Political Ecology has different levels of definitions depending on the scope of a given perspective. One concept that I find interesting is how we separate the word nature from environment. Essentially nature has a larger scope than that of what is implied by the word environment. Regardless of what word and what scope we have in mind about our surroundings, one prevailing concept emerges. The idea that we are part of nature and part of the environment, with that in mind, it only follows that we must have some sort of ethical duty towards it. Imagine a river as being a part of you much like the arteries in your heart. Wouldn’t you want this river to be free from pollution the same way you would want the arteries in your heart to be? The evidence that humanity is devastating environments around the world with pollution is hard to miss. I have seen water pollution on immense scales when I was in India for a year. It is horrific to see a dolphin lying on the beach covered in tar.
Personally, I believe that every human being has the capacity to understand their effect on the environment in the same way we have the capacity to understand the effect of pollutants in our body. The idea is to determine how we must act in order to achieve the most prosperous environments. Thinking about the way our infrastructure is set up it becomes clear that we are in need of new cleaner system. Just imagine all the chemicals that are being washed into storm water drains around the country and eventually out to sea. Can we afford to live without fish in the ocean? Seeing that life first emerged out of the ocean, it is my belief that we must protect it at all costs.
It is paramount that our generation understands that fossil fuels as a means of transportation are obsolete. Instead we must use energy sources that have little to no effect on the environment. Engines that convert water into hydrogen already exist and are free of pollution. Solar powered technology is only getting better, have you seen Tesla’s new solar shingles?