Transcript Wikipedia 2007 - Furman University

WHAT'S ALL THE FUSS
ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY?
Dr. Wade Worthen
Biology Department
Furman University
sustainability: "a characteristic of a process
or state that can be maintained at a certain
level indefinitely"
- Wikipedia 2007
sustainability: "a characteristic of a process
or state that can be maintained at a certain
level indefinitely"
- Wikipedia 2007
Bein’ able to keep doin’ what you
been doin’
sustainability: "a characteristic of a
process or state that can be maintained
at a certain level indefinitely"
- Wikipedia 2007
-In an expanding system, there are always
more resources – sustainability is easy
- But in finite, bounded systems, resources will
decline and limit the rate of the process
UNLESS:
- But in finite, bounded systems, resources will
decline and limit the rate of the process
UNLESS:
- they regenerate fast enough to meet demand
- But in finite, bounded systems, resources will
decline and limit the rate of the process
UNLESS:
- they regenerate fast enough to meet demand
- efficiency increases so less is needed
- But in finite, bounded systems, resources will
decline and limit the rate of the process
UNLESS:
- they regenerate fast enough to meet demand
- efficiency increases so less is needed
- another resource is substituted
sustainability: "a characteristic of a process
or state that can be maintained at a certain
level indefinitely"
- Wikipedia 2007
Human sustainability: "Meeting the needs of
the present generation without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their
needs."
-Brundtland Commission - 1987
WHAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE IN A FINITE, BOUNDED
SYSTEM?
WHAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE IN A FINITE, BOUNDED
SYSTEM?
Continuous
Growth…
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE NOW?
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE NOW?
(NOW being
the last 150
years!!!!
J. Muir
T. Roosevelt
A. Leopold
R. Carson
J. Cousteau)
our population has been growing by using up resources
and then substituting others...
- 1 billion: ...to about 1850
- 1 billion: ...to about 1850
- 2 billion: 1928 (about 78 yrs)
Five Points - Atlanta
- 1 billion: ...to about 1850
- 2 billion: 1928 (about 78 yrs)
- 3 billion: 1960 (about 32 yrs)
- 1 billion: ...to about 1850
- 2 billion: 1928 (about 78 yrs)
- 3 billion: 1960 (about 32 yrs)
- 5 billion: 1987 (about 15 yrs/billion)
Ozone Hole - 2004
- 1 billion: ...to about 1850
- 2 billion: 1928 (about 78 yrs)
- 3 billion: 1960 (about 32 yrs)
- 5 billion: 1987 (about 13 yrs)
- currently 6.78 billion
- adding about 220,000 people a day….today….
- 1 billion: ...to about 1850
- 2 billion: 1928 (about 78 yrs)
- 3 billion: 1960 (about 32 yrs)
- 5 billion: 1987 (about 13 yrs)
- currently 6.78 billion
- adding about 220,000 people a day now
... and 1/2 are living on less than $2/day...
so there is already evidence that we are
not "sustaining" our population...
"Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the
cancer cell." - Edward Abbey
"Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the
cancer cell." - Edward Abbey
"Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the
cancer cell." - Edward Abbey
"Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the
cancer cell." - Edward Abbey
"Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the
cancer cell." - Edward Abbey
We are realizing that humans have become a planetary
force as a consequence of:
I=PxAxT
IMPACT
population
?
affluence
technology
We are realizing that humans have become a planetary
force as a consequence of:
I = P x A x T (depends on the technological goal!!)
http://www.ejsd.org/public/journal_article/11
Because of our large population and powerful
technologies, we are changing the characteristics of the
planet – the only planet – we depend upon for physical
and psychological sustenance and inspiration
Human domination of the Earth's ecosystems (Vitousek et al. 1997).
And we realize that …
Walt Kelly – 1970, for the first
Earth Day poster
There is nowhere else to go.
There is nowhere else to go.
Really.
There is nowhere else to go. We are stressing our lifesupport systems.
There is nowhere else to go. We are stressing our lifesupport systems.
Really.
