postscript

Throughout the book, Kohak interprets a variety of philosophers' views on ecological ethics, how humans should treat the world around us, and where our place in it fits. He presents each theory or idea from a third person point of view, avoiding to add his own input until the end. In the postscript, we are finally able to understand where Kohak stands. "I love this Earth...I rejoice in all that is and...I dread wanton destruction and vain perishing" (155). Kohak, like all of the other philosophers, loves the Earth and life, and disagrees with vain consumerism and destruction of such a beautiful gift. He reveals his support for "flannel" ecology which seeks the practice of treading lightly on the earth, respecting it and taking care of it. He states that overconsumption and overpopulation may be the two driving forces that are leading to the destruction of the earth and its resources. The problem is that we do not know, or fully understand what we are actually doing, and by becoming aware of our actions' effects, the problem can be reduced.

Kohak shares with us his own personal testimonies that led him to his decision about our role in the world. Both of his stories about the fly caused me to think twice about how I treat another creature, even something so small and numerous as flies.
Kohak continues to agree with the philosophers that Earth simply can not handle all of the demands that we are creating. This is where we have a choice to either continue living out our demands, or where we realize the future consequences and begin taking care of what we have damaged. Kohak states how greed and unwise choices are the problems; things such as controlling overpopulation would only slightly affect the outcome, where greed is the root of it all.

He presents two distinct strategies: use more effective technology, or have a less demanding humanity. The solution to these strategies is to use or want less and produce more; live modestly and working hard to fix the already present problems. If technology is increased, it will only be used to satisfy the more demanding population, increasing the problem. This leads to the most effective solution being a "more frugal and more generous humankind in what today is the over consuming world" (161). Kohak explains that we need to understand the suffering we put on other beings in this world, and we need to share the Earth in harmony with all life.
He ends with our role being to "act locally", living in peace with life so that life on Earth can go on.