Over the course of the ENVS 160 class, we have read many enlightening texts but mainly focused on four certain sections. I have found connections in Paul Steinberg’s Who Rules the Earth with the ideas of social constructs, emotional and moral appeals in Why We Disagree About Climate Change by Mike Hulme, and the ideas of classic vs. contemporary thought in Who Rules the Earth.
In Steinberg’s Who Rules The Earth, he discusses in depth the ideas that social constructs have fueled capitalism and the consumeristic ideas many people hold. He also discusses how economic growth can work with environmental progress. Much like our discussion about the trophy hunting laws of the black rhino, there are points brought up about how though sometimes things may seem counterproductive, economic growth is needed to help the environment. (Steinberg 2015) He talks about cap and trade which leads me to discuss next how Making the Modern World by Vaclav Smil also incorporates ideas of materialism, happiness, and economy. Smil discusses the ideas that our world is materialist but it will not always bring contentment. (Smil 2013) People always desire more in a capitalist society. I have understood these ideas with scholarly discussions I have had with my brother about how people are always wanting more due to the media and other such enticements.
The second connection I have made is a very emotional and moral one. When we reviewed as a class the grid vs. group theory, it brought up many personal thoughts and opinions I have had. This idea is discussed in Why We Disagree About Climate Change by Mike Hulme. He brings to attention the way people think and view environmental action and ideas. Some people view things with other people’s lives in mind, some view the world as almost “every man for themselves” the individualist. (Hulme 2009) Hulme brings up “proposed responses to climate change: the correcting of markets, the establishment of justice, and the transformation of society” (Hulme 2009, 162). He points out the establishment of justice, which made me realize its importance in a broad sense. The moral side comes from debating what is actually right and to whom environmental decisions are just. The ideas of animal justice were once brought up in class in Peter Singers Animal Liberation. Though I have not read the book, Jim Proctor brought up good parts of the book and how it was influential as the first book with animal rights in mind. This quick discussion about the book made me think about what is just, moral, and kind to who.
Lastly, I made a connection to ideas of classic and contemporary environmental thought. Classic environmental thought would seem to fail to incorporate many modern ways of thinking, such as harmonizing human economic growth and environmental stability. The contemporary environmental thought has attempted to bring together more complex ideas and elements. The world is complex, people are complex, and happiness is most certainly complex. These are all aspects of the modern world that need attention and can work with environmentalism. This again brings Why We Disagree About Climate Change and his ideas of how people’s different beliefs can help fuel economic and environmental growth if there manifests a way to communicate and work together to progress into the future. (Hulme 2009)One of the most important aspects of contemporary thought is effective to change. It would seem the saving of the environment is more complex than just recycling and riding bicycles. It has to do with social structure and even the empowerment of women. These are just two aspects in a very complicated, difficult to understand the social web of essentially all things wrong in our world. Paul Steinberg tries to keep the idea that the individual approach to helping the environment is not to be completely discredited. He very much emphasizes, however, that the way to promote real change is through the institutional approach. This is a very contemporary way of thinking, it’s not just about your actions, but one step further. (Steinberg 2015)
All of these connections have become meaningful in my everyday life and decision making. I have started to connect things I might not have ever connected such as health care, feeding the hungry and the progress of environmentalism.
Works Cited:
- Hulme, Mike. 2009. Why We Disagree about Climate Change: Understanding Controversy, Inaction and Opportunity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Steinberg, Paul F. 2015. Who Rules the Earth?: How Social Rules Shape Our Planet and Our Lives. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
- Smil, Vaclav. Making the Modern World: Materials and Dematerialization. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley, 2014.