There is nowhere else to go. We are stressing our lifesupport systems. We are all in this together.
There is nowhere else to go. We are stressing our lifesupport systems. We are all in this together.
Really.
There is nowhere else to go. We are stressing our lifesupport systems. We are all in this together.
Sustainability...
"The term, in its current
usage, refers to the
potential longevity of
vital human ecological
life-support systems,
such as agriculture,
industry, forestry,
fisheries, urban, and
human communities in
general."
ECONOMY
SOCIETY
ENVIRONMENT
There is nowhere else to go. We are stressing our lifesupport systems. We are all in this together.
ECONOMY
"When we try to pick out
anything by itself, we find it
hitched to everything else in
the Universe."
- John Muir,
My First Summer in the
Sierra, 1911
SOCIETY
ENVIRONMENT
TODAY:
- our effects on the natural environment
- why that is important
- why biodiversity is important to sustainability
- what we can do to maintain biodiversity
- why we should appreciate biodiversity
Human Impacts on the Environment:
Human domination of the Earth's ecosystems (Vitousek et al. 1997).
Land transformation:
Forested Land – U. S.
Land transformation:
Mountaintop removal in West Virginia
Humans are a geological force…
National Forest | National Park
Human are affecting 83% of the land surface area of the
planet… converting forest to field and field to development
50% of the freshwater:
50% of the freshwater:
The Colorado,
like the Nile,
Yellow, and Rio
Grande, doesn’t
reach the ocean
for months each
year. All the
water is diverted.
50% of the freshwater:
The Aral Sea, Kazakhstan
Water diverted
for agriculture
in 1960; by
2007, Sea had
shrunk by 90%
50% of the freshwater:
The Aral Sea, Kazakhstan
- Salinization increased, killing the
productive fisheries industry
- Agricultural lands – salt increased 6X
by 1994 the productivity had dropped by
20-50%.
Marine Fisheries:
- Global fish catch is declining by 500,000 metric tons/yr from peak
in 1987 (Science, 2003).
- Predatory fish (tuna, salmon) and bottom fish (flounder, sole)
have decreased by 90%.
- Farmed fish are fed fish, so that doesn’t relieve the pressure
We are affecting the climate of the planet:
Highest in last 160,000 years….
(Entire history of Homo sapiens)
2009: 387 -
We are affecting the climate of the planet:
All of recent increase in last
200 yrs…
We are affecting the climate of the planet:
Plants can’t absorb it all…
We are affecting the climate of the planet:
2007 – lowest ever
1979
2003
We are affecting the climate of the planet:
(thickness)
- deep sea ice
depth decreased
from mean of 3.1
meters in 1958 to
mean of 1.8 m in
1997
decrease area and
depth; loss of 40%
of the ICE VOLUME
in 40 years (Science
1999).
We are affecting the climate of the planet:
- Icebergs calving off Ross
Shelf – April 2000
(B15 is 4,280 miles2 – about
the size of
CONNECTICUT….)
- Calving off the Larsen Ice
Shelf in 2002; it’s 50 miles
long and as big as Rhode
Island…
We are affecting the climate of the planet:
- Antarctic air temps have risen by 0.5oC/decade for the
last 50 years; 10x faster than the global average.
- Even then, air temp change, alone, can’t explain this
ice loss.
- The ocean is also warming,
melting these shelves from the
bottom. As such, given the
thermal momentum that exists
in the ocean, these shelves will
be gone by the end of the
century.
Shepherd et al., Science 302:
856-859.
We are affecting the climate of the planet:
density
Sea level rise
0 4
Temp oC
We are affecting the climate of the planet:
And we are a coastal species…
We are affecting the climate of the planet:
- Changes in
Plant
Growth:
Crops if CO2
at 550 ppm
We are affecting the climate of the planet:
And we will grow in just the wrong areas…
-Changes in
Plant
Growth:
Crops if CO2
at 550 ppm
We are affecting the climate of the planet:
And there may be some nasty non-linearities…
Permafrost is defined solely by
temperature. Any rock or soil
remaining at or below 0°C for
two or more years is permafrost.
