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Blog 10 - Climate

According to our text, Sustainability Principles and Practice, during the last ice age, when ice formed a mile or two deep covered parts of Europe and North America, the average world temperature was only 9 degrees Fahrenheit colder than it is now. This fact is astounding, to say the least, to think that we are possibly so close to such devastation. With such an extreme change of climate, it is hard to believe that mankind would survive. It amazes me that some people continue to ignore the scientific facts that we’ve been provided on the detrimental effects of global warming. These people look more at the short-term goals of economic growth through mining natural resources like fossil fuels, rather than the long-term effect of their great grandchildren being unable to sustain themselves on earth. Sadly, a more obvious wakeup call will probably be necessary to convince such people of the growing issue at hand, and hopefully, that wakeup call doesn’t have to be North America freezing over entirely.

Retrieved from: https://planetnerdy.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/thelastday/ice-age-new-york-harbour-freezes-over-in-the-film-the-day-after-tomorrow/

The text also stated that scientists believe that within the next century, the ocean is believed to rise by 3 feet to tens of feet. This is something I have heard my whole life in school and on the news but never thought of the real impact this could have. Some positive outcomes could result for business such as the opening of new shipping lanes throughout the ocean, but these economic gains will be short lived and overshadowed by the economic downfalls happening back on land. Just considering my home state, Florida, the economic effects could be disastrous. With rising sea levels, the beaches, which are probably the larger factor for vacationers, could be destroyed and leave us without the economic growth travelers and snowbirds provide to our state. Also, areas below sea level could experience flooding that causes billions in damages to homes and business as well as damage to our wildlife.

Retrieved from: https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2749/ramp-up-in-antarctic-ice-loss-speeds-sea-level-rise/

According to an article from NASA.org, “Ramp-up in Antarctic ice loss speeds sea level rise”, since 2012, ice loss per year in the Antarctic has tripled (from about 83.8 billion tons per year prior to 2012, to 241.4 billion tons since 2012). This has led to a dramatic spike in rising sea levels. The article also talked about the fact that if the continent were to melt entirely, the stores of ice are large enough to raise global sea levels by 190 feet. The rise of water to the height of a 19-story building would be more than enough to completely cover the state of Florida, which is largely already under sea level. This article was posted on June 13th of this year and relates directly to this weeks topic of climate change and the catastrophic effects that can result.

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

Ramp-up in Antarctic ice loss speeds sea level rise – Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet. (2018, June 13). Retrieved from https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2749/ramp-up-in-antarctic-ice-loss-speeds-sea-level-rise/

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Blog 9 - Waste

In our text, Sustainability Principles and Practice, there is a short section speaking about the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch”. This garbage patch is located within the Pacific Ocean, about twice the size of Texas, and still growing. The fact that our modern civilization has come to create and accumulate such an immense mass of waste that has now polluted our oceans I absolutely terrible. While the garbage may be “out-of-sight, out-of-mind”, the toxic materials are causing disastrous effects on our sea life and without these creatures, we would lose a large portion of our diet and could lead to mass starvation. Luckily, organizations such as “Waste Free Oceans” have already begun to clean up the waterways, but this initiative will be impossible to keep up with if populations continue to waste at the current projection. Therefore, there must be a worldwide initiative implemented if we ever intend to clean up our oceans.

Pacific plastic dump far larger than feared: Study. (2018, March 22). Retrieved from https://phys.org/news/2018-03-pacific-plastic-dump-larger.html

In the video, “The Story of Stuff”, the narrator said that the Amazon forest is losing 2,000 trees a minute... that is an unfathomable number for me. The very thing that gives us the ability to breath is being destroyed in rates as if it were an enemy army in World War 3. How could people be so destructive without giving a second thought to this tragedy we commit? We must reintegrate society into nature to develop a more biophilic view. Currently, people are so far separated from the destruction of our forests that they can remain blissfully unaware while building more houses with more materials taken from the environment. People may be more hesitant to go buy a new house or product (made from resources from places like the Amazon) if they were to see such horror before their eyes. This is much like the effect the film “Food Inc.” had on me when I became more cognizant of the meat I eat after watching them pull the curtain back on the meat industry.

