Okay, so apparently I am unaware of the definition of a "real" post. But I guess it does not include papers. At least that's what certain, more dedicated, bloggers tell me. Apparently that's a cop-out. I disagree, but let's just call it even (since it's my blog).
Christmas time is a funny time of year. We have about 2 weeks until the 25th, but I must admit...I don't feel like I'm very much in the Christmas mood. Maybe it's because I have a total of zero decorations up; maybe it's because it's middle of exams. Perhaps it is because it's 70 degrees out and sunny everyday. Oh, wait. That's in Florida, not Boone.
I mean, I've gotten most of my Christmas presents and what not, but there's something missing. So how can I conquer this dilemma? Let's brainstorm. I can go to Big Lots before work tomorrow and get icicle lights. That's festive. And I can leave them up all year for an extra touch to a boring apartment. Possibly a wreath, although that's pretty one-time-use (and, no, I won't be RE-decorating it for Easter, Mardi Gras, or Shavuot). Maybe I can fill a vase with some holly branches. Those are even free!
Any other free/long-lasting ideas?
Friday, December 12, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
it's exam time and this is a small paper i've written...
for an environmental ethics class which discusses different viewpoints on how to treat nature and other beings
Title: Appalachia’s Loss of Biodiversity
The Appalachian Mountains are some 350 million years old, sharing ranges with Morocco and Scotland. The highest point in Appalachia is 6,684 feet at Mount Mitchell; the average height is 3,000 feet. This provides for some of the world’s most diverse and interesting flora and fauna. Within the past 20 years, however, pollution and global warming have greatly diminished the diversity within these ancient mountains. Some of the lost or endangered species include the gray wolf, the eastern hellbender, the bog rose, and the noonday globe snail, and this is but a sliver of the possible examples of flora and fauna affected by humans in the Appalachian Mountains.
Humans alter biodiversity in many ways, from harmful pollution and emissions to introducing harmful and invasive species to monobreeding certain flora and fauna. The 1990s is the warmest decade on record, with 1998-2005 being the warmest years recorded in history. This change has greatly and irrevocably affected, for example, especially the boreal forests that are unique to high elevation mountains in the southern Appalachians, such as those on top of Grandfather Mountain. These forests date to the last glacial period when as far south as Pennsylvania was glacially covered, resulting in the prominence of boreal forests in the south-eastern United States of America. As the world warmed, the glaciers retreated north and the boreal forests were slowly pushed higher in elevation until they are at the point that they now occupy. It is obvious that global warming is becoming more prominent as these rare forests begin to suffer from pollution and consequently disappear completely from even the highest points in the Appalachians. The loss of these forests means the loss of certain bears, coyotes, foxes, birds, and several species of plants unique to these forests. In addition to this, it signifies the loss of an incredible history and rich culture in the southern Appalachians.
It is imperative to preserve not only boreal forests, but to prevent environmental damage of any type, be it pollution, urbanization, or invasive species. The human species dominates Earth, however, this is not a justification to irrevocably ruin every other species, or indeed, to compromise their existence, in any part of the planet. A being holds moral standing simply through being alive. Merriam-Webster defines “life” as “an organismic state characterized by capacity for metabolism, growth, reaction to stimuli, and reproduction.” If a species merits this classification, humans have no right to compromise its existence. However, this does not prevent this compromising. Humans must understand the extent of their everyday actions and thought processes.
Biodiversity loss is a major problem, no matter what ethical viewpoint one might suppose. Because Americans are famous for their constant cost-benefit analysis, I will discuss this issue from a utilitarian standpoint. According to a study by David Pimentel, “the approximately 50,000 non-indigenous species in the USA cause major environmental damage and losses totaling approximately $137 billion per year.” Humans have introduced various species, from the English sparrow to domesticated cats and dogs, for different reasons, with environmental implications that we are now paying for. In terms of pollution, “the true costs of [nutrient] pollution are probably much greater than $4.3 billion,” in the USA, according to Walter Dodds, from the University of Kansas. It is clear that the loss of biodiversity costs the USA billions of dollars, with no seen benefits.
To use the cost-benefit analysis gives another viewpoint that might be more understandable to a more economically-minded critic, however even Herman Leonard and Richard Zeckhauser admit, “We are not claiming that every important social value can be represented effectively within the confines of cost-benefit analysis. Some values will never fit in a cost-benefit framework…” It is clear, then, that although using this thought process to analyze environmental losses, one must also consider values as “additional considerations,” knowing that there are inherently things that surpass monetary valuation, as is the American norm.