Permafrost can contain 0- 30%
ice.
We are affecting the climate of the planet:
14% of the world’s organic carbon is
stored in permafrost. As the poles
warm (and they are warming faster than
anywhere else), this will thaw.
- and when it melts, marshes are
created where anaerobic bacteria
dominate, breaking the organics into
Methane, not CO2… and methane is a
worse greenhouse gas…
This is a type of threshold response
(not a gradual response), and would
involve positive feedback loops…the
warmer it gets, the more permafrost
melts, and the warmer it gets…
transfer of carbon to atmosphere
And there may be some nasty non-linearities…
BURP!
0
temp 0C
We are affecting the climate of the planet:
Things are hotter and drier…
In Western U.S., snow pack
has declined dramatically,
corresponding to a 30%-60%
reduction in stream water.
We are affecting the climate of the planet:
Things are hotter and drier…
In Western U.S., snow pack
has declined dramatically,
corresponding to a 30%-60%
reduction in stream water.
Snowmelt begins much
earlier; making spring floods
and drier summers. Service,
2004. Science 303:1124-1127.
We are affecting the climate of the planet:
Things are hotter and drier…
In Western U.S., snow pack
has declined dramatically,
corresponding to a 30%-60%
reduction in stream water.
Snowmelt begins much
earlier; making spring floods
and drier summers. Service,
2004. Science 303:1124-1127.
And what might you expect
as the land gets hotter and
drier??
We are affecting the climate of the planet:
Things will get hotter and drier…
Increase in fire frequency and size over the last 10
years…$3 billion to fight fires in the west, 2X amount
ten years ago
We are affecting the climate of the planet:
And this will affect other organisms…
-Changes in Reef Communities:
“Almost 15% of the world's reefs are already beyond
repair thanks to global warming. Another 30% may be
lost over the next 30 years.”
– (Nature, February 2004)
- Reefs are home to 25% of all marine species
- Reefs are nursery areas for the larvae and fry of
commercially important fish and crustacean species
- Reefs are important storm breaks for tropical coasts
We are affecting the climate of the planet:
And this will affect other organisms…
-Change in Ocean Food Webs:
- Phytoplankton have shifted
northward in Atlantic with
warming of surface waters.
-They provide ½ global NPP
-They are critical to food webs
-Shift north may affect
zooplankton and perhaps major
fisheries.
Richardson and Schoeman, 2004,
Science 305:1609-1612
We are affecting the climate of the planet:
And this will affect other organisms…
- Adding CO2 to atmosphere creates carbonic acid in
water
- Acidification of sea water reduces calcium
carbonate production by marine organisms
(coccolithophores, corals, molluscs.)
Orr, et al., 2005. Nature. 437:681-686.
We are affecting the climate of the planet:
And this will affect other organisms…
15-37% of terrestrial species may go extinct in the next 50
years, largely because of global warming. (Thomas et al. 2004)
A 3oC temp rise will wipe out 80% of alpine islands, and
extinguish 1/3 to ½ of 613 known alpine plants.
As treelines rise and alpine tundra declines, so do
animals like marmots and pika.
Krajick, K. 2004. Science 303:1600-1602
A
B
C
A
B
C
Our growth, in our bounded system, is at the cost
of other species
• 40% of primary productivity (E)
Iowa - arrow pointing
to forest fragment
Our growth, in our bounded system, is at the cost
of other species
• 40% of primary productivity (E)
Massive extinction should
be no surprise
TODAY:
- our effects on the planetary environment
- why that is important
- why biodiversity is important to sustainability
- what we can do to maintain biodiversity
- why we should appreciate biodiversity
What do we want for the future?
-
What do we want for the future?
-
What do we want for the future?
-
“I want world
peace…”
What do we want for the future?
- World Peace
-
What do we want for the future?
- World Peace
“Democracy is the
government of the
people, by the people, for
the people…”
What do we want for the future?
- World Peace
- stable, moral governments
-
What do we want for the future?