Osava, M. (2011, August 21). Biofuel production: A threat to livelihoods. Retrieved July 12, 2018, from https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2011/08/2011821754661632.html

In the video, “The Story of Solutions”, I was intrigued by the idea of “Collaborative Consumption”, which is a fancy word for sharing. I myself have started using this trend without even realizing it was a new trend. Using “Airbnb” and other sharing apps you can reduce your vacation costs tremendously. I've found that often, a one bedroom hotel in the same location often costs twice what a 2 bedroom apartment costs. With these new apps, we can cut down on the construction of new buildings and just use the resources we already have in a collaborative manner.

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

The story of stuff: With Annie Leonard [Video file]. (2007). Retrieved from https://storyofstuff.org/movies/story-of-stuff/

The Story of Solutions [Video file]. (2013, October). Retrieved July 12, 2018, from https://storyofstuff.org/movies/the-story-of-solutions/ 

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Blog 8 - Food

In our text, Sustainability principles and practice, it spoke about an agriculture design called “Permaculture”. The book said that permaculture is “a way of living and growing crops in partnership with self-organizing, interconnected ecosystems using renewable energy and local resources.” I chose this quote/definition because this way of farming seems like a breath of fresh air in comparison to what I just watched in the film “Food, Inc.”. In Food, Inc. the farms consist of cattle standing in there own feces, and chickens never seeing the light of day. Though I’m no vegan, I do believe in animals having the right to live a life free of torture and in an environment as close to their natural one as possible. With permaculture, the animal life of the farm like chickens consists of playing a role in the nutrient cycle and controlling farm pests. Although the produce from these smaller farms would be exponentially more expensive, I think the price is worth it knowing that there would be considerably less harmful chemicals and hormones in the food you would be consuming.

Profitable and Ecological Small-Scale Farming. (2018, February 28). Retrieved from https://bcfarmsandfood.com/profitable-ecological-small-scale-farming/

According to the film, Food Inc., when you purchase a tomato at the supermarket, or a restaurant, “Although the tomato looks like a tomato, it's merely just the idea of a tomato (Kenner, 2008) “. This is quite alarming to know that something that seems so untouched by man or science is, in fact, the product of those very things. With year-round demand for tomatoes by big companies and the United States population, the producers must use chemicals to speed up the ripening and growing of tomatoes. If these chemicals can cut a large portion of growing time off of the tomatoes, what can they do to the human body once ingested? This is something that could probably be researched, but that’s something my summer classes don’t allow time for even though I’m interested, yet timid to discover.

B. (2009, August 11). You've seen Food Inc. Now what? | Columbus Food Adventures. Retrieved from https://columbusfoodadventures.com/2009/blog/youve-seen-food-inc-now-what

America is full of carnivores as the film, Food Inc. puts it. When the average U.S. citizen eats 200lbs of meat yearly, the slaughterhouses and cattle ranches must use short-cuts to meet supply the market. A surprising quote from the film was that “Chickens are grown in half the time and at twice the size than they were in the past 50 years (Kenner, 2008)”. The hormones used to bulk up these chickens is astounding to think it can have such massive results, but do these hormones cross over into the consumer in a damaging way? With so many potential negative effects that could come from ingesting these hormones, it’s enough for even a meat lover like myself to take a second look at being a vegan or vegetarian.

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

Kenner, R. (Director), Kenner, R., & Pearlstein, E. (Producers), & Kenner, R., Pearlstein, E., & Roberts, K. (Writers). (n.d.). Food, inc. [Video file].

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Blog 7 - Pollution

In our text, Sustainability principles and practice has a quote from Cunningham that says, “Nearly every human on earth carries detectable levels of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) within their body.”  This is terrifying to know that we have toxic chemicals floating through our bloodstreams and flowing through our airways, but not surprising considering the amount of pollution that us humans add into the environment. It’s hard to even think of a place untouched by pollution, and that’s because there probably isnt one. When the materials to build the homes around us are toxic and the air we breath is laced with harmful chemicals, there's no place to run. Even in light of this factual evidence though, many still claim that no pollution is evident and that funding to pollution clean-up programs should be decreased. Hopefully, our president will recognize the nessesity for pollution clean-up and prevention initiatives and fund them for further expansion. 

Cama, T. (2018, January 25). EPA loosens rules on some 'major' air pollution sources. Retrieved from http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/370786-epa-loosens-rules-on-some-major-air-pollution-sources

The next quote that caught my eye was one from Rachel Carson’s excerpt from Silent Spring. The quote spoke of pollution as “man’s war against nature.” This is necessarily a war fought with guns, but it will eventually come to affect our lives just as a war does in taking life. The question that comes to my mind when reading this quote is if this an unintentional war or one that was purposeful in man’s eye and maybe even sprouted from a place of Biophilia? I believe that it is a little bit of both. Man wishes to develop and grow but must create room for this growth by ridding of natural habitat and the byproducts of their creations are just as harmful to the environment as their bulldozer that tore it apart in the first place. 

War Archives. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.artofmarkbryan.com/ngg_tag/war/

BPA, which stands for bisphenol A, is a chemical used in the produciton of plastics and resins such as those used in water bottles, or even dental sealants. The danger of this product is that it has been found to leak into the food or liquids contained within BPA lined containers. The chemical may have negative side effects on the brain, behavior and prostate gland of fetuses, infants, and children. It can also affect adults in their secretion, production and proper use of hormones. With a chemical like this that has such a potential for causing harm to the human, it’s frightening to know how many of our everyday use products contain it. 

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

University Colloquium: A Sustainable Future. (2011). Action, MA: XanEdu Publishing

Bauer, M. B. (2016, March 11). Tips to reduce your exposure to BPA. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/bpa/faq-20058331

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Blog 6 - Water

When reading through the “Water” chapter, I stumbled upon a quote saying, “In the Everglades, one is most aware of the superb monotony of sawgrass...”. This is so true and takes me back to fishing with my grandfather, closing my eyes and hearing the “superb” ocean of golden sawgrass rustle in the wind. The sound was so relaxing like that of a tape someone might play of the ocean to go to sleep. It may seem monotonous, but it serves a purpose that cant be replaced by anything else. Some may see this as land for development, but we must shift our perspective to that of respecting this national treasure and also protecting it by supporting policies and donating to national parks like the Everglades to continue restoring areas damaged in the past and preventing any future damages. 

Everglades National Park. (n.d.). Retrieved June 21, 2018, from http://www.cynic.org.uk/photos/USA200903/Florida/Everglades/

A quote that caused frustration within me was in “The Nature of the Everglades” section where the author described how people in the past viewed the Everglades. They saw it as “a series of vast, miasmic swamps, poisonous lagoons... malignant with tropical fevers and malaria, evil to the white man.” Luckily people with this perspective didn't have the manpower or resources to rid of this “nuisance” that they perceived; if they had we probably our aquifers would be dried up and Florida would look a lot like California with droughts every year. Also, without the barrier the Everglades provides, floods would be a much more common occurrence and our farmlands would be washed away without the marshes and swamps to slow and absorb rain waters.

From Ft. Myers. (n.d.). Retrieved June 21, 2018, from https://ecosafari.com/activities/everglades-day-safari/

GRACE's Water Footprint Calculator. (n.d.). Retrieved June 21, 2018, from https://www.watercalculator.org/wfc2/q/household/

“About average” water usage is what I had expected, but I must say that I wish it were more below average. The amount of water that my 3 person household uses up daily is actually surprising though. To think that some people around the world may go an entire day without water and here I am using up 1,835 gallons of it every day. As I’ve said before, since I’m in a full-time program, there doesn't seem to be much extra time in the week to work toward better sustainability in my home like installing low flow toilets or faucets, but once I get a place of my own I hope to make these installments to decrease my water footprint as well as my bills. The benefits to the environment and your wallet will hopefully push people toward taking some of these same steps toward sustainability.

