Environmental Sustainability Essay Example

📌Category: Environment
📌Words: 964
📌Pages: 4
📌Published: 01 September 2021

In order to achieve a level of environmental sustainability that actually gives back to our planet and people, it is critical to re-examine and re-imagine the ways in which we acquire and apply the massive amounts of information we have access to and produce. Many of the same innovations and systems of knowledge that have resulted in amazing feats for the human race, have also brought about extensive environmental damage that predominantly is impacting those who have contributed the very least to the problem. In Deborah McGregor’s Traditional Knowledge: Considerations for Protecting Water in Ontario, she explores the Traditional Knowledge systems that have allowed for generations of Indigenous Anishnaabe people to not only survive sustainably on their land, but to thrive. Theses systems rely on the reciprocal relationships between people and the Earth. This idea offers a different perspective to contemporary methods as it challenges the idea that our new technologies can be a catchall solution to this crisis, and that we should be aiming for a holistic model of sustainability.

Another key point is that much of the current destruction we are facing is the direct result of the use and application of new technologies and ideas before there was an awareness of what the effects were going to be. David Orr proposes an age old alternative to this; the concept of Slow Knowledge, which is defined as tried-and-true information that is acquired gradually over time by many generations. This idea challenges the common notion in the West that our ways of knowing are generally superior to others, even the wisdom held throughout Indigenous cultures of the world. Fast Knowledge is the opposite of Slow as it prioritizes fixing problems as they arise, rather than slowing down and assessing what could be done to prevent them in the first place. Given the complexity of the Earth and all of her systems, the knowledge we use to guide ourselves through should be steadily developed through long-periods of time. 

The dominant narrative surrounding environmental activism does not do enough to actually fix the damage that has been done. As explained by John Robinson in his video chatting with Simon Appolloni, what we really need is to achieve what he calls Regenerative Sustainability; that which is net positive and actually goes as far as to give back to the Earth. Net zero is not enough; is not sufficient to simply make the state of things less bad, we need to make things better. Moreover he explains that people are not motivated to act by a narrative that promotes sacrifice and mitigation, and that disconnects humanity from the realities of the environmental crisis. Regenerative Sustainability is about understanding what can be done to simultaneously improve both human circumstances as well as the environment. 

There are numerous connections that can be made between the works of Vandana Shiva, McGregor, and Orr. They all criticize the idea that Western sciences are somehow more valid than Indigenous traditions that have allowed for people to live in harmony with the Earth for generations. As told by Shiva in Monocultures of the Mind; “the first level of violence unleashed on local systems of knowledge is to not see them as knowledge” (3). This is a compelling consideration as it is clear that these modern innovations have caused levels of man-made destruction that have never been seen before in history. Cultural relativism, the idea that we must not judge anther culture to the standards of our own, is integral here to address the bias favouring modern western knowledge. Using an emotionally empowering tone in their work inspires the reader to not only act, but to reflect on the preconceptions they may carry pertaining to what knowledge systems are viewed as credible. 

Robinson’s idea of Regenerative Sustainability overcomes many of the weaknesses present in the dominant cultural narrative surrounding the environmental crisis; the story being told of doom and gloom is far from motivating. The idea that we not only can give back to the Earth but actually gain from it is very similar to what Stephen Scharper said in his chapter  On Sacrifice, Spirituality and Silver Linings. Scharper outlined how giving up his car at first seemed like a sacrifice that he and his family were making, but there were actually many unexpected benefits that they gained from doing so. This goes to show that while giving up our current destructive ways might seem like a loss at first, there are countless silver linings to it, that may not be apparent at first. It is imperative that we look at what we could “sacrifice” that not only we will benefit from, but also the Earth. 

The first step of hope in achieving this just and sustainable world is structuring our education systems to be more mindful of ecological principles and of what the purpose of knowledge and learning is. Teaching our new generations of students to be mindful of these principles is an essential step in working towards a better planet. In addressing the shortcomings of our current models, we can look to other systems of knowledge to see how they have been able to live sustainably for so long. This provokes the need to change our perception that us humans are the masters and conquers of the Earth, and to instead recognize ourselves as just plain members of the environment as suggested by Aldo Leopold in The Land Ethic. 

It is important to recognize as well that it is largely the wealthiest of people who have actually contributed the most to environmental degradation. I think that it is largely ineffective to lump everyone on Earth into taking the blame because it allows those who actually contributed the most to evade real responsibility in making change. It is important to understand who has to make these changes, because it is not per se kids in poor, developing countries, rather it is the many large corporations and people in developed nations who have overly consumptive lifestyles. Additionally, creating new policies that are informed by the experiences and perspectives of poor people, women, Indigenous and local people is crucial in creating sustainability that actually benefits everyone. This means taking a holistic and long-term approach to decision making that truly appreciates the complexity and interconnectedness of the Earth’s life-systems.

+
x
Remember! This is just a sample.

You can order a custom paper by our expert writers

Order now
By clicking “Receive Essay”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails.