Saturday, May 4, 2013

Unit Paper 4

 

Healing the Planet—It’s Up To Us To Save It



The world that we all live in now is a high-tech, low-touch society, where humans across the globe are absorbed in consumerism, materialism and high tech technology. Yes, we are to blame for all our environmental problems now and it’s up to us to be a part of the solution.

Some of the top environmental issues are:

·      Over Population
·      Increased Resource Use
·      Destruction and degradation of wildlife habitats, & extinction of plant and animal species.
·      Poverty and pollution

All these issues are interconnected with no apparent end in sight, except our mutually assured destruction.

One “environmental pioneer,” who continues to make an environmental difference on this planet, even after his death, is David Brower, who was considered by many as the, “father of the modern environmental movement”. Taking the place of John Muir, founder of Sierra Club, after John died, David brought the Sierra Club to new political heights as well as expanding their membership into the thousands. He opened up new networks and started some environmental non-profits that are still going strong today.

He also established 10 new national parks and seashores, and played a role in the clearance of the Wilderness Act of 1964. Brower died in his Berkeley home in 2000 at the age of 88.

In David’s hometown of Berkeley, California, sits the David Brower Center.  One of the Bay Area’s most advanced “green buildings,” and is a central hosting spot for green exhibits, lectures and networking alike, as well as an address for a variety of non-profit organizations--all working and fighting for environmental causes.

Reading about cutting edge innovators such as David Brower, can really inspire a person. For me, it makes me think, how can I live a more natural sustainable life and contribute to making the best choices for replenishing the planet by recycling, using more sustainable resources and leading the best “environmental sound life,” I am able. It's like we are all on the Titanic and we are headed for the big iceberg, and its up to us to slow the ship down and help turn it around before it's too late.

Sources

David Brower Center
Retrieved on 5/1/2013
http://www.browercenter.org/about

Architects of Peace Foundation
Retrieved on 5/1/2013
http://www.architectsofpeace.org/architects-of-peace/david-brower

Earth Island Institute
Retrieved on 5/1/2013
http://www.earthisland.org/index.php/aboutUs/story/

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