University Colloquium: A Sustainable Future. (2011). Action, MA: XanEdu Publishing

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In our text, Vandana Shiva was quoted to say, “All life forms have an intrinsic worth and right to evolve freely on their own terms.” When I read this, I can see both sides of the argument of whether animals have rights. “Agribusinesses” that choose to nearly torture their livestock, keep them in tight living spaces with little to no sunlight, and pumping them full of hormones to increase sales is absolutely disgusting. These animals, even if they are born on a farm and raised for the purpose of sale to the highest bidder (big business or small local farm), they still deserve a quality life with a free range of the fields and without fear of torture. At the same time though, I believe that they’re a part of the food chain like any other species and with humans at the top, we have a job to control the population. Once a predator goes extinct, then their prey become much more pervasive and can lead to the extinction of a species beneath them since they overcrowd the ecosystem they reside in. We must respect animals and be grateful for what they provide us in order to survive, but if we all had the same mindset of being vegan and letting the animals live their lives I believe there would quickly be a lack of resources to sustain us on Earth.

https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/agriculture-and-fisheries/environmental-farm-plans

A quote by Aldo Leopold that made me think was that “Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land.” This definition is put so clearly that it isn’t a fight between big business and activists fighting for the preservation of the trees, rather it’s a balance between man’s expansion/creation and the flora and fauna that sustains our lives. Without this balance, more habitats are destroyed, and land used for crops and cattle dwindles leaving us high and dry. This is just another example that balance is essential in every facet of life. Too much of anything, even the success of mankind, can lead to destruction.

https://www.1limburg.nl/dit-jaar-nog-de-eerste-tiny-houses-venlo

An area in which I exhibit a land sustainability ethic is how once I graduate, a “tiny home” is something that seems quite attractive to me. The concept of leaving a smaller carbon footprint fascinates me and with tiny houses comes minimalism. With such small space, you quickly learn what is necessary and items are just luxury, which decreases clutter and waste. Although this lifestyle seems attractive, currently I live a life full of factors that are not directed at such a land sustainability ethic such as the fact that I drive 700-900 miles a week in my own car, and shop from big stores like Walmart and Costco almost exclusively. Hopefully, in the near future, I can find a balance between these two styles of life.

University Colloquium: A Sustainable Future. (2011). Action, MA: XanEdu Publishing.

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Blog #4 - Biophilia and Nature Deficit Disorder

“The affinity for life or biophilia competes with other drives and affinities, including biophobia disguised beneath the attractions and presumptions of progress found in economics, management, and technology.” (Orr 187) When asked whether I have biophilia or biophobia, I would undoubtedly say I am a biophilic person, but when reading this quote in our text I can't help but question the degree to which I am biophilic. Economics, management, and technology are all quite can be distracting from the natural world around us. When you bring “economics” into the picture I think about the camping trips and hikes I said no to so I could get ahead on my career, or make another dollar. This means that the hike I want to do Northbound on the Appalachian trail gets pushed off time and time again whenever an opportunity to progress my career comes up. In a way, this is making me biophobic since that I associate taking time to be in nature as a direct correlation with losing progress. Another thing separating us from biophilia is technology, which includes comforts such as air conditioning and television. If I’m going camping I won't be caught dead staying in a camper because I want to take all parts of the experience in as much as possible, but most would prefer a cozy night in the camper than in a tent under the stars.

RV Sites. (n.d.). Retrieved June 4, 2018, from https://koa.com/ways-to-stay/rv-sites/

The next quote I found interest in was more of a fact which stated, that as of the first decade within the 20th century nearly 40 percent of American elementary schools have gotten rid of outside recreation (recess). Along with this, it seems that the rate of ADHD diagnosis has increased. Is this a coincidence? I believe it’s directly correlated with the decreased time schools give the brain to relax and play. 

Ethics and the Design of Technology. (n.d.). Retrieved June 4, 2018, from http://sites.psu.edu/ethicsdesigntechnology/2010/06/20/alive-playground/

The drugs given for ADHD (amphetamines) mimic what actual activity and exercise do which is to stimulate the senses and brain. Even though amphetamines stimulate the brain in most people, in those with ADHD, it has a calming effect. It seems to be that this is due to the fact that their brain craves activity and is preoccupied until activity occurs, which the drug provides. If we bring recess back, the developing brains of these children could have a break from the monotonous classroom and allow them to stretch outside. The USA though decides to continue on this path of increased class time, while nations at the top of testing scores like Switzerland give their students 5-10 min of homework nightly so they can go home and have time to play. Rather than learning from those nations at the top who encourage activity and exercise, we double down on increasing class time which has not as of yet proven effective.

Over the years of living in Florida, I have found peace when relaxing on the Venice beach at sunset. Closing my eyes and listening to the tide come in and out seems to wash the stress away and that’s why I’ve chosen to draw the picture above.

