Environmental Activism

 

    Before this course, I didn't really know about all of the ethical issues the involved environmentalism. I knew of a few but I never stopped and wondered why these might be happening or why is it wrong/right to do these things. I think that this class has definitely opened me up to ask these thought provoking questions to issues, not only environmental, but everyday issues that we see. One very surprising issue that we covered in this course was the topic about indigenized injustice. After learning about the different injustices and after my own research about Onondaga Lake, I think that I can apply what I learned to be a better environmental activist in this regard. I now understand the different ways other people and even our government has discriminated against these peoples, especially in ways of the environment. I think that everyone should have the right to environmental justice and if any thing opposite occurs, then it should be addressed and held accountable. 

Fellow Creatures

 

    When first looking at the question "Are non-human animals persons?" it seems crazy and absurd. At first thought, I was thinking that of course non-human animals are not persons. But I think that this question could be argued. In Peter Singer's essay "All Animals Are Equal", he discusses how we should give the same right to other non-human animals as we have been doing more so to other humans. One might say in this argument that animals aren't able to reason and understand things like us so they shouldn't be equal. As a valid point, I had this same thought however Singer addresses this. He explains how equality does not require equal rights. This means that just because a dog is not seen as equal to a human, doesn't mean that don't deserve equal rights. After reading his essay, I understand more of the initial question asked. It is not a question asking if humans and other animals are equal, but rather asking if we all, all living things, deserve equal rights as to protection, safety and good health. I believe that non-human animals are "Persons" and deserve to have equal rights and the right for basic needs relevant to their cause. 

Respect The Soil

 

    When it comes to our ethical obligation to take care and protect nature, soil is a large part of that obligation. In the reading this week, "The Soil and Health" by Wendell Berry, it talks about how if our agriculture is not analogous with nature, then it is not ethically right. He stated, "... the process of agriculture, if they are to endure, have to be analogous to the processes of nature. If one is farming in a place previously forested, then the farm must be systematic analogue of the forest, and the farmer must be a student of the forest". This is saying how we are ethically obligated to essentially model nature as the best form of farming so that the nature can continue as well as our agriculture. Farming in recent centuries has been very damaging to the environment. A common practice would be to clear cut a forest and then monocrop the land until all of the nutrients have been depleted (before fertilizers, which s another problem) leaving an empty and barren field. Nature on the other hand has natural processes in which it ensures that its future seedlings have nutrients for the future. This can be related to us and our ethical obligation to soil and its nutrients. We need to make sure that we coincide our soil and agricultural practices so that our future can be secured. 

"The Land Ethic"

 

    A land ethic can be defined as the Morales and responsibilities that we have to determine about how we as humans treat and use the land. In the essay "The Land Ethic" written by Aldo Leopold, he writes how in his view of land ethics people and the land/environment are intertwined. He saw it as a way in which if people cared for the land then the land will take care of us (humans). I strongly agree with this view point because I feel that when we put in the effort to protect and and be responsible to the land we use, then it will give back. An example of this could be through ecosystem services. Ecosystem services are benefits that ecosystem provides to people such as a wetland providing water filtration and flood control to prevent flooding to the valleys. If that wetland were to be taken away or degraded by human action, it wont provide this benefit. We have to respect nature in order to gain its benefits. I think that this is what Leopold is saying in his essay. 

The Climate Crisis and Colonialism

 

    The current climate crisis can be blamed for many reasons and when looking at the root of when/how it all happened, their are a few perspectives. However, in the essay "Indigenous Climate Change Studies: Indigenizing Futures, Decolonizing the Anthropocene" by Kyle Whyte, he argues that colonialism by the western powers are to be seen as the main culprits for the climate issues we see today. He raises  point where when colonialism arrived to the Americas, that with it brought Capitalism which is a big driver for climate issues. The greed and persistence of the idea of Capitalism has made it a key point in the argument of the cause of Climate change. 

