“Each blade of grass has its spot on the earth whence it draws its life, its strength; and so is man rooted to the land from which he draws his faith together with his life.”

    (Joseph Conrad)     

INTRODUCTION: 

As you read our article you will see that it is impossible to separate the environmental issues surrounding animals, food and water, pollution and resources. As we each wrote our piece and later combined them, it became clear that these issues are so inextricably connected that it is impossible to discuss one without including the others. What is also clear to each of us, separately, and collectively is that humanity is also at the source of the issues.

We all noted that humanity acknowledges its place at the top of the food chain, but it is clear that we have yet to internalize the impact we are making on nature with our haphazard lunge into the next millenium.  Although progress is being made in some areas the overall contributions to
reversing the trend of environmental destruction appear to fall short.  Perhaps a Universal Global Ethic, such as those we propose at the end, will help to enlighten all of humanity of our 'rootedness' to nature and how 'life', both nature and humanity's, is tied to our actions.

ANIMALS 

“Large or small, beautiful or ugly, all species play a role in the complex web of life. All of us depend on the natural resources of our planet. Each time a species is lost, the complexity, natural balance, and beauty of our world is diminished. And what threatens plants and animals ultimately threatens people as well. - Director, World Wildlife Fund”

The human race has a propensity to dominate - surroundings, other peoples, and more specifically, other forms of life. In a sense, the human being has developed the impression that all things exist in order to support him or her. Since the advent of the “caveman,” homo sapiens have continually initiated a downward, destructive spiral of other creatures existence. We have implicitly assumed that since other animals don’t speak or walk on two legs, they are lesser developed than humans and should be treated as lower forms of life. Sometime, thousands of years ago, an undeclared war began on the wildlife of Earth.

The basic question we as a society must grapple with is this - What rights do the animal kingdom have? The answers will always be varied. But one answer will have common theme - we need to do a better job at protecting the biodiversity that’s left out there before it’s gone. But what right do we as human beings have to choose what lives and what does not? What makes the Naked Mole Rat more or less precious than the Bengal Tiger or the ordinary house mouse? Although animal testing provides benefits for the human race, what does it provide to that dog, cat, primate, or rodent? Surely they did not sign a contract or waiver voluntarily giving up their lives. Like anything there will always be two sides of each argument. But in arguments concerning the natural resources of the earth, who is the voice for those who cannot speak? 

What’s out there now?

The estimates on the number of global species residing on this planet have varied between two to one hundred million species. The current best guess is somewhere near ten million. The beginning of the millenium will only see 1.4 of them actually identified and named. New species are continually found in areas like the Brazilian rainforests, the Polar icecaps, Asia Minor, and the oceans of the world. For example, scientists and researchers find, on average, one to three new species of primate a year in the Amazon rain forest. [Environmental News Network - www.enn.com] and [World Resources Institute - www.wri.org]

Most discussion concerning the conservation and protection of animals centers around the concept of endangered species. But many activist groups now use the definition to support the right to life for almost any creature. The concept is based on the assumption that each life form may prove valuable in ways which the human race cannot measure and that each species is entitled to exist for its own sake. [The Environmental Protection Information Center - www.igc.org] It was upon these concepts that the United Nations based its Environment Programme. [UN Environmental Programme - www.unep.org]

The program itself was intended to provide the framework for regulating international social behavior concerning bio-resources. Since 1973, the UN has struggled to build sustainable policies, much less the norms to enforce them. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (1973), the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (1979), the Convention on Biological Diversity (1992), and the Lusaka Agreement on the Cooperative Enforcement Operations Directed at Illegal Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora (1994) are merely guidelines. They do not issue rights to the animals and environments they try to protect. The UN treats them as State property or assets - not as something that is free and under its own will power. To date only 70 countries worldwide have signed onto these and other conventions. 

If current trends continue, the estimate is that the Earth will lose over 10% of the species on the planet in the next 15-20 years - regardless of if humanity knows about those species or not. Extinction waits for no one.

Who is threatened?

It is a myth that only the smaller numbers of species in the ‘wild’ areas left in the world are the ones who are threatened. If one actually takes a step back and looks, they will find they everyday actions impact wildlife and the biological resources around them. Even to the point of impacting what’s in their own backyard. That grass fertilizer someone uses to get the beautiful green lawn - what does it do to the family pets, local habitat and wildlife, and in general, the ecosystem that individual lives in? Eventually the impact will be felt by the human population.