Sources:

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability Principles and Practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

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Blog #3 Human Sphere and Biosphere

Try our Ecological Footprint Calculator to measure your impact. (n.d.). Retrieved May 28, 2018, from https://www.footprintnetwork.org/resources/footprint-calculator/

Prior to taking this online questionnaire, I had confidence that I would perform well (have a small “footprint”), but while going through the questionnaire provided by “footprintcalculator.org”, I became less and less confident. The result came as a surprise and made me start thinking of ways to decrease my impact on the earth. Ways that I could reduce my footprint include taking public transport or carpooling rather than taking my own personal car everywhere, eating more locally sourced unprocessed food, and encouraging my father to install more eco-friendly appliances around the house. For now though, since I pay for school out of pocket and am unable to invest in a home closer to campus with public transport near, I have no control over things such as the appliances my dad uses or the amount of driving I must do weekly to get from Port Charlotte to Fort Myers (FGCU). These improvements are all in mind though for the first place I get after graduating this December.

Chapter 3 in our text, “The Biosphere”, mostly consists of fasts and vocabulary of the environmental sciences, but a quote caught my attention amongst the numerous factoids. The quote said, “Life has been pursuing its way on the planet for the last 3.8 billion years (Hazen 2012, 149); it has done so successfully, and for all but the last 150,000 years it has done it without the presence of us” (Robertson 2017, 26). The quote made me ponder whether life is still “pursuing its way... successfully” with humanity in the picture. Humankind leaves behind waste, destruction and a dearth of resources. How can this be a success? Hopefully, we can get to the point where we reach sustainability, and then push through to not only sustain ourselves but replenish the Earth’s resources through recycling, developing more efficient technology, and supporting our different ecosystems. 

Inner Evolution: What Would Darwin Say? (2016, August 23). Retrieved May 28, 2018, from http://marcholzman.com/inner-evolution-darwin-say/ 

Chapter 4, “The Human Sphere”, states that “according to research, well-being increases with income only up to a point and beyond that point stops increasing (Easterlin 2002; Daly 2011)”. Once we can as a nation provide running water, nutrition and health care to the population through increases in income, we have reached that point where income has provided well-being. Though we may be told that more money cannot make you happy, industrialized society keeps pushing for more material things, while other populations around the world or even in our “backyards” are starving and maintain below the poverty level. In order to have a sustainable future, the gap between classes should become smaller by increasing the wages of the lower class to allow others to have a livable income. If this does not occur, then the upper class will end up paying for these inequities through externality costs. When those of lower socioeconomic status can’t afford food, or healthcare, or even to support their children, then the upper class will be heavily taxed in order to pay for programs such as Food Stamps, Medicaid, and WIC (externality costs). 

Citations:

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

Easterlin, R. A. (2002). Happiness in economics. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publ.

Daly, H. E., & Farley, J. (2011). Ecological economics principles and applications. Washington: Island Press.

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University Colloquium Blog Post #2 “Livable Cities”

Jacobs, H. (2014, April 28). These Are Some Mesmerizing Photos Of The Urban Sprawl That's Devouring The Planet. Retrieved May 22, 2018, from http://www.businessinsider.com/these-mesmerizing-photos-of-urban-sprawl-2014-4

With populations increasing and land becoming scarcer, we as a civilization must come together in order to develop more livable cities. This requires us to do things such as building upward rather than outward in order to protect agricultural land as well as natural habitats. On the contrary, though, some newer developments are more focused on the present rather than looking to what the future holds with the creation of more unfunctional cities. Within our text, “Sustainability Principles and Practice”, it said that patterns of settlements such as “Sprawl”, which consists of “low-density land use, single-use zoning, and automobile dependency”, is leading to unforeseen consequences. One of these consequences is obesity. The growing issue of obesity has always been blamed on things such as junk food and decreased exercise or laziness, but the root of the issue may be found in our way of developing less functional urban living. With single-use zoning in place, every destination is one that requires a car and cannot safely be traveled to by foot or bicycle leading to a more inactive society that drives where they go rather than burning calories by walking 1/4 to a mile to work, recreation, or a grocery store. There is also a decreased availability of healthy food choices within walking distance. Since the zoning laws prohibit grocery stores from opening within or close to a community, many times a parent or adolescent will just stop at a nearby fast-food restaurant instead. One idea of livable cities that caught my attention was “New Urbanism”, this style drawn from old European urbanism consists of “compact, walkable neighborhoods; mixed-use commercial-residential structures; transit-oriented development; highly connected street networks; human scale buildings (warm and inviting); and a range of housing types and affordability.” Styles like this can breed a renewed sense of community due to the walkable streets you are more likely to exercise and maybe even strike up a conversation with a neighbor, decreased greenhouse emissions can result since less private and more public transport would be utilized, and decreased segregation of classes can even result when a range of affordability options is provided.

