Environmental Reasons, AndGenetics After Auschwitz, By David Suzuki

According to an annual Gallup survey, “Americans are way more worried about water pollution than global warming, air pollution, or other major environmental concerns.” (Loughlin). Drinking polluted water will harm individuals and their families but global warming has not appeared to danger us and so we do not worry about it (Walker). In the article, The Sacred Balance: Rediscovering Our Place in Nature, by David Suzuki, it is indicated that humans have lost interconnectedness with nature. In other words, people have put importance to the more unnecessary things, which are the main causes for us consuming chemicals in food and creating dangerous pollution and diseases. The ignorance of our modernist society faces has led us all to severe problems. One should be more aware of what 's happening around us instead of just letting things happen. We must be more cautious so that we can live in a safe environment.

David Suzuki’s essay “It Always Costs”, focuses on the author’s opinion that new technologies always come with underlying problems. He argues that developments in technologies are beneficial to civilization, but also costly. Suzuki chooses to focus not on the economic side effects, but mostly in the environmental and health impacts of these advances. To support his main argument, Suzuki refers to DDT as an example of a beneficial technology that in the long run was subdued by its unfavourable effects. The use of DDT, a widely known chemical, aids the reader in identifying the main problem Suzuki is addressing in his essay, however, Suzuki’s argument is not very convincing. He chooses to focus on issues that relate only to the development of new technologies in the area of chemistry, such is the example of three different chemicals through the essay, which does not provide enough evidence to make the generalization that the development of any technology is detrimental to humankind.

Bill McKibben in “The Environmental Issue from Hell” and Rachel Carson in “The Obligation to Endure” both believe that environmental issues are some of the most important issues facing mankind today. In “The Environmental Issue from Hell,” McKibben argues that Americans need to take a moral approach to solving the global warming problem. He is passionate about the problems associated with global warming, but he fails to provide concrete support. Carson argues in “The Obligation to Endure” that humans have ignorantly tampered with the delicate balance of nature through the use of pesticides. She presents a valid argument; however, it is weakened by her failure to cite her sources and her sole reliance on her own credibility as a biologist

In a chilling recollection of mankind’s current misdeeds towards the environment in “The End of Nature,” McKibben’s call for action is one paramount to the survival of the human race. In essence, McKibben argues that the futures of both nature and ourselves are delicately yet undeniably interconnected. Furthermore, he urges that “we” (ALL humans) are the deciding chip in said bond. By doing so, McKibben implies that action must be situated if we are to expect any change in such bleak a situation. This argument can clearly be found when McKibben speaks out on a myriad of environmental issues in the past, present, and future. McKibben begins to accustom readers to a pattern in which human ignorance juts out from past environmental experiences.

In her essay “The Obligation to Endure”, Rachel Carson alerts the public to the dangers of modern industrial pollution. She writes about the harmful consequences of lethal materials being released into the environment. She uses horrifying evidence, a passionate tone, audience, and the overall structure of her essay to express to her readers that the pollution created by man wounds the earth. There are many different ways that pollution can harm the environment, from the nuclear explosions discharging toxic chemicals into the air, to the venomous pesticides sprayed on plants that kills vegetation and sickens cattle. The adjustments to these chemicals would take generations. Rachel

David Suzuki was called to be a steward of the earth at a very young age citing his time spent exploring his local swamp as a child as sparking his passion. Suzuki followed this by attending the university of amhurst for a bachelor of biology and a phd in zoology from the university of chicago. However he was not content to stay in the realm of academia, he knew it was his calling to share his knowledge with the public. He did this most notably through his television show The Nature of Things. In this show he shared environmental theories and explained the how humans and their actions impacted nature in a way that was accessible for the Canadian public. At the time the ideas of environmentalism and it’s scientific theories had been limited to academe causing Suzuki to receive criticism with many scholars calling his media work a waste of his talents (Philipson & Bailey, 2011).

After listening to one of David Suzuki’s inspirational speeches many people feel determined to follow his lead in his environmental battle and ‘to take on the challenges that lie ahead’ (Marghhaniti, 2007). After listening to one of these speeches Marghhaniti was so inspired that she went on to write her own series of books on Global Warming called the ‘Little Humbug Series’ this series is

“‘Monsters exist, but they are too few in number to be truly dangerous. More dangerous are the common men, the functionaries ready to believe and to act without asking questions’” (Quotes About Holocaust, 1). The Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz was the brutal murder site of millions of innocent Jews and other perceived enemies of Germany. Here, death and suffering was the norm and there was no escape from the wicked acts of the Nazis until the prisoners’ long awaited liberation. However, Auschwitz changed the victims’ lives forever.

