Towards Sustainable Development: World Commission on Environment and Development

The term sustainable development is explained in a coherent manner whereby the enhancement of both current and future potential to meet human needs are interconnected in a process of change in the exploitation of natural resources, technological and institutional change. The strategy for sustainable development requires several mandates from a government, locally and internationally. For instance, equality of trade and finance,  public participation in decision making and sustainable technological system  are crucial to global harmony between humanity and nature and among human beings. Therefore, this theoritical approach to a sustainable development will depend on the effectiveness and the sincerity with which these measures are addressed.
Reference: http://www.graphicreflections.org/category/development/

Blog Reflection: What future would you like to see for the Alberta Sand Project

The Alberta Tar Sand project has triggered a myriad of debates in the world today. More and more people are becoming aware of climate change and ecosystem disintegration. One would imagine that we would think twice before we repeat the same mistakes that our ancestors committed in the past. But unfortunately, the Alberta project is a backward system instead of a sustainable forward system. The environmental impacts caused by the development are not being given enough credibility, driven by our government's and citizen's blind and easy acquisition of wealth. It is true that we have maximized our oil extraction and we need oil for a myriad of systems. However, instead of finding a replacement to our oil reliance we need to invest more into finding alternative sustainable resources to meet our needs. Therefore, I believe that the future of the Alberta oil sand is bleak. We are not thinking about the long term. It is undeniable that there are more cons than pros in this development. The environmental impacts of the tar sand extraction is vast and is impacting many locals and animals. For instance, the toxic waste generated after the extraction should be treated before it is discharged in the tailing pond. No matter how much greenhouse gas emission is reduced from the tar sand extraction, we are causing damages in other part of the ecosystem in one way or the other. Thus, I believe that if more and more people protest against the tar sand without the intervention of certain "supposedly-liberal environmental activists" and their wrong motives, we can bring a halt to this project. If we consumers do not let our voice be heard and change our ways of living we will live in this misery for a very long time and watch our environment being degraded in front of our own eyes.

Reference: http://randsco.com/index.php/2006/02/05/Roaring_Dinosaurs-Prosperous_Alberta

Resource activity: Carolyn Steel: How food shapes our cities.

It was surprising to me to learn that food was being transported from one county to the other over 10,000 years ago. According to me, instead of moving away from this notion we have turned our means of getting food and its quality worse today. One would imagine that before we were to let this catastrophe happen we would have devised solutions bigger and more sustainable than the one we have today. Unfortunately, industrial Agriculture has shaped our world and multinational corporations have taken custody and control of our food system.It is true that our population is rising at a pace faster than we can sustain it. However, It is not too late for us to start making changes to the flaws that we see in our food system. For instance, I believe there are solutions better than conventional agriculture in meeting our food needs. For example, the adoption of organic farming technologies in our conventional agriculture is a great way of improving our crop yields. Next, if each and every one of us were to grow some of the most basic vegetables that we need daily, we will contribute tremendously to a healthier solution to growing our food. After all it is us, consumers that run the food market and thus public scrutiny can make a difference in the economy. By taking more into account, the distances our food travel and how it is produced, we can help reduce the higher prices of organic food and allow for its availability to those who cannot afford it.
Reference: partlysunnyrisd.blogspot.com

Women's indigenous Knowledge and Biodiversity Conservation

Vandana Shiva argues that our capitalistic paradigm today has disintegrated the biodiversity of organisms and of women. Shiva stresses that women contribution and knowledge in different fields of food production and agriculture have been underlooked. This is related to the treatment of biodiversity as a monoculture and society's patriarchic approach. Women undestand and have a large role to play in biodiversity conservation.However,biotechnology today has destroyed biodiversity whereby natural occurences of seeds are being manipulated for the benefits of multinational coorporations. Thus, patents are stealing safe and healthy food from Third World Countries by interrupting the natural flow of creation.
Reference: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamie-bechtel/lets-try-something-new-en_b_696059.html

Envionmental, Energetic, and Economic Comparisons of Organic and Conventional Farming Systems

This selection is based on a 22-year study done by the Rodale Institute Farming in order to compare the productivity of crops grown on three different cropping systems: a conventional system, an animal manure and legume-based organic system and a legume-based organic system. It was found that there is variability in crop yields in the organic system and the conventional system due to different factors such as amount of  rainfall, and soil characteristic. However, the organic system has more environmental benefits than the conventional system. Thus, organic technologies can be used in conventional system in order to create a more sustainable cropping system. The non-conventional agricultural system does come with disadvamtages such as Nitrogen deficiency and weed competition, but fortunately these snags can be overcome. Therefore, the organic system in the end, is way more sustainable and ecologically sound than the conventional system.