HuffPost, O. A. (2017, December 05). They're Building The Sustainable Urban Future Near Boston. Retrieved May 22, 2018, from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/sustainable-smart-city-union-point_us_59dfd221e4b0a52aca16a5b4 

When reading chapter 17 of our text, the section on how humanity is going to be making another major transition. Transitions mentioned were those of when cavemen discovered fire, the complexities of language were created, new ways of creating resources and food through agriculture and the lastly the industrial revolution. Now we live in a time (the Anthropocene epoch) where fossil fuel is dwindling and need for a regenerative/sustainable society is growing. The quote that I found most encouraging was the Latin proverb, “Si ventus non est remiga: If there is no wind, row.” This quote in the text is one of perseverance that tells us not to fear this coming transition, but to push through into a brighter future. When we see oceans rising, livable land decreasing, and species dying we shouldn’t be discouraged, but encouraged to push to create more sustainability and for the improvement of our ecosystems. We must learn from our past and use it to build a foundation for our future.

 Sources

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability Principles and Practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

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University Colloquium (Blog 1)

A quote that caught my attention in the assigned FGCU YouTube video was by Win Everham near the end of the video. He stated that many say that you can’t grow/expand and be environmental. This statement is referring to the fact that with the growth of a population or business comes a decrease in natural environment due to the land needed by the infrastructure to expand. In my opinion, the creation of a university focused on the environment with a required course to inform residents/students of the environment makes a large impact that makes the ends justify the means. If FGCU hadn’t used the land, another more powerful organization would have come along years later and used the land in much more disastrous ways without any inclusion of a plan for positive environmental impact like FGCU has implemented.

B. (2011, September 13). FGCU No. 75 among all schools in South, U.S. News reports in annual rankings. Retrieved May 12, 2018, from http://archive.naplesnews.com/news/education/fgcu-no-75-among-all-schools-in-south-us-news-reports-in-annual-rankings-ep-391050380-342822442.html

In reading through the first chapter of our text, “Sustainability Principles and Practice”, I came across a quote by Hans Carl von Carlowitz which caught my attention. Mr.Carlowitz was a mining administrator and came to an impasse when trying to expand his company. With the expansion of his mining, came excessive deforestation, which he thought could lead to the collapse of his local economy. Although he would profit, the small community around him would suffer. Carlowitz sought a renewable and sustainable way for his company to profit and avoid any detrimental effects to the local economy. This example of recognizing the three interrelated dimensions to sustainability (ecological, economic, and social), should be the framework that business people strive to achieve, but in today’s society, it seems that this is hardly the case. Everyone is looking out for “Number One” rather than working toward a better future. Companies dump their wastes in the least expensive ways to save their wallet, while also destroying ecosystems. 

Diving into the second chapter of our text lead me to the meaning behind the title of “Silent Spring”, a book written in 1962 during the advancing industry of chemicals. While the chemicals such as DDT had their obvious benefits (a decrease in pesky insects), they also had their fair share of detrimental effects. The bodies of birds were found in increasing numbers on front lawns while the spring air became filled with silence, hence the books name. It’s hard to imagine a world without birds creating a day of rich sound, but this is what it sometimes takes to have people recognize that there is a need for balance between ecology, economics, and society. Hopefully we, as a society, won't need another hypothetical slap in the face from mother nature to realize that this balance is crucial for true sustainability.

Del-Colle, A. (2018, February 20). Get to Know These 15 Common Birds. Retrieved May 13, 2018, from https://www.audubon.org/news/get-know-these-15-common-birds Sources M. (2013, January 11). ColloquiumVideo. Retrieved May 12, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3HD1X_Y25w 

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability Principles and Practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.