 years, 20% of the rain forest has been cut down due to excessive logging. It is expected that another 20% will disappear within the next 20 years. Removing that massive amount of forest interrupts the natural rain cycle of the remaining forest, causing the remaining trees to dry up and wither away. Many of the people clearing this forested land do it illegally for their own profits. Brazilian police forces attempt to stop these perpetrators; however they are far too understaffed to stop all of the loggers. Due to this fact, the Amazon Rain Forest may meet an early demise.

            Island Civilization could be the answer to all of these problems. Getting all humans far away from the remaining wilderness such as the Amazon would give the land time to heal and spread. This process would take thousands, if not millions, of years to get back to the expansive forested Earth it once was. Without humans to stop it, it could be done. Only minor, responsible logging would be allowed on designated plots. Reforestation and selective logging would be practiced acts, preventing the civilization from knocking out an entire section of forest. While these measures seem drastic and unlikely to ever occur, they could potentially save the world’s shrinking forests.

Summary and Response - "Island Civilization"

Seth Jones

Dr. Taylor

English 101

8/20/12

Summary and Response to Roderick Frasier Nash’s “Island Civilization:

A Vision for Human Occupancy of Earth in the Fourth Millennium”

            In his essay in the magazine Environmental History, Roderick Frasier Nash reviews the past interaction of human beings and the wild, highlights the major issue of a shrinking wilderness and offers radical options to preserve and expand the remaining wilderness. This essay begins with a look into the history of the idea of a millennium and how its significance has grown.  Nash continues by defining wilderness as “A state of mind, a perception, rather than a geographical reality, and prior to the advent of herding and agriculture about ten thousand years before the present, it didn’t exist.” (p. 372).  He speaks of how humans have struggled for years to attempt to eliminate the wilderness and redesign the Earth as they see fit. He suggests that this continuing, though decreasing, attitude will lead to a self-destruct to the human species and many others.

            As the essay progresses, Nash points out the fact that enlightenment in regards to the ever-shrinking wilderness has begun to reach the people, but it may be too little, too late. He lists several theoretical plans which could be implemented and, at the least, reduce the human effect on the wild. Finally, he reveals his own radical plan to save the wilderness. His plan, named Island Civilization, would keep humans in dense bunches approximately 100 miles wide, with methods to reduce their footprint on Earth and allow the wilderness to take over around them. Nash comments that “The beauty of Island Civilization is that it permits humans to fulfill their evolutionary potential without compromising or eliminating the opportunity of other species doing the same.” He finishes by emphasizing the Earth’s need for a caring and respectful life form that will protect it.

            I found this essay to be quite an interesting read. It really puts the human effect on the Earth into perspective. While I have never been much of an environmentalist, I have noticed that forests and ecosystems have been rapidly devoured by the human hunger for expansion. Seeing more acreage covered in pavement or farm land than trees leaves me curious as to how long it can continue. It seems cutting down so many trees would eventually begin to severely impact oxygen production on the planet, considering there used to be abundant forests supplying much smaller populations with clean air. Now there are small, condensed forests having to supply clean air to a massive population. It doesn’t take much insight to see that this won’t work much longer. It’s a trend that just cannot continue.

            While I enjoy the wilderness and want to preserve and expand it, I find Nash’s plan to be a bit excessive. While his plan does appear to have great potential, it also has too great of a negative impact on humans themselves to be feasible. I have always been a big believer in personal rights. Forcing humans to live in densely packed cities is a great violation of personal rights. Nobody can and should be able to force people into cities. I for one don’t like the idea of living in a city, much less being forced into one. I prefer to live out of the city; close to restaurants and shopping areas, but also to the wilderness. As an avid offroad enthusiast, I am all for preservation of the surrounding land, as long as it keeps the designated trails open and functioning. However, I still want to be able to live in the wilderness if I choose. I believe many of the world’s problems, including a shrinking wilderness, stem from the overpopulation of the human  race.  The people should be educated of this increasing problem as the Earth  reaches its carrying capacity. Greater measures should be taken to avoid unintentional pregnancy and families should be sure they are ready for a baby when they decide. Also, members of society who use pregnancy and children as an excuse to get benefits such as welfare should have their welfare revoked and children taken away. I do not want to take any drastic measures where they are not warranted, but something must be done. If we want to save the wilderness and the planet, we have to start with ourselves.