Reference:  www.cefs.ncsu.edu/.../farmingsystems.html

Food Scarcity:An environmental wake up call

Lestor Brown stresses on the factors that will lead to food shortage which are directly related to environmental degradation. Rising grain prices will lead to an economical unsustainability making the cost of living of the million of hungry people around the world even worse. The increase in population and thus in food production have led to an unefficient usage of water and land. Land and water exploitation due to food scarcity are causing major environmental destruction along with low economic progress. Therefore, it is crucial that we find a balance between climate and population. An environmentally sustainable economy and proper use of natural resources are key to our food and population emergency.

Reference: http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2008/06/05/amid_calls_for_unity_politics_divide_un_food_conference/

The Agricultural Crisis as a crisis of culture

In this selection, Wendell Berry, emphasises on the transition of farming communities of yesterday to the community-killing agriculture of today. Science and technology has replaced traditional sustainable farming with a culturally destructive manner of agriculture.  Today's culture has shifted agricultural food production  from good quality to quantity. If today's culture remain disconnected as it is with nature, the healthy farming culture will slowly disintegrate and lead to a catastrophe. The agricultural system of today is switching farmers' healthy farming etiquette to money oriented agricultural etiquette.Therefore, since culture, agriculture and nature are interdependent, we  need to adopt respectful measures without affecting any of the members connected in this interdependency.

reference:http://www.export.gov.il/Eng/_Articles/Article.asp?ArticleID=1994&CategoryID=399

A Sand County Almanac: Aldo Leopold

In this selection, Leopold, talks about our ignorance of biodiversity and the understanding of how the biotic is connected to the abiotic. He gives the example of the killing of wolves in order to sustain the deer or cow population for human's benefits, without thinking about how the deers, and the wolves are connected and interrelated to the land and the mountain around them. Next, Leopold stresses on the sequence of ethics, whereby the existence of a symbiotic relationship between politics and economics, or the relationship between an individual and its society overpowered the relationship between an individual and its environment. The ethical relationship of a community and its land was nonexistent before the early 20th century. The problem does not lie in the economic use of land but an individual perception of its land. Leopold believes that we need a better comprehension of conservation, and respect for the symbiotic relationship between man and its land.

A land ethic: www.superiorbroadcast.org

Pinciples of conservation: Gifford Pinchot

In this selection, We discover how, as Pinchot describes, natural resources were wrongly used back in the 18th century. Conservation was regarded as the use of natural resources to the fullest in order to meet the needs of solely the present generation. Thus, satisfying the political, economic and public benefit without sacrificing any desires and making every needed use of our natural resources. Next, the prevention of waste was discovered to be of economic benefit. Thus, further enhancing human's credibility of the exertion of control on earth.  Finally, the principle of conservation is directly related to the interest of the public. Therefore, the use of common sense and public education are crucial to national efficiency.

 (MFA:Sustainable forestry: http://www.msforestry.net/sfi.html)

Historical roots of our ecological crisis

Lynn White, argues that Orthodox Christianity is responsible for environmental degradation, since the beginning of time. A brief historical description of how the environment was degraded is emphasised in order to show the transition from the christian dogma in the medieval time to the scientific dogma of today. Lynn White further explains how the west influenced the world in terms of medicine, religion, technology and even agricultural method, which have all contributed to environmental degradation. The dominance of Science and technology as the mastery of nature in the 20th century explains how the Christian's dogma about the nature has gotten passed on. In order for this mentality to change, the best remedy would be to adopt a religious environmental friendly approach to our ecological crisis, the same way Saint Francis the spiritual revolutionary in western history had practiced in the past.

reference: http://www.americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=11604

Tragedy of the commons

Garret Hardin explains the concept of the tragedy of the common in terms of a resource that gets depleted for someone's own benefit without thinking about its repercussion on the environment. Thus, the common tendency to think solely about one's own interest when it comes to natural resources is the root cause of the degradation of the environment such as pollution and overfishing. Despite adopted measures  to protect the common, the rise in population has rendered it increasingly difficult to achieve. Although, the freedom of breeding is considered inherited and is supported by the UN, Hardin thinks that it should be banned. Coercion, although disapproved by many, is suggested as being an effective measure to impose rules in order to protect the commons. Technical solution is far from being the remedy, however, recognition of the freedom of necessity, that is abandoning the commons in breeding will bring an end to this chaos.

 

reference: http://blog.fortiusone.com

Will Hurricane Katrina impact shoreline management?

Orrin H.Pilkey discusses in this selection, the impact of hurricane Katrina on the Mississippi coast and the aftermath of its damage caused by unnecessary replenishment of shorelines. Post-storm rebuilding is more detrimental to the beaches and to the public. Moreover, Federal Government funding through taxes is an unfair solution to the restoration of the damaged beaches. Coastal property owners take advantage of government funding to build bigger buildings, which affect the shorelines. Property owners therefore, should bear the cost of infrastructures on shorelines, if it is at the detriment of the aquatic system. To conclude, coastal community and a stronger presence of scientists should participate in public hearings in order to respond better to the growing environmental impact on shorelines due to infrastructures.

