As
soft ecologist, we believe that we only need the necessary to live, not
anything extra. We think that we should use what the environment allows us to
have rather than creating our own sustainability. Also we think flora and fauna
from the environment should be appreciate more than anything as are the
principles of life, center of maintaining a healthy planet for all. The Land Ethic by Aldo Leopold simply
amplifies the boundaries of the community to include soil, water, plants and
animals in any specific land. This text was mainly written in order to define
the arising relationship between people and nature that set the stage in the
actuality. This text directs to the concept of “ethics” since is directed to
how individuals cooperate with each other in order for the benefit of all. The
philosophical view around community, states that communities should include in
their living non-human elements such as the ones mention before, making
reference to idea that environmental factors revolve for a sustainable living.
Discussing the information given for week 4, as soft ecologist, we can support
that nature should be preserved because it provides value beyond merely
supplying natural resources, not because of economic and practical benefits for
humans, since the environment for us means everything, we just care on having
natural resource necessary for our survival, especially those goods from the
primary sector that don´t need further manufacture process for its consumption.
Still we don´t think that environmental ethics should focus on systems only, as
living standards is what matters for us.
A
perfect example to understand the importance of the environment to some communities,
are the Huaorani people, these are
native Amerindians that belong to the Amazon region of Ecuador. This culture
has been differentiated from the rest of the ethnic groups due to their intensive
commitment and cherishment to the environment. Huaorani considered the
rainforest not only as their home but as their complete source of protection.
They have rejected all contact with the outside and urban world, and have been
use to live in isolated areas. They considered the rainforest as their fortress
due to their believes of the outside world, because they want to protect
themselves from society´s “witchcrafts” and “attacks”. When it comes to the
appreciation of the animals from the rainforest, they believe that when people
die, the animals act as a spiritual existence not only a physical one. Huaorani people are consciously enough about the necessary resources they need for living, as seen in the picture below, they don´t even use manufacture clothes for themselves. As soft ecologist,
we do think this ethnic group is complete valuable and deserve respect and tolerance
from the rest, because the modern world is not considering that their homes lie
within the ecosystem humans are constantly destroying.
Besides the Huaorani people, there are several other native or indigenous groups that go along these ideas and beliefs of living within a sustainable environment where what there is has to be used and nothing else is necessary, specially things like technology or extra supplies. A good and clear example are the Maasai, which are a indigenous African tribe that are known as semi-nomadic. Being a semi-nomadic means that they do have a specific place where they live and cultivate and make their life, but still when the situation comes they do move around in order to please their needs and sustain their community. It is said that the Maasai people move around depending on the season following their herds of sheep, cattle, and goats in order to find water and grounds to stay. As well Maasai have been a tribe that have not depended at all in things that people usually do, like economy or cash. They never allowed themselves to be influenced by other people that surrounded them, they believed that they did not need that to survive. Maasai think that they just need what nature has given them in order to survive, they depend on their herds and what they provide for them and what it is provided is enough for them. Cattle not only provide food for them, but as well this though of importance of the animal goes along with power and wealth as well, making cattle a symbol of power and richness for the people. Despite what said before, things have changed for the Maasai people in the present day. This has a lot to do with the importance that people today give to the environment and nature that surround us, and as well the relationship that is now held between us. Maasai people are suffering due to the changed that have been happening around their territories and where their tribes are located because of external people that doesn't have the same beliefs than Maasai tribes. They have had to adapt to the lessen of land they are experiencing which as well decreases the wildlife in general around them which they have always been accustomed. So, as soft ecologist we do believe that it is important to show some kind of respect with nature and the environment, specially in cases where other people worship or really need it like many native or indigenous groups that are around the world today.
On the image above we can see that we depend on our environment. Therefore we should live only on what the environment can give us instead of forcing them to give us more. If we want to have a sustainable future and a healthy environment we need to take care of it and conserve it. If we use more than what the environment can give us our resources will reach a limit and our future and health in this planet will be harmed. Therefore as the image above says if we do not have sustainable lives the planet will continue to get warmer and we wouldn't be able to survive in it.
The graph above shows how people such as the huaorani live with the environment.It is clearly shown that they use the environment to construct, for medical purpose, for combustion, as a spiritual symbol, for working purposes but mainly for food. However they survive with what the environment can give them naturally, without forcing it to give them more. By forcing it we mean burning them as fossil fuel or nitrogen. Soft ecologist can find everything they need in their environment. They find food and medicine which keeps them alive and they even find distractions such as
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