Summary of the McKibben podcast and bioregional quiz

The book written by McKibben portrays a world called E-A-A-R-T-H, a new and changed planet from what the population was born into.  This earth contains the same daily activities and necessities for life, just in new ways that have been developed due to the expansion of humans. The population has taken all of the resources of the planet and pushed the Earth to known limits. The planet will soon run out of space and capacity for life. McKibben states that the United States is used to a sense of large and expansive progress, but because of the deteriorating world, the population must cut back on usage and emissions. Many factors are affected by this change including space to live, the economy, and the food system.

The world is also expanding in ways other than the environment. In the modern age, the Internet allows people to be connected across the world. This view allows the population to not dwell on local life, but to see the world as a whole. The Internet also allows people to work and make a change in places all around the world.

The bioregional quiz showed students that many people do not know the environment around them as well as hoped. The environment is always changing and cannot be helped with people do not know what is effected and affecting the world. By taking this quiz, students realized how little is known about topics such as drinking water, plants, summer storms, and stars. These topics are slowly changing on Earth but are necessary to know if the population is trying to help prevent further damage. 

E-A-A-R-T-H notes

After reading both parts of the podcast, I thought many things McKibben said were very interesting. First, it was interesting to read that "our world is not the world we were born into". Obviously, we still live on the same planet, but so many things have changed. The same basic functions of our world are there, just adapted and changed to meet the Earth. And some of these changes are not exactly good. These changes are because of the damage we have placed on our planet, and even though we try to undo or delay these problem, we have to understand that we have permanently damaged the Earth and will have to deal with it for as long as we live.

We also lack the space and funds to help prevent these problems. The population tries to lower fossil fuel use, carbon dioxide emissions, etc. but the fact of the matter is that our economy is in debt and there are other pressing issues. I thought it was really interesting when McKibben stated " we're already starting to run into limits". These limits are both financially and environmentally.

McKibben also said that as Americans, we are used to and like 'bigness'. We are so used to living large, that when we are faced with these issues, we don't take them seriously and put in enough effort. As he said, we are afraid of our lives "getting too small" or "too local."

Toxic Waste

Toxic waste, or the pollution due to waste materials, is one of the leading environmental issues in the world today.  This waste is due to manufacturing, laboratories, industries, etc. These materials can be in liquid or solid form, contaminating lakes, rivers, and oceans.  Hazardous materials may include chemicals, metals, or toxins and can come from many household items.  This waste can harm any living creatures, possibly resulting in death.  

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has placed restrictions on the handling and disposing of hazardous wastes to ensure preservation of the environment. Many cities contain hazardous waste facilities to store and contain these waste products. Common disposal facilities are landfills or land treatment units. Violations of these containment resources can result in dumping toxic waste into areas where the waste is likely to migrate under the ground and can endanger living species.

A common place that is highly affected by toxic waste is waterways. Toxins migrate under the soil into stream runoffs or open waters, resulting in contaminated drinking water for many individuals. The individuals who drink it and the animals who live around or in it can acquire rare disease and even face death.

National Geographic Article  

'Island Civilizations: A Vision For Human Occupancy of Earth' Summary

In the paper “Island Civilizations: A Vision For Human Occupancy of Earth”, Roderick Frazier Nash gives his view of the world, how it has changed, and how it may change in the future. He states that the human race is to blame for the destruction of the “wilderness” and how important it is in the fourth millennium. 

To begin, Nash explains the concept of “wilderness” and how it began as a ‘state of mind’ and has later evolved into a way to describe an untouched being or place.  This wilderness was soon destroyed by the growing civilization of the human race.  Without knowledge, the world grew at such a rate, that soon there was nothing left to sustain the human race. Europeans quickly colonized the land, by either killing or domesticating the Native American race and “wild” species that previously inhabited it. Towards the end of the second millennium, popular thinkers began to realize that the world had lost value in the wilderness and that the growing civilization should consider control and primitive characteristics.

Due to these thoughts, theories of preservation and increasing values began to shape cities with conservational thoughts. The “wilderness” became a recreational and scenic outlet for the world through national parks and The Wilderness Act of 1964.  These theories aimed to aid the wilderness and benefit the human race with its many things to offer.  The preservation efforts were centered on the environment, not mankind.

Wildlife experts began to spread these ideas through popular books like ‘A Sand County Almanac’ and ‘Silent Spring’.  These essays changed the way the human race viewed conservation and preservation efforts by providing a more ethical way of thinking.  This way of thought prompted the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act, giving species other than the humans, basic rights.  For a while, this worked until populations grew and the values of preservations lowered. People expanded their living spaces and usage, creating problems in the world that would need to be faced for years to come.

As Nash considers the fourth millennium, he anticipates a world that is unable to sustain and keep life. The human race has been a detriment to the rest of the environment and has overtaken the wilderness. In contrast, he also sees a world that coexists with nature in a peaceful and beneficial way.  Another possible future is where mankind adopts the old ways of hunting and gathering as a way of life.  Lastly, he anticipates a world where civilization and nature mold together into one world. This theory called “Island Civilization” would require human populations to live in smaller spaces, with less energy/waste usage, and the loss of transportation. This idea seems impossible but the human race is the only possibility for the survival of Earth.