Reference: http://welcometolimbo.blogspot.com/

More Profit with less carbon

Amory Lovin stresses about the misconception that eco-friendly alternative to fossil fuel and nuclear power is cheaper than renewable resources of energy. Several alternatives are pointed that have been successfully used in smart businesses and big oil companies that have not only reduced their carbon emission but have also helped them to save a significant amount of money. Today, switching to energy efficient resources is more affordable than before. Several measures are suggested that not only the government but also an individual can adopt in order to reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. For instance, building lighter vehicles, using renewable energy sources, adding insulation to one's home or using an energy efficient lamp. Not only do we all benefit from this switch, but we are also helping the ecosystem by reducing our carbon dioxide emission.

reference: http://mendocoastcurrent.wordpress.com

Climate change 2007: The physical Basis

This selection is an assessment of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, dealing with past observations and studies that relates climate change with and increase in earth's and ocean's temperature. This increase in temperature has led to the melting of ice and snow, rising of the sea level and so on. Furthermore, this report explains how an increasing amount of green house gases are a contributor to the warming of the earth's and ocean's. Future impacts of global warming are mentioned along with an outline of the precautionary  measures that need to be taken in order to slow down climate change. 

 reference: http://patrickdriessen.blogspot.com/

Ecosystems and Human well-being. Millenium Ecosystem Assessment

This assessment emphasises on how the ecosystem has been exploited in order to satisfy the needs of humans.The Millennium Development Goals was established in order to assess the conditions that lead to environmental degradation and thus reduce or eliminate the negative impact on the ecosystem. The Millennium Assessment(MA) suggests that the key to an improvement towards a sustainable use of the ecosystem involves different actors, mainly in politics,changes in institutions, governments, technology and social behavior. In order to achieve its goals, the MA suggests that the negative effects or the positive effects of factors that degrade the ecosystem should be addressed first.

This is a photograph of a marine ecosystem.
reference: http://scienceray.com/biology/greatest-discoveries-in-the-field-of-biology/3/

Reinventing the energy system.

Christopher Flavin stresses about the transition in the demand of energy throughout history to the present time. Today more and more actions are being taken to switch to renewable energy sources due to peaks in current energy sources and climate change. Furthermore, societal changing needs and development of new technologies are contributing to the search for alternatives towards more efficient energy sources. Flavin gives examples of several renewable energy sources such as solar energy, fuel cell, and modern wind turbines. Energy should be consumed efficiently while respecting the natural world that provides it.

Can parks meet its dual mandate of access and protection? How can this be achieved in Wapusk?

The preservation of parks are significant nationally and internationally for their biological diversity. However,It is difficult for parks to meet both its mandate of access and protection without regulations. As for the case of Wapusk park, a regulation is in effect which allows locals to carry out renewal resource harvesting activities. If a community depends on these renewal resources, then there should be no restriction to those activities, but at the same time depletion of these crucial resources before its replenishment should be taken into consideration. In Wapusk park, these activities are restricted to locals only, which I think is a great initiative, since it can help reduce the increasing human intervention in the ecosystem of the park. Therefore, I believe that restricted access is mandatory for the protection of parks. By acquiring a permit and educating people about the importance of these crucial ecosystems, just like in Wapusk, we can minimise a great deal of pollution in our parks.

Reference: parks canada Wapusk: http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/mb/wapusk/index.aspx

Where do your environmental ethics lie?

I would personally classify myself as biocentric. I acknowledge and respect that all living things should have sovereign rights. All lives should have an ethical and egalitarian standing. Some damages we have caused in the environment is irreversible and it is imperative that we take immediate actions to preserve and protect our ecosystem. Today, more and more people are becoming aware of the danger we have bestowed on the environment and I believe that with a prevailing public education, we can restore some of the hurts we have caused to nature.

reference: VIRCS action pledge: http://www.vircs.org/environment/actionpledge.php

ExxonMobil Philip Cooney view on Global Warming (Activity)

After having denied to sign and ratify the Kyoto Protocol, despite contributing to the highest emission of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, it is no surprise to me that the Bush administration restricted the public from being aware of the alarming damage of global warming. Global warming according to Philip Cooney is indeed happening faster than we imagine. This makes it quite disturbing to see how the White House censor and manipulate crucial information when precautionary principle can be taken in order to counteract the damage we have already caused. It is to the detriment of the US nation to not educate its citizens about the prevention of global warming. The US being the major contributor of Carbon dioxide, should act as an example to other countries. It is unfortunate that the drive to remain the world’s hegemony is being done at the detriment of the environment by the US.


reference: carbon dioxide emission in the US: (http://www.google.ca/imgres)