#1

Activity

            I chose to watch the Ted talk: “John Francis Walks the Earth”.  John Francis tells his amazing personal story of his self-discovery.  John Francis starts by telling of how in his teenage years he witnessed first hand the effect fossil fuels has on our natural environment, which shapes his life forever.  He eventually gives up his dependence on fossil fuels, gets a degree and becomes a professor of environmental societies, all while not speaking to learn more about himself.

It is easy for most of us to recycle consistently, drive fuel efficient cars and use “green” appliances and tell the world that we are doing all we can to not harm the world around us, but after watching this video it is so apparent how little that actually does for our world.  John Francis really put his money where all our mouths should be, and became a true walking and talking inspiration.  This video hit close for me because all the time I tell myself that I care for the environment, and that when the time comes I will make the necessary sacrifices in order to save what I can of the planet.  However, after watching this video I realize that waiting around for professionals to give me a definitive answer to solving the earths problems is doing no good, and that if there was any time to start becoming a “true environmentalist”, this would be it.  Although, once again, it is easier said that done, for I know myself, and I know that I will still be dependent on fossil fuels, and I will still cause harm to my planet simply because it is convenient for me to do so.

1.     How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed

Jared Diamond tells the history of past societies that have either collapsed due to environmental issues or societies that have been able to thrive despite their environmental issues.  Diamond outlines eight categories that have doomed past societies that seem more relevant than ever in our day.  These categories include deforestation, habitat destruction, soil problems, water management, overhunting, introduction of non-native species, and human population.  Societies such as the Maya, Norse Greenland, Minoan Crete, and Angkor Wat are just a few of the examples where all that remains of these great civilizations are towering ruins that display their former wealth and affluence, which are now only overgrown remains.  Diamond compares these former isolated societies to the modern inter-connected world we live in today, which are still facing some of the major problems societies have faced in the past.  Diamond explains that the difference between the societies which have overcome their environmental issues to prosper, and those that have crumbled due to their problems are still unknown, and as it is right now, no one is sure which the category the world we know now will fall into.  All these uncertainties about the future make the choices we make today more and more relevant for tomorrow.

2.     Human Carrying Capacity

Joel E. Cohen gives the example of Easter Island to show the effect of carrying capacity.  Radiocarbon dating suggests that the island was inhabited by thousands of people for centuries, and during this time fantastic civilizations rose, but now all that remains are monolithic statues, remnants of this once great civilization.  It became also evident that one tree type dominated the vegetation in the area, but began its decline as more and more inhabitants occupied the land.  The introduction of a non-native species, along with the loss of vegetation caused major soil erosion, and the eventual down spiral of the quality of the land and the civilization itself.  Resources became ever more important and inter-tribal warfare ensued, famine became a problem, which led to eventual total collapse of the society.  One can then draw the comparison to today’s world and it’s carrying capacity, and how our resources from the earth can only sustain our ever-growing population for so long until our resources run slim, our earth becomes permanently damaged and our world becomes inhabitable. 

3.Tragedy of the Commons

Garrett Hardin

Reflection:

            “Is there a growing disconnect from nature?”

            I believe that many societies throughout history have risen and fallen, some which have a deep connection with nature, and some which do not.  Although our society as a whole may not feel a connection to nature, I think that there is still a major attempt to reconnect with nature again.  There are still small societies that feel connections to nature such as the Australian Aborigines’, or Native Americans, however nature is no longer something that the majority of western society deems important.