Environmental Ethics

3/27/07
“Ideals of Human Excellence and Preserving Natural Environments”
Tom E. Hill Jr.

In class today we went over Tom E. Hill’s article the “Ideal of Human Excellence and Preserving Natural Environments”.
Hill opens his article by giving an example of a wealthy neighbor (more…)

Kristin Wright

In class we discussed Ian Whyte’s essay on the elephant management problem in Kruger Park, South Africa. Whyte’s essay is one of the few that humans do not seem directly involved in causing environmental damage. Elephants are very distructive to the environment. This challenges us to determine if it is “right” to poach elephants for the sake of the environment. Poaching helps to keep the numbers down and in turn helps to protect the environment from the extensive damage that elephants are capable of. We then are challenged to determine whether elephants are “special”. According to Singer, Taylor, and Smidtz, yes elephants are “special”. We have to determine if this is reason enough to protect the elephants at the sake of the environment. Through our discussion we conclude that there is no clean theoretical solution to the elephant problem, but we are challenged to learn the facts of an issue before taking a stand on dilemmas in far off countries.

Elephant Management
Why killing could be good?
-elephants do a lot of damage
-overpopulation of elephants isn’t human fault
-they greatly damage the ecosystem-walk along the riverbank is like a van riding along the bank
-The damage doesn’t recover quickly
-They destroy trees by lifting bark off of trees for fun.
-If we don’t poach the elephants, the baobab trees are at risk and all animals whose homes are in those trees are at risk.

How did elephants become overpopulated?
-The natural predators, such as lions are fewer and not hunting as much.
-Human being stopped poaching in the 1970’s.

Are Elephants special?
Singer- Elephants have big brains and are therefore more sentient than other beings and special.
Protection- There is no dignity in poaching. We cannot ennumerate how many elephants get to survive.
Taylor- is an egalitarian. He believes an elephant is worth as much because and elephant has a telos, a goal in life. The problem with Taylor is that he does not give us an opportunity to make a trade off.
Schmidtz- Elephants are majestic. They have tusks, trunks, big ears, they live in groups, they are smart. The baobab does not have as many cool characteristics so we should choose elephants over baobab.
Vital ethic-allow elephants to die.
Rawlston(Human ethic)- we can adopt elephants into a zoo.

The solution that is not offered is to go back to allowing Africans to shoot elephants.

Brian Sewell – March 20, 2007
Letting the World Grow Old: An Ethos of Countermodernity
Freya Mathews

Mathews takes a position somewhat similar to Leopold stating that the best thing we can do for the world is to live naturally. The thing that is different about these two authors is how they view nature. Mathews defines nature as whatever happens when agents capable of abstract thought let things be. Mathews spends time on the idea of “returning to nature.” “to return to nature is not to restore a set of lost things or attributes, but rather to allow a certain process to begin anew (p.222).” She does not encourage any real renouncement. But suggests that returning to nature is to let the world go its own way.

Ian Whyte’s article discusses the problems that arise from elephant management. Elephants have a drastic impact on the environment, and reserves are struggling with the problems while trying to protect the elephant population.

Impacts of Elephants:
Destruction of the environment
Decline in tree species (ex. Baobabs)
Decline in bird species, giraffes, baboons, monkeys
Destruction of woodlands
Modifies landscape
Destruction of agriculture land

Benefits of Elephants:
Keystone specie
Germination of land
Majestic creatures

Population Control:
Culling
Translocation
Contraception
Control population numbers in reserve

Ian Whyte offers the dilemmas of the elephant management in Africa. At the current moment there is no concrete solution and White does not try to offer one.

This is from the DDS website ddsindia.com.
Our Sangham started 15 years ago. Earlier, we used to work on the lands of the influential people of the village during weeding and harvesting seasons. Our husbands worked as bonded labour, because they had no freedom, individuality or dignity. They just had to listen to their masters. Now, the landlords and Kapus themselves tell us, ” You people have changed a lot. Now, you don’t come to us for work because the Sangham has brought you prosperity. You have your own lands and your resources. There isn’t much difference now between you and us in terms of status.”