- World Peace
- stable, moral governments
-
Woohoo!!
What do we want for the future?
- World Peace
- stable, moral governments
- stable, productive economies
-
What do we want for the future?
- World Peace
- stable, moral governments
- stable, productive economies
-
What do we want for the future?
- World Peace
- stable, moral governments
- stable, productive economies
- stable, productive food supplies
How can we get there?
- A stable, productive food supply
Stable, productive economies
Stable, productive, moral governments
Peace and happiness for our children
How can we get there?
stable food supply
productive economies
Happy people
stable, moral governments
To achieve ONE goal, we must achieve ALL goals...
Wouldn’t it be nice?
I want environmental,
economic, and social
sustainability to
achieve world peace!
It won’t be easy…..
ECONOMY
SOCIETY
Remember why?
ENVIRONMENT
For example…
“Save the Amazon rainforest!!!!”
How does Brazil get out from under it's
huge international debt?
What to do with the unemployed and urban
poor? (22% live on less than $2)
Unemployment
Solution - offer them land to settle in the
Amazon
but there is rampant exploitation - relocate
poor to servitude of others
These are incredibly TOUGH,
COMPLEX problems....
but they won't just go away if
we ignore them...
TODAY:
- our effects on the planetary environment
- why that is important
- why biodiversity is important to sustainability
- what we can do to maintain biodiversity
- why we should appreciate biodiversity
Why is biodiversity important?
The earth is truly a living planet; life changes the
conditions of the earth.
Releases oxygen to the atmosphere
Transfers carbon to the lithosphere
Atmosphere
Biosphere
Hydro/Lithosphere
Why is biodiversity important?
The earth is truly a living planet; life changes the
conditions of the earth.
Releases oxygen to the atmosphere
Transfers carbon to the lithosphere
Atmosphere
Biosphere
Hydro/Lithosphere
Life:
• Cleans our water
• Makes our food
• Cleans our air
LIFE is composed of lots of living things =
biodiversity
Diversity is the number and relative
abundance of species in a habitat
We have named approximately 1.5 million
species…
There may be as many as 10-30 million
more…
Many habitats,
like tall forest
canopies and
the deep sea
have not been
well sampled…
The diversity of life is truly staggering…
And we are learning that diversity improves
ecosystem function
Why is ecosystem function important?
Why is ecosystem function important?
Estimates of various Ecosystem Services - $U.S. billions
Ecosystem services
Value
(trillion $US)
Soil formation
Recreation
Nutrient cycling
Water regulation and supply
Climate regulation (temperature and
precipitation)
Habitat
Flood and storm protection
17.1
3.0
2.3
2.3
Food and raw materials production
0.8
Genetic resources
Atmospheric gas balance
Pollination
All other services
0.8
0.7
0.4
1.6
Total value of ecosystem services
33.3
1.8
1.4
1.1
Source: Adapted from R. Costanza et al., “The Value of the World’s
Ecosystem Services and Natural Capital,” Nature, Vol. 387 (1997), p. 256,
Table 2. TOTAL GLOBAL GNP (1997) = 18 trillion.
Productivity is the energy that an organism
absorbs and stores as tissue – as
biomass/growth. (And not the energy that the
organism spends to move or keep their cells
alive…).
So, for humans, ecosystem productivity is food.
Biodiversity INCREASES productivity
Biodiversity INCREASES productivity
- Sampling Effects
More diverse communities are more likely to
contain the most productive species, and
thus raise the total productivity.
Biodiversity INCREASES productivity
- Sampling Effects
- Niche Complementarity
More diverse communities are more likely to
contain different types of species that use
different types of energy... thus more
efficiently harvesting all the available energy
and converting it to productivity.
Monoculture
They all need the same things
at the same concentrations;
they compete.
Monoculture
Polyculture
They all need the same things Combinations of different plants can be
at the same concentrations;
planted at higher density, and they use
they compete.
different "niches" and coexist. Even if
abundance of "most productive" species
drops, this loss can be offset.
