Navigating Environmental Ethics in a Modern World
All things living have an intrinsic right to exist. That is the basis of Deep Ecology, a theory that branches off of environmental ethics. Environmental ethics is an established field of practical philosophy which reconstructs the essential types of argumentation that can be made for protecting natural entities and the sustainable use of natural resources. Environmental ethics exerts influence on a large range of disciplines including environmental law, environmental sociology, ecotheology, ecological economics, ecology and environmental geography.
Deep ecology goes so far as to say that if the seed of a pine tree begins to germinate and sprout into the tall pine that it was meant to be, striving to be the best version of itself, doesn’t that tree inherently have the right to ample nutrients, water, and clean air? Does the incubating chick inherently have the right to its mother’s warmth as she roosts? Does the human child intrinsically have the right to their mother’s milk, her care, and shelter among other survival needs solely because the baby now exists in the world? The school of thought within the discipline of Deep Ecology simplifies and justifies accessibility to resources for all living things. Keeping in mind that all men are created equal, who is to say that we do not have the right to clean air, clean water, or an undisturbed habitat? Virtually no one has the right to take that away from the other. In this age of technology and high-speed development, we can observe that large corporate entities have adopted a power for themselves that govern who will have their basic needs met and who will lose them in an act of self-interest. This violation of basic intrinsic rights is also called environmental injustice (which will not be discussed in this post for simplicity’s sake. Check out ‘Defining Environmental Justice in an Unbalanced World’ in a later post)
Life on Earth, as we have come to realize over millennia, is rare. As far as we know, this planet is unique to our solar system where at every corner, it is brimming with diverse life. Richness and diversity of life-forms are values themselves and contribute to the flourishing of human and non-human life on Earth. Deep Ecology promotes the inherent value of all living beings regardless of their instrumental utility to human needs. Furthermore, it demands the restructuring of modern human societies in accordance with such ideas. This may be difficult to accept because of the deeply rooted ideologies that are centered around man as the most important, most prioritized living creature on the planet; however, who are you to say that you are more important than the tree that built your house or gave you shade on a hot day? Aren't we all interconnected? Aren’t we all parts of the whole? Deep Ecology leads us to these kinds of questions. Considering all of this, humans have no right to reduce this richness and diversity except to satisfy vital human needs.
Now that we have a basic understanding of Deep Ecology, we can now think about how to apply this theory to our daily lives, to decision-making, or to policy reform. If the act is going to destroy life, encroach on another’s basic needs, or permanently ruin another’s livelihood, then the act should be reconsidered. If society adopted environmental ethics into its leadership, it would look very similar to that of indigenous cultures, where impact on non-human life-forms is minimal. Rather than destroy or encroach upon, how can we create, innovate, support, and uplift?
Currently, human interference with nature is excessive, rapidly worsening, and ultimately causing irreparable damage. When we as a society gain an understanding of Deep Ecology and its importance, we rethink how we treat human and non-human life-forms. When this philosophy is applied to the modern world, it contributes to the improvement of our current situation and to the evolution of society. There would be an increase in clean air, clean water, and undisturbed habitat for all beings. Environmental ethics could influence new markets, job opportunities, stewardship, land management, and innovations. It widens the frontier for change, contrary to opposing beliefs which preach that environmental justice has a narrowing effect.
Environmental ethics and Deep Ecology lead us to consider our relationship to the natural world and its ecological services it provides. We should not protect the pine tree just because it provides us shade, but because it deserves to exist undisturbed. Frankly, we would be nothing without the natural world that gives and gives and gives. At the very least, we should encourage our leaders and business owners to make informed, ethical decisions not because of our own benefit but for the benefit of all life-forms that exist.