After the Sangham came to our village, we have been witness to a number of initiatives like Alternative Public Distribution System, Watershed, Traditional Crop Cultivation, Bullocks Loan, Buffaloes Loan, and Traditional Manure Production. And we have been able to get all these only on account of the financial support that the DDS gave us.

I have 3 acres of land, and that too Beedu Bhoomi (Fallow land) or Gattu Bhoomi. In the beginning, it was a wasteland. But with the help of the Sangham, I have been able to regenerate the land. I began by treating half my land with dung manure, and let the other half stay as it was. In the last two years, just in 1 acre of land I have raised 30 varieties of crops. I practiced multi-crop cultivation, and grew Thogarlu (Red gram) – Eerra (Red), Nalla (Black), Aasha, Nadipi, Pundlu (Hibiscus) – Nalla (Black), Thella (White), Eerra Jawar (Red sorghum) – Pacha jawar (Yellow sorghum), Thella jowar(White sorghum), Gareebu jonna, Nuvvulu (Sesame) – Thella(White), Gaddi Nuvvulu, Aargulu (Proso millet), Kodi Sama(Little millet), Ragi/Thaida (finger millet), Bebbari (Cowpea) – Eerra, Thella, Aanumulu (Field bean), – Thella, Nalla, Pesarlu (Greengram) – Balintha, Manchi, Minumulu , Korralu (Foxtail millet) – Eerra, Thella, Nalla, Mansu Korra, Poraka Korra, Bailu Vari (paddy) , Makkalu (maize), Ulvalu (Horsegram), Bymugulu (ground nut), Green leafs, Payeli koora, Daggali koora, Jonna chenchali koora, gangapayeli koora, tomatoes, Voma (Fenugreek). Earlier, we used to grow only four varieties of crops: Sajjalu (Pearl Millet), Jawar (Sorghum), Korralu (Foxtail millet) and Togari (Redgram). But our experience tells us that multi-crop system is ideal, because different crops have different antidotes against worms and insects. So, we create a system which has the flexibility to deal with a variety of infestations. Further, the multi-crop system improves the fertility of the soil enormously on account of the number of different kinds of leaves which fall and fertilise the soil. And from the food security point of view, the system is simply a winner, because if we depend only on a few crops, and if they fail for whatever reasons, then we are sunk. So, the multi-crop system promises more security.

We can have our own seeds and choice of crops. We can grow fodder for our animals and keep them healthy. Basically, the reins of control will be in our hands. The sophisticated commercial crops are weak against a number of environmental conditions. But our crops are hardy, because they draw nourishment from the traditional methods of cultivation. We use dung manure, vermicompost manure, Neem oil, Neem cake, decoctions made of neem leaves and chillies, and they give natural strength to the crops. We are so happy that our lands are free from chemical pollution and constant dependence on water.

Traditional method of cultivation embraces our age-old love for our mother earth. Our mother and we live to mutually strengthen each other, while the modern method of cultivation is based on the evil idea of exploitation. It impoverishes the mother by sapping all strength out of her.

Name : Susheelamma
Village : Raipally
Mandal : Jharasangam
Activity : On-farm Bio-diversity

Dear class, the example of the DDS tells us some things about poverty (and maybe not as much as the title promised concerning ecofeminism.) But this article, which I recommend very highly, makes connections between serious environmental damage and dire poverty. If there is class interest, it would be great to add this to the syllabus. Link to it here
Short of that, at least read it.

This is topical, given our reading of Milbrath.
click here for the link

Wednesday, March 28, 2007 from 6PM-9PM
Raval Wine Bar, 453 King Street (past Radcliffe Street)

-Networking over drinks
-Mixture of people with diverse environmental interests
-Share ideas—make connections—collaborate
-No structure
-Bring a friend or two!

Greendrinks is a once a month get together for anyone with environmental interests to chat in an informal setting over a few beers. It started in 1989 in London and is now active in 202 cities all over the world.

Cheers to the Earth

Register your email address and get more information at:
www.greendrinks.org
(Click USA at the top)

Today in class we discussed Lester Milbrath’s article “Redefining the Good Life in a sustainable Society”.
This article discussed the possiblity (more…)