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SEVEN

ENVIRONMENTAL
PRINCIPLES
Nature knows best.
This principle is the most basic and in fact encompasses all the others. Humans have to
understand nature and have to abide by the rules nature dictates. In essence, one must not
go against the natural processes if one would like to ensure a continuous and steady supply
of resources.
One natural process that needs serious attention is nutrient cycling. In nature, nutrients
pass from the environment to the organisms and back to the environment. Any disruption
in the cycle can bring about imbalance.
For example, burning of farm wastes instead of allowing them to decompose naturally
Nature has also its built-in mechanisms to maintain balance of homeostasis - the availability
of nutrients, conduciveness of the environment for growth and reproduction, and the
feeding relationships that exist between and among organisms, which serve as population
controls.
For example, the rat population is controlled by the presence and number of its predators,
e.g., snakes.
The use of chemical pesticides and fertilizer disrupts check and balance in the ecosystem.
Pesticides can either kill vital organisms directly or induce genetic changes that result in
resistant pests or organisms. Chemical fertilizers increase the acidity of the soil through
time making a number of nutrients unavailable and thus, unfit for the survival of plants and
other organisms.
History and our experiences are full of examples to prove the validity of this principle. In
fact, this principle only surfaced when many of the detrimental effects of technology were
recognized and coined thereon as "ecological backlash."

All forms of life are
important
Each organism plays a fundamental role in nature. Since such
occupational or functional position, otherwise known as niche, cannot
be simultaneously occupied by more than one specie, it is apparent that
all living things must be considered as invaluable in the maintenance of
homeostasis in the ecosystem.
It is easy to appreciate the beautiful butterflies, especially knowing their
important role in pollination. The giant beasts the elephants, the
whales, the alligators are objects of awe and the products they yield
ivory, oil, leather, respectively are highly prized. But when it comes to
unlovely, wriggly, and troublesome creatures, this principle is unusually
overlooked.
For instance, it has been customary for many to step on any wriggling
creature (e.g. earthworms) without even considering why God made
them in the first place. People also react adversely to the presence of
snakes. At home, spiders are looked at with disdain. Awareness of the
snakes' role in limiting the rat population and of the spiders' role in
checking the population of mosquitoes and flies may, however, change
this attitude.

Everything is connected to
everything else
This principle is best exemplified by the concept of the ecosystem. In an
ecosystem, all biotic and amniotic components interact with each other
to ensure that the system is perpetuated. Any outside interference may
result in an imbalance and the deterioration of the system.
In a lake ecosystem, the organisms are linked to one another through
their feeding habit/level and are also dependent on other physico-
chemical factors in the lake (e.g. amount of nutrients, amounts and
types of gases, temperature, PH, etc.). At the same time, the physico-
chemical factors in the lake are influenced by the terrestrial
environment that surrounds it. The fertilizers that reach the lake cause a
faster growth of phytoplankton, which may lead to algae bloom, red
tide, or other such phenomena.
This principle may be discussed in local, regional, or global perspective.
Deforestation in the mountains may affect the lowlands through floods,
drought, and erosion. Whatever happens to one country may affect
other countries. An example of this is the Chernobyl accident, which
affected a lot of countries through the transfer of radioactive substances
by natural agents such as wind and water, as well as human activities
like the export of contaminated food.

Everything changes
It is said that the only permanent thing is change. As a general
classification, change may be linear, cyclical or random. As example
of linear change is evolution of species, which has brought about
higher and more complex types of organisms. Cyclical change may
be exemplified by seasons and the rhythms in floral and faunal life
stages that go with the seasons. An example of random change is
the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, which brought about great upheaval in
many parts of Luzon and changes in the topography of the land.
The environment is constantly changing. Organisms also evolve
through time. However, mans technology has affected these natural
changes often to a problematic extent. Although mutation is a
natural change, pesticides have induced insect mutations, which are
not matched by natural checks and balances.
Humans should rethink their relationship with the environment.
Changes that they think may be beneficial to the environment often
turn out to be disastrous. Environmental technologies should be
given priority if man would want more positive changes in the
environment.

Everything must go
somewhere
When a piece of paper is thrown away, it disappears from
sight but it does not cease to exist. It ends up elsewhere.
Gases released in smokestacks may disperse but it will end up
a component of the atmosphere or brought down by rains.
What a particular type of waste does to the earth's repository
should be of concern to us. It may be a pollutant or a resource
depending on certain factors.
Since wastes are not lost to oblivion, and even goes back to
one's own backyard in some other forms, it is important that
one becomes aware of the different types of wastes
whether they are hazardous or not. Classification of wastes
facilitates their proper disposal and minimizes, if not prevents,
the entry of toxic wastes in vital ecosystems and ensures
reconversion into useful forms.

Ours is a finite (limited)
earth
The earths resources can be classified as either renewable or non-
renewable. Renewable resources are those that can easily be
replenished by natural cycles (e.g. water, air, plants, and animals) while
non-renewable resources are those that cannot be replenished through
natural cycles (e.g. ores of various metals, oil, coal).
Although renewable resources can be replenished, it is important to
note that these are renewable only as long as they are not overused nor
destroyed from such factors such as pollution. To ensure that these
resources will be continually replenished, it is essential to know how
much of a resource can be consumed at a given time to balance the rate
of exploitation with the rate of replenishment.
Just how long would the earth be able to sustain demands on its
resources? This is a question that needs serious reflection. Unless the
factors of population growth, lifestyles, and polluting technologies are
checked, the collapse of the earth might be inevitable.
Awareness of the earth's limited resources leads to a conscious effort to
change one's consumerist attitude as well as to develop processes and
technology that would bring about effective recycling of a great number
of resources.
Nature is beautiful and we
are stewards of God's
creation
Among all creatures, humans are the only ones made in God's image
and have been given the right to have dominion over all His
creations. Being the most intelligent and gifted with reason, humans
are capable of manipulating creation to their own advantage. Yet,
creation exists not to be ravaged or abused but to be taken care of.
Humans cannot exist without nature. They are co-natural with the
environment they live in. If the environment they live in is
destroyed, with it will go Homo Sapiens.
This principle is inherent in all religious and tribal beliefs. Teachings
of Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam enjoin everyone to respect all
life and the order of nature. Words of Chief Seattle, Macli-ing Dulag,
and Chito Mendez point to our duty to discern the true worth of
modern systems and techniques to reject those that degrade, and
promote those that elevate the human condition.

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