Environmental Ethics

Before we dig into our food at the dinner table on Thanksgiving night, my family members gather around the room and say what each of us our thankful for. These last few years have taught me a lot. The pandemic has put a strain on not only our country, but the world. For one, I am extremely thankful to be alive and to be celebrating with my family another year. In May, we were not so sure if this day would even be possible as every single one of us ended up extremely sick with COVID-19. The pandemic forced me look at the world a bit differently, specifically the natural world. It made me realize that I shall not be afraid and to stand up for what I believe in. Although I was an environmental major before I went into the hospital, when I stepped outside those doors into the fresh air, my mind shifted as I am now an advocator for all living and non livings on earth. The environment is one thing that should never be taken for granted. After all, the earth is our home. All things on earth c...

Change is bound to happen and we can not stop it, but how can we possibly keep up with it if is occurring at such a fast pace? The earth is degrading in almost every aspect. Laudato Si' By Pope Francis, is a wake up call. A call for us to realize the destruction we are causing to the place we call home. A call for humanity to recognize the harm we are causing to others. He writes, "Our goal is not to amass information or to satisfy curiosity, but rather to become painfully aware, to dare to turn what is happening to the world into our own personal suffering and thus to discover what each of us can do about it" [19].  We are in dire need of a transformation, but we can not do it alone.  We must take "unified global action".  One specific passage from the encyclical that was particularly interesting to me was from paragraph I. Pollution and Climate Change. Both pollution and climate change have become great threat to mankind. Not only is it a problem within our co...

After watching the Soul Fire Farm Virtual Keynote " Uprooting Racism, Seeding Sovereignty" I was able to gain a better understanding of the United States food system and how it is rooted in stolen land and exploited labor. Racial disparities are very present within American society and have been since the beginning.  One example of this would be the discriminatory practice of redlining that began in the 1930's. This practice denied citizens of color access to a quality education and fresh food. It is clear that history continues to repeat itself and important for us to take action. According to the video, 98% of the rural land in the United States is white owned, which is an extremely high and unfair percentage. Like Leah Penniman, the co-director and farm manager of Soul Fire Farm stated, "Food gets to our plates through a system of deprivation"and we must put an end to it.  There are several actions we could take to meaningfully contribute to uprooting racism/...

For many years indigenous communities have been disrespected and exploited. Oftentimes, we forget about the cultures that are different from our own, which is a major problem. In "Environmental Justice and Its Limitations for Indigenous Peoples" by Dina Gilio-Whitaker, she discusses the hardships of those who have faced environmental injustices, but specifically highlights on the fact that indigenous communities are always the ones who receive the short end of the stick when it comes to the environmental justice efforts. Gilio-Whitaker states, "Although the Environmental Protection Agency was formed in 1970, American Indians were not substantively included in the EPA policy schema until 1984"(28). After a long 14 years, the government's efforts still fell short afterwards. Before we directly jump into solutions, it is important that we recognize, appreciate, and understand these cultures. We must consider all viewpoints and beliefs that some may h...