Biodiversity INCREASES productivity
- Sampling Effects
- Niche Complementarity
- Positive Effects
Some species have beneficial effects on
others, and so their presence promotes
diversity and productivity.
Monoculture
They all need the same things
at the same concentrations;
they compete.
Polyculture
without
beans
with
beans
Nitrogen fixing legumes (beans)
nutrify the soil, increasing the growth
of other plants. And you have beans!
Diversity and Productivity in a Long-Term Grassland Experiment Tilman, et
al. 2001. Science 294. 843 - 845
Dotted line is biomass in a monoculture of the most productive
species. Higher productivity than this, at higher richness values,
means niche complementarity or positive effects must be
occurring.
Diversity INCREASES productivity
Diversity can increase stability
Diversity INCREASES productivity
Diversity can increase stability
Types of stability:
resistance to change
Diversity INCREASES productivity
Diversity can increase stability
Types of stability:
resistance to change
resilience after change
Diversity INCREASES productivity
Diversity can increase stability
Types of stability:
resistance to change
resilience after change
Diverse communities are less susceptible to
one particular disturbance (like one species
of pest, or fire, or flood), because multiple
species are unlikely to be sensitive to the
same thing.
Example 1: Bird “Flu”
People can get a virus (West Nile Virus),
carried by mosquitoes, from birds…
Example 1: Bird “Flu”
People can get a virus (West Nile Virus),
carried by mosquitoes, from birds…
SOME birds are good reservoirs… Crows,
Blue Jays, Sparrows, and Robins
Example 1: Bird “Flu”
So people in communities with low bird
diversity, dominated by these species, have
high rates of Bird Flu!
( because mosquitoes are likely to hit an
infected bird and transmit to humans)
Example 1: Bird “Flu”
People in communities with high bird
diversity means a lower percentage of these
species, and mosquitoes are less likely to hit
them and get infected because there are
OTHER species to feed on! Fewer sick
people!
Example 2: Rainforest
Diverse communities may be resilient unless
completely removed….
Example 2: Rainforests
Stimulate
condensation and
precipitation
Volatiles released
Rainforests feed
themselves and
water themselves.
Decomposition
rapid
Absorption
rapid
CUT FOREST
DOWN
Select for fireadapted grasses....
rainforest may not
come back....
REDUCE RAINFALL...
REDUCE NUTRIENTS
INCREASE FIRE
RAINFOREST
(wet, few fires)
"Multiple
Stable States"
GRASSLAND
(dry, many fires)
We are dependent on the environment
for food and resources. Ideally, we
would like a STABLE, PRODUCTIVE
supply of these resources.... right??
FEAST
FAMINE
(We don't want "boom and bust", "feast
and famine" scenarios....)
FEAST
FAMINE
We are dependent on the environment
for food and resources. Ideally, we
would like a STABLE, PRODUCTIVE
supply of these resources.... right??
(We don't want "boom and bust", "feast
and famine" scenarios....)
STABILITY
?
PRODUCTIVITY
We are dependent on the environment
for food and resources. Ideally, we
would like a STABLE, PRODUCTIVE
supply of these resources.... right??
(We don't want "boom and bust", "feast
and famine" scenarios....)
STABILITY
DIVERSITY
…riiight… : )
PRODUCTIVITY
TODAY:
- our effects on the natural environment
- why that is important
- why biodiversity is important to sustainability
- what we can do to maintain biodiversity?
- why should we appreciate biodiversity?
So, how do we preserve biodiversity?
- Larger areas have more species than small
areas
So, how do we preserve biodiversity?
- Larger areas have more species than small
areas
Area Effects
CARNIVORES
HERBIVORES
PLANTS
LARGE AREA OF HABITAT
So, how do we preserve biodiversity?
- Larger areas have more species than small
areas
HABITAT FRAGMENTATION
So, how do we preserve biodiversity?
- Larger areas have more species than small
areas
Carnivores can’t be supported; competition reduces
diversity among herbivores, plants overgrazed.
HABITAT FRAGMENTATION
So, how do we preserve biodiversity?
