It’s very disheartening that we
would need 7.7-planet earth to provide enough resources if everyone lived like
I do. However, I’ve never really thought that my ecological footprint was that
large. Aldo Lepalto said, “Land use ethics are still governed wholly by
economic self interest” and this couldn’t be truer. The only reason I drive
over 300 miles a week is so I can go to work and make money, or go to class to
get a degree so I can eventually use that degree to make money. We’re destroying
our planet for monetary gain when you look at the big picture.
The tale of two farms is comparison
between the past and the present. Huls farm family enterprise composed of 5
siblings and spouses. Gardar farm is a manor farm of Norse Bishop in Greenland,
abandoned for 500 years and was once prosperous. Both located in beautiful cold
locations and were state of the art barns and the owners were important in
their district. Weaknesses were caused by location because weather limited
farming (cold winters, short summers) Susceptible to climate change and had to
travel far to sell their products. The Gardar farm collapsed but the Huls farm
is still operating. Our past can tell us a lot about our future. With our
knowledge and technology we can be better by anticipating mistakes.
I should, along with everyone else,
start to anticipate the impact of our daily mistakes that are hurting the
environment and using all our resources too quickly and too selfishly.
“Managing environmental resources sustainably has always been difficult ever
since Homo sapiens developed modern inventiveness, efficient, and hunting
skills by around 50,000 years ago.” (page 25 Colloquium Reader) This is very
true, it’s not an easy task to manage environmental resources and it will never
be easy. We’re used to a certain way of life and making big changes will take
time and dedication.
My
footprint showed me that it would take 34.3 global acres of the earths
productive area to support my lifestyle. That statistic makes me feel selfish and
greedy. I feel like I’m using the earth’s resources like they’re going out of
style. It’s not okay to use the earth the way I have been using it. There are
two areas in my life that I could make a change. I eat meat every single day,
no matter what, and I could definitely cut down my meat in take from 7 days a
week to 4 or 5 days a week. I have an iron deficiency so craving meat is a
regular thing for me. I could find other ways to supply my body with the iron
it needs. Like any drastic change this will be hard for me. Another way I could
make a lifestyle change is to decrease my driving. I drive 42 miles to work
every day and 42 miles home from work everyday. That’s a guaranteed 84 miles. I
could find a co-worker that would want to carpool so that we can save money on
gas and save the environment by driving one less car. Although I don’t have the
choice to stop driving completely I could start walking to places that are
close to my house, like the grocery store or the gas station if I need
something instead of driving.
Like
the second group said, “Biodiversity is the web of life”. I’m a part of that
biodiversity and it’s important for me to start realizing that. If I’m harmful
to the biodiversity on this planet then I’m part of the problem. I want my children
and my children’s future children to be able to experience the planet the way I
have, but even better. I want them to be able to see all the animals I’ve seen
and smell all the flowers I’ve smelled. My selfishness during my time here on
this beautiful planet could potentially steal that opportunity from them.
The
presentations today we’re a good wake up call. However, the quiz I just took
about my ecological footprint was an even bigger eye opener. Trust me, I’m
going to try to reduce my ecological footprint. I don’t want to be the reason
that the earth is dying. I want to be the reason why earth thrives. Future
generations deserve to know what a beautiful planet this IS, not what is WAS.
No comments:
Post a Comment