Matt

Gabriel Walkup

FRS 130

1/26/12

ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS ESSAY

Before taking this class, I never really thought of having an environmental ethic. To be honest I had never even heard of it. I have not gave much thought about my surrounding environment and the damage that everyone living in it and myself can and have done to it. I have not thought about all of the pollutants, trash, and chemicals that end up in our drinking water every day, which is not only affecting the human beings drinking it but also the water life living in our lakes and rivers. But over these last three weeks I have come to understand some important environmental problems and I have developed my own environmental ethic.

Since humans have been around, we have always interacted with our environment. Although out interactions have not always been the same as other. Some have used their environment to make money while others view their environment as sacred. The Romans, for instance, used their environment to make a profit. They cleared forests for crops and livestock, to build ships and houses, and to heat their homes. By doing this, it caused a decline in animal diversity and erosion. The Native Americans on the other hand saw their environment as holy and sacred. Everything on this Earth held a significant meaning to them. They did not try to take advantage of the environment. They used from it what they needed to survive. I believe Native Americans understood the environment and people now days should try to do the same.

Water-related environmental issues were very important for me trying to figure out my environmental ethic. Our planet is made up of 75 percent water and of that only 3 percent is fresh water and of that 3 percent, .3 is usable for us to drink. This blows my mind. Our water sources are getting polluted everyday by pesticides, plastics, chemical and industrial processes, etc. I can see why only .3 percent of our water is usable. This is...