Thomas M. Kostigen traveled the world and compiled many hours of research in order to write his book You Are Here. Throughout the book, he takes his readers on a journey around the world to show them the environmental impacts of global climate change, as well as other environmental issues affecting Earth. Two reasons Kostigen wrote the book were to make his readers care about those issues and to empower them to take personal actions to change them. Upon finishing the book, I can confidently say that Kostigen achieved his goal of making at least myself care. One passage that stuck with me, in particular, was in chapter four when he was describing Linfen City, China: “Pollution is so high in Linfen that just breathing the air, health officials

David Suzuki is an award-winning scientist, environmentalist, geneticist, and broadcaster, a world leader in sustainable ecology, and is the Co-Founder of the David Suzuki Foundation. He was born into a third generation Japanese-Canadian family, his family suffered because of World War II, and he started to appreciate nature. Through radio and television programs, he explained the complexities of the natural sciences and thanks to him, everyone began to realize the importance in co-existing with nature. In 1958, Suzuki graduated from Amherst College with an Honours BA in Biology, then in 1961, he earned his Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Chicago. From 1961-1962 in the Biology Division of Tennessee’s Oak Ridge National Lab, he held a research

Modernism represents an optimistic view of human impact on the environment that has been the dominant viewpoint for the last 200 years. The knowledge that mankind holds the ability to control the environment heavily stresses why climate change is not such a problem to worry about. One of the core beliefs of the modernistic perspective is that people have no need to fear future environmental disaster because the next technological advancement that will prevent it is right around the corner. Furthermore, those who share this view do not include themselves in their image of the ecosystem, believing they are detached from it. Lastly, a laissez-faire approach is taken to environmental problems, focusing on progression through technology, stressing that as long as progress is made in this area all problems will be fixed. For a modernist, climate change is nothing to worry about. This may be a real situation, but it will be solved with advancements in technology before one’s way of life is changed. What people should be worrying about is ensuring a laissez faire approach to the market with sponsorship to new technologies. As a result of reusable energy technology already existing, modernists believe that the problem of climate change has been solved and without disrupting free market system these technologies will be further implemented. As long as there are people given the opportunity to innovate, some will focus on and ultimately solve the concern of climate change. The issue of

In the article “How environmental distraction causes illness and diseases” David Suzuki argues how environmental elements correlate with human diseases, and consequently medical expenses. Based on new research, he emphasises the significance of infectious diseases that transmit from animals to human. He summarises the New York Times article which states because of human demolishing and destroying wildlife, diseases emersion increase exponentially. Also, this research proofs that destroying the woods in North America spreads dangerous bacteria from animals to the other mammals and humans by eliminating some protective species. Suzuki also identifies global warming as a critical factor impacting human health, therefore causing detrimental changes

White’s thesis in The Historical Roots of our Ecological Crisis states that in order to confront the expanding environmental crises, humans must begin to analyze and alter their treatment and attitudes towards nature. The slow destruction of the environment derives from the Western scientific and technological advancements made since the Medieval time period. “What people do about their ecology depends on what they think about themselves in relation to things around them” (RON p.7). Technology and science alone will not be able to save humans until we adjust the way of thinking and suppress the old ideas of humans power above nature. Instead, we need to learn how to think of ourselves as being

Nearly everything that a human does is in response to the environment. Our lives are defined by what is around us and what we find in front of us, whether this means accepting, dealing with or changing it. This has been the pattern since primates first stood up and became Homo erectus, and has continued until we considered ourselves doubly wise. The shape of the land affected where humans moved. Weather was something with which to contend. Fire affected humans until they conquered it – and herein lies the core of the relationship. The earth affects humans, and humans affect it back, viewing characteristics and patterns as problems and challenges, and finding a solution.

As a 17-year old teenager going to high school, contrary to the environmental activist, David Suzuki’s, remarks about the ignorance of humans about nature, I receive much information about these kinds of problems at my school, from dedicated assemblies, eco fairs and special days that address our responsibility to deal with nature in a more responsible fashion. Yet, when the school day is over, all of the information seeps out of the roof of the school; plastic water bottles are still found in the corners of hallways and leftover Tim Hortons cups are still present in the desks of my former Business class. Even when I step inside the door of my house, the disconnection from nature is apparent. Most of my time at home is spent looking at a screen and doing homework and the only sign of nature would be the fly