The Human Element of Environmentalism

One of the most controversial topics today is the environment; it doesn’t matter what you read or what you watch on television, the condition of our environment is being discussed everywhere. We are so focused on the deteriorating ozone layer, the heightened carbon emissions, offshore oil drilling and cross-country pipelines that we forget the human element of environmentalism.

The researchers at Paradise Earth agree that there is a need for stronger environmental policies, but also recognize that we need to find a way to help the environment without forgetting about the impact on the vast population whose survival is based on Earth’s commodities. Restrictions placed on the land and natural resources have direct impact on indigenous peoples’ lives, but not always for the better. We have forgotten that these same people have defended the land and the environment in rural areas and also in the cities throughout history.

In today’s society, environmental preservation and protection only develop after the material necessities {luxuries} of life are abundantly covered. The conflict between economy and environment does not only exist in the assault on the remaining unspoiled lands, but on the survival of its’ people.

Though a myriad of such conflicts exist, Paradise Earth has chosen three prevalent conflicts as a sampling of environmentalism versus the poor.

Environmental Solution: Reduction of carbon dioxide emissions may be obtained through local nuclear hydroelectric energy projects.

Impact on poverty and the people: Just the thought of reducing carbon dioxide emissions is exciting and legislative bodies throughout the world jumped on board. But what they didn’t consider is this; where are we to build these nuclear energy plants? They thought that the logical placement for these energy plants was in the indigenous or rural lands like the rainforests; so in our enthusiasm to save the environment we cleared tree plantations (which, by the way have been proven to naturally rid the environment of carbon emissions) placing the people who inhabit the land at risk – and taking away one of their major commodities. The native tribes of the rain forests’ survival are dependent on this land and its raw materials. What they also did not realize is just how much destructive pollution and poverty we were creating by improving the environment for other countries.

Environmental Solution: The production of Ethanol as a fuel alternative. Ethanol has become more and more popular as an alternative fuel in the United States and elsewhere due to destructive pollution and high oil prices.

Impact on poverty and the people: Mexico is in the grip of the worst tortilla crisis in its modern history. Ethanol is generally made with yellow corn…but the price of white corn, which is used to make tortillas, is indexed in Mexico to the international price of yellow corn. The dramatic rise in international corn prices, spurred by the demand for the grain-based fuel ethanol, has led to expensive tortilla production in an already poverty-stricken country. The spike in corn prices has in turn created lower sales for vendors and angry protests by customers; and if that isn’t enough, the impact that this has had on an entire country’s number one nutritional staple has been enormous. The increasingly higher demand for Ethanol fuel is directly affecting this country’s poverty level and contributing to the overall danger of malnutrition and hunger.

Environmental Solution: The increase of national consumption and demand for shrimp has brought on the introduction of shrimp farming for export. This will keep the supply-and-demand down and the prices at a lower national average.

Impact on poverty and the people: At the time, what seemed the perfect solution has now been found to be a detriment to not only the environment itself, but to the people dependant on aquaculture as a means of survival. Mangrove forests are being sacrificed for commercial shrimp farms, putting the artisanal fisherman essentially out of business. Shrimp farms not only put the fisherman out of business, but other natives who live sustainably near the mangrove forests; their livelihood depends on collecting shellfish, fishing and by making use of mangrove wood for charcoal and building materials. In addition to the livelihood of the indigenous people, the destruction of the mangrove forests for shrimp farms are threatening the ecological balance and the coastal defense against sea level rise, the loss of breeding grounds for fish, essential carbon sinks. The biodiversity of mangroves has been lost, possibly forever.

For many activists, politicians and concerned individuals, saving the environment is not only a conflict of interest, but also represents a conflict of values. We need to realize that our obligation to saving and protecting the environment should extend far beyond to protect those who have and continue to live of the lands that we have depredated.