In the process of realizing the importance of biodiversity, and in order to combat the loss of it, there are a number of things we can all do. Simply reducing emissions and pollution is the first step in helping areas such as the boreal forest. Fighting coal mining in the Appalachian Mountains also falls squarely into this category. Gardening, buying organically, and buying locally also encourage agricultural education and thus inhibit the spread of polluting conventional practices. These are simple acts that every Appalachian, indeed, every American and citizen of the world, can take to ensure that humans coexist responsibly and considerately with other species of the world, whether because they have inherent value, or because it is more beneficial to value biodiversity than to spend billions attempting to restore it.
Title: Appalachia’s Loss of Biodiversity
The Appalachian Mountains are some 350 million years old, sharing ranges with Morocco and Scotland. The highest point in Appalachia is 6,684 feet at Mount Mitchell; the average height is 3,000 feet. This provides for some of the world’s most diverse and interesting flora and fauna. Within the past 20 years, however, pollution and global warming have greatly diminished the diversity within these ancient mountains. Some of the lost or endangered species include the gray wolf, the eastern hellbender, the bog rose, and the noonday globe snail, and this is but a sliver of the possible examples of flora and fauna affected by humans in the Appalachian Mountains.
Humans alter biodiversity in many ways, from harmful pollution and emissions to introducing harmful and invasive species to monobreeding certain flora and fauna. The 1990s is the warmest decade on record, with 1998-2005 being the warmest years recorded in history. This change has greatly and irrevocably affected, for example, especially the boreal forests that are unique to high elevation mountains in the southern Appalachians, such as those on top of Grandfather Mountain. These forests date to the last glacial period when as far south as Pennsylvania was glacially covered, resulting in the prominence of boreal forests in the south-eastern United States of America. As the world warmed, the glaciers retreated north and the boreal forests were slowly pushed higher in elevation until they are at the point that they now occupy. It is obvious that global warming is becoming more prominent as these rare forests begin to suffer from pollution and consequently disappear completely from even the highest points in the Appalachians. The loss of these forests means the loss of certain bears, coyotes, foxes, birds, and several species of plants unique to these forests. In addition to this, it signifies the loss of an incredible history and rich culture in the southern Appalachians.
It is imperative to preserve not only boreal forests, but to prevent environmental damage of any type, be it pollution, urbanization, or invasive species. The human species dominates Earth, however, this is not a justification to irrevocably ruin every other species, or indeed, to compromise their existence, in any part of the planet. A being holds moral standing simply through being alive. Merriam-Webster defines “life” as “an organismic state characterized by capacity for metabolism, growth, reaction to stimuli, and reproduction.” If a species merits this classification, humans have no right to compromise its existence. However, this does not prevent this compromising. Humans must understand the extent of their everyday actions and thought processes.
Biodiversity loss is a major problem, no matter what ethical viewpoint one might suppose. Because Americans are famous for their constant cost-benefit analysis, I will discuss this issue from a utilitarian standpoint. According to a study by David Pimentel, “the approximately 50,000 non-indigenous species in the USA cause major environmental damage and losses totaling approximately $137 billion per year.” Humans have introduced various species, from the English sparrow to domesticated cats and dogs, for different reasons, with environmental implications that we are now paying for. In terms of pollution, “the true costs of [nutrient] pollution are probably much greater than $4.3 billion,” in the USA, according to Walter Dodds, from the University of Kansas. It is clear that the loss of biodiversity costs the USA billions of dollars, with no seen benefits.
To use the cost-benefit analysis gives another viewpoint that might be more understandable to a more economically-minded critic, however even Herman Leonard and Richard Zeckhauser admit, “We are not claiming that every important social value can be represented effectively within the confines of cost-benefit analysis. Some values will never fit in a cost-benefit framework…” It is clear, then, that although using this thought process to analyze environmental losses, one must also consider values as “additional considerations,” knowing that there are inherently things that surpass monetary valuation, as is the American norm.
In the process of realizing the importance of biodiversity, and in order to combat the loss of it, there are a number of things we can all do. Simply reducing emissions and pollution is the first step in helping areas such as the boreal forest. Fighting coal mining in the Appalachian Mountains also falls squarely into this category. Gardening, buying organically, and buying locally also encourage agricultural education and thus inhibit the spread of polluting conventional practices. These are simple acts that every Appalachian, indeed, every American and citizen of the world, can take to ensure that humans coexist responsibly and considerately with other species of the world, whether because they have inherent value, or because it is more beneficial to value biodiversity than to spend billions attempting to restore it.
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