Whyte writes,

    "Together, colonialism and Capitalism then laid key arts of the groundwork for industrialization and militarization - or carbon intensive economics - which produce the drivers of anthropogenic climate change, from massive deforestation for commodity agriculture to petrochemical technologies that burn fossil fuels for energy. The colonial invasion that began centuries ago caused anthropogenic environmental changes that rapidly disrupted many Indigenous peoples, including deforestation, pollution, modification of hydrological cycles, and the amplification of soil-use and terraforming for particular types of farming, grazing, transportation, and residential, commercial and government infrastructure."

    In this paragraph, Whyte is outlining the sole core of his argument. That both Colonialism and Capitalism are the framework for what would become the Industrial Revolution which started the overexploitation of natural resources and the pumping of carbon into our atmosphere. It was also a time of discrimination of the Indigenous people as we were yearning for more land and resources, we kicked them out even further f their land. 

    To me, I agree with Whyte's argument. From looking at the past history and the trends of carbon emissions and deforestation patterns, it is evident that it inly started heavily shortly after the ideas of the Manifest Destiny and the discovery of the New World. I've never heard of this argument or statement before so it really opened my eyes to the idea that through colonialism and capitalism, the climate issues we face today are a direct result. I think some important paths to now follow is to not repeat history and to move forward by looking sustainable. This will help ensure our future on Earth and hopefully dwindle the effects of Climate Change on our wildlife and the people who rely heavily on the nature of the land. 

     

Environmental Justice at Onondaga Lake

 

  

  Onondaga Lake is located in Syracuse, New York in the heart of the city. It has been home to about 150,000 people who reside within Syracuse. But before the city of Syracuse was established, it was home to the Onondaga people who are indigenous to this area. The lake, whose people it is named after, has been subjected to many years of neglect and multiple cases of Environmental Injustice. There are many issues facing the lake today such as pollution, excessive sedimentation, and other toxic metals and chemicals. In some instances, the lake was so contaminated that it was deemed not swimmable and was closed to the public. For the Onondaga people, they have been very mistreated when looking at the control of the lake. 

    If Environmental justice was to be brought to Lake Onondaga, then we would see some significant changes. First off, I think that the pollution would definitely decrease because of the clean up efforts that would be put in place. Currently, there are some clean up efforts going on, but I think that more can be done especially with the city or even state would give more funding into these projects. Another thing that would change is the attitude toward the indigenous people and what this lake means to them culturally and spiritually. 

Indigenous Environmental Justice

 

    Environmental Justice and the Indigenous people of America have a long history of discourse and feud. Starting all the back to when European settlers came to the Americas 500 years ago, the Native American people have been struggling for their land and resources. Activism and protest didn't start until the late 1960's where people rallied against environmental racism and other environmental issues that negatively affected indigenous people. There are many different groups and organizations that have arise from the early protests due to the public getting the real accounts of this environmental injustice that has been going on for many years. Groups such as The American Indian Movement that emerged around this time period, and were often focused around land and environmental exploitation. Additionally, much of the American Indian Movement is significant for the  involvement in major events of civil disobedience and conflict. Other groups like the Indigenous Environmental Network work to connect people to the issues regarding environmental injustice an have active petitions on their website to help support various issues. 

Protesting the Dakota Access pipeline, Native Americans march on Washington, D.C.

However, despite the active protests and people coming together to fight, little has changed and been done by the federal and local governments. The Environmental Protection Agency is an executive agency of the federal government that  is tasked with environmental protection matters. This branch is suppose to enforce fair laws that prohibit illegal activity that affect the environment. They don't actually have a good reputation in promoting and helping environmental issues regarding Indigenous peoples. There are some ways that can help the other organizations that call for environmental justice for native people. One way that I thought of was to increase the EPA funding toward these groups. This will not only prolong the life of these organizations but also encourage more to be created. Funding is a big part of any organization especially when they are non-profit as most are. More can be done with more funding such as holding more rallies or growing their influence throughout the Country and possibly the world. Another way could to be allow for more presentation of indigenous people within the EPA and other governmental environmental groups. This representation can allow for better legislation to be passed in favor of them. I would support both of these ideas because they both can benefit Native Americans and provide more environmental justice to the most environmentally friendly people.