- Larger areas have more species than small
areas
- Larger areas lose fewer species over time
So, how do we preserve biodiversity?
- Larger areas have more species than small
areas
- Larger areas lose fewer species over time
- Larger areas are less susceptible to
disturbance
So, how do we preserve biodiversity?
- Larger areas have more species than small
areas
- Larger areas lose fewer species over time
- Larger areas are less susceptible to
disturbance
- Larger areas recover more rapidly after
disturbance
So, how do we preserve biodiversity?
- Larger areas have more species than small
areas
- Larger areas lose fewer species over time
- Larger areas are less susceptible to
disturbance
- Larger areas recover more rapidly after
disturbance
- How large is large?
Bigger than these……
We need to rethink our model of community…
nature
nature
Development
Development
Development
Development
And we need to care…
TODAY:
- our effects on the natural environment
- why that is important
- why biodiversity is important to sustainability
- what we can do to maintain biodiversity?
- why should we appreciate biodiversity?
nature is important to each person, even at
an unconscious level.
E. O. Wilson (1984) defined biophilia as “an innate
tendency of humans to focus on life and lifelike
processes…
Biophilia:
We are interested in living things…
Biophilia:
There is an adaptive benefit to this interest that
has been selected for over hominid evolution…
Biophilia:
This relationship influences how we learn …
Biophilia:
And who we are…
Consider that the human mind and its products
have not arisen in a vacuum.
Consider that the human mind and its products
have not arisen in a vacuum.
Nature
evolution
agriculture
burial
5.0
mya
75,000
10,000
Understanding Human
Evolution. 1999. Poirier and
McKee
99.6% before art
“Pre-cultural Baggage”
As such, our interaction with art, society, and nature
may have a biologically interesting contribution.
(NOT single factor biological determinism, please!)
Let’s examine the evidence for Biophilia in our
endeavors:
Humanities
Social Sciences
Natural Sciences
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Language
A ‘first alphabet’ book…..
‘A’ is for _____________.
‘B’ is for _____________.
‘C’ is for _____________.
‘D’ is for _____________.
‘E’ is for _____________.
‘F’ is for _____________.
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Language
A ‘first alphabet’ book…..
‘A’ is for _____________.
- antidisestablishmentarianism?
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Language
A ‘first alphabet’ book…..
‘A’ is for _____________.
- antidisestablishmentarianism?
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Language
A ‘first alphabet’ book…..
‘A’ is for _____________.
- antidisestablishmentarianism?
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Language
A ‘first alphabet’ book…..
‘B’ is for _____________.
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Language
A ‘first alphabet’ book…..
‘B’ is for _____________.
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Language
A ‘first alphabet’ book…..
‘C’ is for _____________.
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Language
A ‘first alphabet’ book…..
‘C’ is for _____________.
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Language
A ‘first alphabet’ book…..
‘D’ is for _____________.
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Language
A ‘first alphabet’ book…..
‘D’ is for _____________.
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Language
A ‘first alphabet’ book…..
‘E’ is for _____________.
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Language
A ‘first alphabet’ book…..
‘E’ is for _____________.
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Language
A ‘first alphabet’ book…..
‘F’ is for _____________.
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Language
A ‘first alphabet’ book…..
‘F’ is for _____________.
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Language
Adjectives and similes…..
Sly as _________
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Language
Adjectives and similes…..
Sly as _________ an Enron executive?
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Language
Adjectives and similes…..
Sly as _________
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Language
Adjectives and similes…..
busy as __________?
Strong as ________ ?
Weak as _________ ?
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities –
Language
Verbs:
To ‘cow’
To ‘quail’
To ‘clam up’ To ‘weasel’
To ‘outfox’ To ‘hound’
To ‘hog’
To ‘grouse’
To ‘fawn’
To ‘buffalo’
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities –
Language
Trivial examples or basic, fundamental examples?
Summary –
“Human intelligence is bound to the presence of
animals. They are the means by which cognition
takes shape and they are the instruments for
imagining abstract ideas and qualities…they are
basic to the development of speech and thought.”
