What Makes Life So Precious?

Every item consumed is derived from some sort of natural resource, whether it’s mined, grown or hunted. As the major consumers continue to live a “comfortable” lifestyle, the world’s ecosystem are beginning to be degraded. This is evident in the depletion of forests around the world. Every year, the loss of forests around the world equates to the size of Panama. (Douglas) Without forests, life on earth is simply impossible, we won’t have any

Therefore, it appears this other interpretation does not carry the same amount probability as my previous one. Therefore, I believe me original interpretation of the domination over nature and commodification of nature is the argument that holds the most ground. Even if we look at the photo in a totally opposite interpretation it is hard to escape the idea that humans have some sort of control or are in a position above nature in this

Initially, the environment is of utmost concern. We must balance the needs of the environment vs. human needs, and the author believes this is upside-down in today's world. These two things are not something considered equal in importance; they are more like connections. Diamond believes that people are selfish and put their own needs ahead of other important things in the world (685).

makes a right to them, then any one may ingross as much as he will.” Therefore, through this ideology, man has the opportunity to acquire as much property as he is willing to labor for. As a result, men began to procure more property than what was necessary for their enjoyment. Due to the fact that more property is being spoiled and destroyed, the Earth’s natural provisions for man are dwindling: “the plenty of natural provisions there was a long time in the world, and the few spenders” Prior to mankind, the Earth’s natural provisions were plentiful and they were not abused. However, now man is abusing the privilege of being a spender of the Earth. Ultimately, it has been the greed of mankind that has resulted in the destruction and spoiling of God’s gift to man- the

McKibben attempts to sway the reader through comparisons of the rain forest to important values even though we are not sure about the validity of these comparisons. The state only has to clear 1% of the rain forest, which spreads out into “a honeycomb of roads, corridors, and steam pipes,” says Russell Ruderman, a part of the Big Island Rainforest Action Group. Ruderman says that “the plants aren’t used to foreign competition,” but we are not told that he has the qualifications to make these statements. He compares this “honeycomb” to weeds, a negative connotation, which pervade the heart of the forest. Then McKibben compares that to the negative effect on nine or ten sticks of butter on veins and arteries. This pathos appeals to the reader because health is very important. But there is really no way of truly knowing that one of these circumstances is as destructive as the other because they are extremely different. Also, the 1% of the “honeycomb” that is invading the forest is much smaller compared to the excess butter to the 1% of veins and arteries. Since it is too complex to question whether the comparison is valid, McKibben convinces the audience to accept that clearing 1% of the forest is harmful.

Since the beginning of time, mankind has depended on nature for survival. Although, throughout the years society has learned to manipulate nature for their own selfish advantages. In the passage written by Richard Louv, he utilizes rhetorical questions, repetition, and a tone of nostalgia to stress that sad truth about the separation of mankind and nature.

Since man has evolved from apes, humans have only seen the land for its material value. More specifically, people who are driven by greed and self interest, have consistently taken advantage of the Earth’s limited resources.This relationship is illustrated in familiar pieces of text such as, “Undaunted Courage” by Stephen Ambrose and “On Indian Removal”by former President Andrew Jackson. This topic has extended to more recent articles like, “Is Gentrification a Human Rights Violation?”. Despite overwhelming scientific studies demonstrating the toll that man has reaped on the environment, humans continue to take advantage of and exploit the land for their own economic benefits which has developed a parasitic relationship.

Terry Tempest William’s written essay, “A Shark in the Mind of One Contemplating Wilderness,” delivers to us, with intended purpose using shocking truths of greed and destruction. Actions took under the cloak and disguise of the needs of civilization, creating more jobs, or even to boost the rich man’s governmental legacy of our badly raped and abused national economy. How continued acts of greed and wanton disregard for the environment, are endangering nature the wilderness areas we have sought to protect? Acts that leave behind damage and destruction where once nature and wilderness thrived.

As such, the lack of determination to preserve natural resources has enormously affected the environment, precisely animals and other life sources; for instance, minerals, forest, and fertile land that frequently occurs more often than not for economic gains. This is a situation that has been forgotten and ignored by public and elected officials due to profit and their reelection campaign funds. Because of corporate greediness, this issue has effected the environment and of course they are more focus on short term profit instead of the damaged that are being done and the long term impact on the environment. The wilderness is under assault and is being diminished due to lack of governmental oversight. Another example in “The Call of the Wild” poem by Gary Snyder, the author emphasizes how humankind

His point being that nature is not important in today’s society. He asks the reader “More important, why do so many people no longer consider the physical world worth watching?” to prove a point that Americans don’t care to look at nature anymore. This question also may make a reader take a look on their outlook of how they treat nature. This quote, “Why do so many Americans say they want their children to watch less TV, yet continue to expand their opportunities to watch it?” questions parenting skills in today’s society. It’s basically the parents fault that kids don’t pay attention to nature

So at what point do we,as humans, determine what part of the land is more important than the other? We are also a part of “the land pyramid” (Leopold). So why do we feel a sort of superiority to the other members of the community or the need to use so many of the land’s resources futilely and excessively? The transparent and most logical answer would be sustenance. All creatures live to survive, and death is motivation enough for life to have value. Leopold could have argued that man’s exploitation of the land is superfluous, but others could respond with a rebuttal stating that the exploitation is for the betterment of the human society. “The puzzling aspect of such situations is that the existence of obligations over and above self-interest is taken for granted in such rural community enterprises as the betterment of roads, schools, churches, and baseball teams”(Leopold). Those that are wise would note humans as biased because we never consider what determines whether a species should diminish and die out for

centuries man could not understand or capture. Things lived and died and humans were largely content simply to coexist and marvel and the imperfect nature that Mother Nature had created, until the Germans began to think. During the Enlightenment period when science evolved and man was able to understand and analyze the world around him in new ways, the natural world became a series of equations and formulas that he was destined not only to study but to master. With the Germans forests evolved from a definition of a place that man existed with and enjoyed to a definition of purely utilitarian and transformed from “nature” to “natural resources.” The problem

Greed is the main driving force behind industries that profit from deforestation, damage to the natural world and climate are the collateral damage. The clear-cut area lacked both fauna and flora. In the distance, the chirping of birds could be heard, but it was quite faint. The smell of trees and fresh dirt lingered slightly; it was dry on the ground, and the area felt as though it was barely hanging on to any semblance of its former life. There was a great feeling of emptiness and sadness. The point of herbicides is to kill off the broad leaf trees, so that the needle trees would not be required to fight for space and survival. (Davies, 2016)

Aristotle once quoted that “Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.” Granted, times have changed since 322 BC, but this general, basic idea can still be observed and studied in our modern times. Considering Aristotle is also one of the greatest thinkers in the history of western science and philosophy, this statement could easily be widely accepted, and could certainly provide substance for thought as to what the purpose of existence really is. In agreement to Aristotle, happiness is what makes a life worth living, and it is measured by refraining from materialism and feeling inspired by our coexisting society.

We should not allow our selfishness to take over. We should enjoy our beautiful nature without hurting it. Let’s help each other to take away it from the damages. So that our future generation can also witness how beautiful it is. Human should not take it for granted. Let’s value the worth of it while it is not too late. Let’s help each other to take care of it so that we can enjoy it forever.