Environmentalism

In Consider’s most recent release, the issue of how we should address the environmental degradation caused by our consumptive society was raised.  I played a large role in putting the issue together, but in hindsight, I believe it may slightly have missed the mark.  Before we can take on that discussion, a fundamental question needs to be answered first:  Why should we protect the environment?

People need a good incentive in order to make change. The issue with the environmental movement thus far is that reasons for taking action have been so far removed from the actions themselves, that it is hard for them to gain wide spread appeal.  Climate change and protecting the natural world are valuable goals, but both culturally and naturally we lack the ability to assess the impact of our actions to address them because they are so diffuse and long term in nature.  Thus, I believe that we must instead seek a reason for environmental protection that stems from our intrinsically short term and selfish view of the world.

I consider myself a supporter of the environmental movement and improving our relationship with nature, but I look at it from a different perspective than the typical tree hugger.  I view environmental efforts as a means to improving my personal and societal well being.  I do not view eating less meat or going vegetarian as a means to reducing my carbon footprint, land consumption, and water use, but instead as a means of making myself feel healthier.  Buying locally grown food and cooking it myself, rather than processed, packaged goods is a means by which I can build a better understanding and connection to myself and my community.   A similar outcome can be reached by producing and consuming goods locally while also mitigating energy use.  This view mimics how the EPA has approached emissions standards based on health risks, but applies it on a social and psychological level.

While I believe that acknowledging the larger environmental issues that justify these actions is important it is hard to make them the basis of environmentalism.  Instead, a foundation of knowledge of how limiting your environmental impact can improve your own lives now can strengthen and encourage later action on issues that are less close at hand.  Thus, it is the question of why we must answer, but the answer must make sense to everyone.  This is the progression of the environmental movement, and I believe it has already begun.

(Photo by sxc.hu)