The last discussion was very interesting; Thanks Joel! All the topics were very interesting and thought provoking. One thing I have thought of in discussions about deep and shallow ecology is that we may be underplaying the importance of shallow ecology. The deep ecologists continually say that shallow ecology is useless and that everyone needs a completely new mind set that is environmentally friendly. When looking at this it seems bizarre. I don’t think anyone will wake up one morning and decide, “Hey I’m not going to create an impact on the earth, I’m not driving a car, etc”. That is completely unrealistic. I believe that shallow ecology, especially flannel ecology, creates a stepping stone that could eventually lead to a deep ecology mind set. By going out and planting trees, spending time in wilderness, or cleaning parks, a person may develop a love for the land. From this love may come the deep ecology mindset that is needed for sustainability on earth. I believe that shallow ecology is the only thing that makes deep ecology possible. I doubt any deep ecologist just became one over night, I imagine they had many experiences in nature that were “shallow” that developed their current view point.
The only problem with Tori’s statement about reintroducing predators into the wilds to control populations, thereby reducing the need to hunt is that its not plausible in today’s world. The populations of predators are decimated and the amount of wilderness left is shrinking fast. Predators require huge tracts of undisturbed land to sustain them, and there just isn’t enough of this left to maintain a healthy population. I know about the natural cycle that involves peaks and lows of prey and predator. The fact is that human interference is going to prevent the reemergence of predators. Also, lots of overpopulation of deer, rabbits, etc. occur in places such as Fort Thomas. Obviously a large population of predators cannot be maintained in such an environment.
I think many people took Joel’s presentation the wrong way. Its a philosophical discussion and some people took it personally. The fact that everyone fails to see is that the points he brings up actually would help control population. Its just that nobody wants to be controlled by regulations or make sacrifices. That is the reason that this world is in trouble. We aren’t going to change as a society, because as a whole we are selfish. I find it funny that people say deep ecology is what needs to happen, but when it is disguised without a name people freak out. If a person was actually a deep ecologist they would take steps to lessen their impact on the world. This exemplifies that sadly, deep ecology is not feasible, because no one is willing to sacrifice their “rights”.
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