Haven Larrabee-Davis

Environmental Ethics
Final EE Essays
30 November 2015
Environmental Ethics Essays

Climate change is one of the most significant threats facing our world
today. Humanity has a huge effect on global climate change. We have the
opportunity and the power to slow and stop global climate change.The best way
that we can decrease global warming is to cut down our anthropogenic emissions
of greenhouse gasses. Mainly produced by carbon fossil fuels, our economy
throughout the world is addicted to energy. If we were somehow able to get every
country to relinquish fossil fuel production if would so dramatically cut back our
emissions of greenhouse gasses it would make a huge turn of events for our
planet. But that level of cooperation and teamwork needed would be
unprecedented, and governments do not consider it is a realistic scenario. We
just need the willpower to save our world. Wind mills and solar panels are all
great and healthy ways to capture energy. Without causing harm to the world that
is providing it to us. Climate engineering, also called geoengineering, could
consist anywhere from mirrors in space that would deflect just enough sunlight
away from Earth to cancel out warming due to increased carbon dioxides in the
atmosphere to fertilizing the oceans to increase the natural marine food chain, it
would take up more of the carbon dioxides from our atmosphere. But by us doing

so, we would disrupt the very foundation of the global food chain as a whole.
Carbon dioxide has been, and will continue to be, dissolved into the oceans
making them more and more acidic. Its estimated that by the end of this century,
coral reefs will not be able to grow and form anymore. Us, as individuals, can do
simple things that make a difference in emissions of greenhouse gasses. It would
be as easy as turning all your lights off in your house, or even in the room as
youre leaving, riding a bike to places nearby instead of using your car for
everything.
Although global climate change is a real and prominent event happening
in our world today, despite this many people dont believe that it is real and
affecting them. A lot of people arent really educated on the aspect of global
climate change, its not a topic that is talked about or portrayed all around us
often. And sometimes if they do hear about it, they receive false information and
statistics from sources that have their own agenda. They might also argue that
global warming is an inadequate description of what is happening because the
planet isnt only warming, but there are many other changes throughout our
ecosystems and atmosphere that result from global climate change. Rejecting
global warming appeals to many people self interest for their lifestyle because
they wouldnt have to give up any aspects that they favor. Because cold weather
occurs people take that as proof that the world isnt getting warmer. For example,
a couple years ago during a heavy, cold winter in the Roaring Fork Valley much
of the community believed that because it was so cold, the world wasnt
becoming warmer through climate change. Majority of the deniers either dont

think there will be an effect on future generations, or they dont care. People
believe that if there isnt serious proof its physically having an impact on them,
they dont think its up to them to try and stop a problem that they dont see is a
reality.
In the wake of human events, many species of plants and animals have
gone extinct. Humans have an incredible amount of power over if these species
live or die. To keep the Earth living and sustainable humans needs to make an
effort to save the other species rather than just themselves. Anthropocentrism is
the belief that human beings are the center or most important species on this
planet. Anthropocentrism basically puts human beings above our environment
and animals all around us. From an anthropocentric point of view biodiversity is
an important part of what keeps the world habitable for humans. Biocentrism is
the belief that the needs and rights of humans are not more important than other
living things. Biocentrism calls for a rethinking of the relationship and bonds
between humans and nature. The focus of biocentrism is that plants and animals
are an important and essential part of life. There are exceptions of biocentrism
for instance, invasive species of either plants or animals can damage or destroy
ecosystems so they may not be held as highly valued in that specific ecosystem.
The balance of nature is very fragile. Care and respect is needed to help
maintain life cycles and food chains. In order for nature to thrive humans need to
make more than an effort to not destroy it, but they need to protect the balance of
life. Society needs to rethink every action it takes with a perspective based on
protecting biodiversity. For an ecocentric perspective, humanity needs to build

and construct with the purpose to coexist with ecosystems and not to destroy
them. If people were to build their cities and roads to incorporate wildlife, rivers,
oceans, and landscape than a healthy ecosystem can grow and develop to
coexist together.