-Shepard 1978
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Art
-Language and the arts are dependent on natural
imagery to evoke a particular emotion…..
Autumn Landscape at Dusk – Vincent Van Gogh
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Religion
Animals are central to the myths that give our
lives meaning and our culture context.
In particular, the serpent figures
prominently as an icon of power,
knowledge, life, and death.
Egyptians – the Earth as an
Egg, grasped by a serpent
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Religion
Middle East – Judaism – Eve and the serpent
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Religion
Greeks – Gaia (Earth) was protected by her son,
Python, who lived at the center of the world and
held it together
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Religion
Australian aboriginal culture – the rainbow
serpent – art dates from 6000 years ago
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Religion
Norse –dragons and Jormungand, the world
serpent – (an ouroborus).
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities Religion
Aztecs – Quetzalcoatl, the ‘bird-serpent’ or
“feathered serpent”
Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities –
Summary
"Animals are far more fundamental to our thinking
than we supposed. They are not just a part of the
fabric of thought: they are a part of the loom."
(Peter Steinhart, 1989).
(Native American
ouroboric image)
Navajo Dance
Silver tip fox
cape with foot
clasp
Evidence for Biophilia in the Social Sciences Sociology
Animals are our cultural icons, we use them for tribal
affiliation, both trivial….
NFL Football Team Mascots:
Cardinals
Ravens
Panthers
Bengals
Lions
Jaguars
Eagles
Rams
Falcons
Bills
Bears
Broncos
Colts
Dolphins
Seahawks
15 of 32 teams (not that it helps….)
Evidence for Biophilia in the Social Sciences Sociology
And significant…
Evidence for Biophilia in the Social Sciences Psychology
- phobias are usually related to natural cues:
(snakes, spiders, water, closed spaces, heights)
(and other primates that encounter snakes are
ophidophobes)
Evidence for Biophilia in the Social Sciences Psychology
- even though cultures have produced more deadly
risks
Evidence for Biophilia in the Social Sciences Psychology
-habitat selection – humans with the resources build
homes on promontories near water, with a view
The Vanderbilt Estate, “The Breakers”, Newport, RI
Evidence for Biophilia in the Social Sciences Psychology
Societies construct gardens, parks, and green
spaces in urban environments – like Central Park,
NYC.
Evidence for Biophilia in the Social Sciences Psychology
We need nature, and we take it with us into manmade environments; it is a part of what we are, and it
has shaped who we are and how we identify
ourselves, individually and collectively.
Tokyo
Rooftop Garden,
Tokyo
Evidence of Biophilia in the Natural Sciences Physiology
- contact with people helps development and healing
- contact with animals helps stress and healing, and
gives us someone who depends upon us.
Evidence of Biophilia in the Natural Sciences Physiology
- vistas - people with a natural view are less
stressed and are more productive.
- inner city children with a view of a park are able to
concentrate in school and are better learners.
What are the ramifications of biophilia?
Humans need nature as a reference to completely
express our humanity. It is at once the “other” and
the “self”.
To lose it, or to simplify it, will profoundly affect
what and who we are.
“It is interesting to contemplate an
entangled bank, clothed with many plants of
many kinds…
“with birds singing on the bushes, with
various insects flitting about, and with
worms crawling through the damp earth…
“and to reflect that these elaborately
constructed forms, so different from each
other, and dependent on each other in so
complex a manner….
“have all been produced by laws acting
around us…There is grandeur in this view of
life, with its several powers, having been
originally breathed into a few forms or
one….
“and that, whilst this planet has gone
cycling on according to the fixed law of
gravity, from so simple a beginning endless
forms most beautiful and most wonderful
have been, and are being, evolved.”
Charles Darwin, 1859, “The Origin of Species”
If we recognize the grandeur, we might
appreciate it…
If we appreciate it, we might value it…
If we value it, we might sustain it…
If we sustain it, we might be able to sustain
our societies and economies, as well.
ECONOMY
SOCIETY
ENVIRONMENT
If we don’t, we won’t…