Jun 8 2012: I absolutely agree that conservation needs to be a lifestyle, not a series of isolated projects. Thanks everyone for all of your great comments and suggestions on this topic. What are some other ways you currently work for conservation in your own life or ways you could increase your impact on the conservation movement?
Jun 7 2012: I really like your comment that a big obstacle to conservation is the belief that it somehow goes against economic success and resources for a country. Certainly conservation efforts are in opposition with extreme waste and excessive production/consumption. However, conservation does not need to oppose economic success. The Sustainable Prisons Project is a great example of how environmental education can actually increase job options. Once the inmates leave the prison, they are prepared with much wider job skills than when they entered. Conservation initiatives must find ways to reconcile their plans with the goals of industrialists. This doesn't mean compromising the environment, but rather highlighting how conservation plans can benefit wide groups of people.
Jun 7 2012: I agree with Drew Thompson's comment down below. I also live near a wildlife park in Washington state where visitors drive through the park and get to be in direct contact with animals. Certainly this alone is not a very useful act of conservation, but it gives the public a very hands on chance to interact with and learn about animals. Spreading this kind of public connection to wildlife is critical to the success of conservation movements. Additionally, this park provides the animals with a habitat that better mimics their native environments than a traditional zoo would. Because of this, the animals in the park are likely better able to return to their original environment if release efforts were needed/desired.
Jun 7 2012: I agree that not all conservation goals can be met through zoos, especially as they function now. I think there is extreme value in having traditional zoos where kids can come learn about animals and begin to develop there own sense of awe with the animal kingdom. However, this should not be at the expense of animal and ecosystem health in the wild. Though zoos may not be able to replicate natural ecosystems, all zoo actions should take into account how removal of wild animals will impact the environment. Additionally, zoos should mimic native environments as closely as possible while still maintaining a visitor-friendly atmosphere. Zoos should not replace conservation reserves, but they should learn from these areas in order to best promote the health of their animals and environments from which they come.
Jun 5 2012: Great comment on how persistence is necessary for movements to really make a difference. Programs like the Sustainable Prisons Project are wonderful, but really must be implemented on a national or international scale to make a noticeable difference. Do you think that this kind of program could take off on a broader scale? If so, what needs to change?
Jun 5 2012: I agree that we definitely need to work to improve education at a young age so that people can incorporate conservation into their initial understanding of the world. What are some way we can improve education and understanding now, even in people who have already left school?
May 31 2012: I agree with your comment, Allan. We cannot blame extremists entirely for their potentially harmful measures because the US (and foreign) political climate is often such that many people lack a significant voice in the decision making process. I think there are many extremists who recognize the intensity of their attacks and truly feel that they have no other way to make a point. However, they must be careful in who and what is harmed if they want to be heard rather than demonized. People like Edward Abbey (famous for The Monkey Wrench Gang) seem to have a clear image that severe actions often have to take place, but that mass human destruction and harm is not necessary or useful to make a political statement.
May 31 2012: I agree that extreme tactics that threaten human and non-human life are not warranted no matter the importance of the situation. These kinds of activities will only anger opponents of environmental movements and make it harder for different sides to come to terms. That being said, I think it is critical for extremist movements to be maintained. When the extreme opinion is pushed to the limits, it provides a broader range of "moderate" opinions. We need someone to be pushing strong attitudes so that the moderate views actually make a difference. Though extreme measures do not take place all at once, it is important to have them as a guide for slow change that will eventually reach a radical end.
May 24 2012: I really like the idea of turning these green roof projects/mandates into community gardens. I think it is critical for people to start to see "restrictions" (like a green roof requirement) as opportunities for community development. Just as it is difficult to get a group of students or friends engaged in a project unless they feel invested, it will be difficult for people to get behind this idea unless they see how they/their community can benefit. If there are financial issues with the costs of green roofing (which likely wouldn't be major given the money saved from air processing etc), people could pay small fee for some gardens in order to grow crops. Of course this should be limited so that all parts of the city could participate. Change to improve the status of the earth should include social evolution that brings people together to understand why laws are put into place to understand fully how their lives can benefit from them.
May 24 2012: Great point that health concerns must take into account how truly healthy shark meat is. As with all problems, this issue is grounded in social, political, and economic issues. A ban or restriction on shark hunting should be accompanied by tax incentives for those who previously relied on this resource as well as educational programs about the dangers of eating shark meat (ie mercury). I think education is a critical though certainly not sufficient component of dealing with many of today's issues, particularly those regarding climate change and overconsumption. We can ban shark hunting, but this will only have the effect of making the actions of people criminal rather than legal-it will not likely reduce hunting on a broad scale because people are hunting for a reason. Political, education, and economic measures all must accompany changes if we want to see real progress.
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A reply on Conversation: From ivory tower to prison cell: How can we bring conservation efforts to the public?
A reply on Conversation: From ivory tower to prison cell: How can we bring conservation efforts to the public?
A comment on Conversation: Do zoos help biodiversity conservation?
A reply on Conversation: Do zoos help biodiversity conservation?
A reply on Conversation: From ivory tower to prison cell: How can we bring conservation efforts to the public?
A reply on Conversation: From ivory tower to prison cell: How can we bring conservation efforts to the public?
A reply on Conversation: Do extremist tactics push environmentalism forwards or backwards?
A reply on Conversation: Do extremist tactics push environmentalism forwards or backwards?
A reply on Conversation: If green roofs were mandatory in cities would there be less development and building?
A comment on Conversation: Should shark fishing be banned?