The stresses and strains on the animal kingdom come from varying sources - most of them created by man. Large-scale deforestation, the over-harvesting of animals for various purposes, the indiscriminate use of pesticides and other chemicals, the draining and filling of wetlands, destructive fishing and hunting practices, pollution of the air/water/soil, the introduction of alien species, and the conversion of wild lands for agriculture and urban uses all contribute to the decline in health and numbers of the different species. These things impact all forms of life - from the family dog to the lone mountain lion, from the bovine feeding in the pasture to the African elephant. The circle of life is no laughing matter; eventually our actions will come back and haunt us.

Through the increased volume of trade and international transport over the past several hundred years, natural barriers that once protected the different species are now ineffective, ending millions of years of biological isolation. Adding to this is the human demands for commodities like tropical hardwoods, wildlife, fiber, and agricultural products. Human settlement continually encroaches on the last natural lands on the planet while squandering the resources already at its disposal. The desire for pets, skins, hides, traditional medicines, food, and tourist souvenirs add to the dilemma. The burgeoning human population, without the appropriate accompanying development and economic growth, places increasing demands on the natural habitats and wildlife residing in ecosystems which are already impoverished and stressed. [Species Survival Commission, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources - www.iucn.org]

Why should we be concerned with the conservation of biodiversity?

The concern for the protection and growth of human society has always taken precedence over everything else, usually with no thought to the consequences to others or ourselves. The lives of those considered “lower on the food chain” have always been of little or secondary importance. So why should we start caring now?

Put simply - animals and plants hold ecological, medicinal, and agricultural value. All forms of life must be protected and saved so future generations can experience their presence and value.

Plants and animal species are the concrete foundation of vital, healthy ecosystems. When different animals experience habitat degradation, predation, and disease, it is a “red-light” indicator the health of these irreplaceable ecosystems is beginning to wane. The quality of not only our lives, but also the lives of those plants and animals, depends on the preservation of those ecosystems.

About 40% of the prescriptions written by doctors today are composed from the compounds found to occur naturally in different species. For example, only 5% of known plant species have been screened for their medicinal value - we lose up to 100 species a day. [EndangeredSpecies.com] Could the cure to AIDS or cancer be slipping through our fingers? 

Concerns about cruelty to animals

With the increases in animal biological research, lobbyist groups gain ground in the Vegan/vegetarian, anti-fur, animal rights and anti-testing arenas. There are many controversies surrounding each of these topics, but the central question they all ask is simple - Why should we put the safety and welfare of ourselves continuously over others? 

The use of animals for testing will always be a thorn in our sides until humans start volunteering for cancer or cosmetic research and testing - A phenomenon which is unlikely to happen. Researchers argue animal testing allows us to understand how our bodies work. They allow us to model and study different diseases and to test potential forms of treatment. Testing allows us to determine the efficacy and safety of products before they reach the consumer and harm them. With the advent of computer modeling, synthetic compounds, and the advances in scientific research, many are beginning to wonder what gives us the right to use different species as the ‘guinea pigs’ just to further our quality of life? What right do we as human beings have to continually determine the quality of life (or the lack thereof) of other creatures which inhabit this earth?

As we learn more about the different animal species sharing the ecosystems with us, our attitudes may change concerning their use in testing and research. Laws are continually being established by governments protecting the welfare of research animals, wildlife, and domesticated animals. For example, the Criminal Code of Canada, Cruelty to Animals Section, states it is an “offense to willfully cause, or, being an owner - willfully permit to be cause unnecessary pain, suffering, or injury to an animal or bird.” [Partners in Research - www.pirweb.org] Many developing countries have enacted provisions for the humane treatment of animals both inside and outside of testing facilities. The question that will continue to plague us is how to balance our real needs with those who share this planet.

The Future

The individuals of this planet have a challenge to overcome. If we do not begin to take care of what we have for generations foolishly spoiled, we will ultimately lose in the end. We cannot continuously push the responsibilities of biodiversity conservation on ill-managed governments and international institutions. Our current responses to conservation are defensive and confrontational in nature - we enact laws, close access to resources, and declare areas need protection. But these actions are rarely sufficient to change the social and economic causes of the destruction of our ecosystems. It begins with us - we must take a stand and make the changes at the grassroots level.

The World Resources Institute identified several obstacles to conservation that must be considered. Today, national and international development projects give insufficient value and protection of biological resources. The over-exploitation of resources by traders and manufacturers must stop or indigenous populations and species will pay the ultimate price. The science and technology we have available to us today is incorrectly and insufficiently applied to the ecological and species/animal rights problems we are faced with. Finally, conservation activities existing today are too narrowly focused and lack sufficient financial and organizational resources to be effective. Changes must take place at the individual level before they can take place on an international scale.

With the new controversies concerning species patents, cloning, and genetically modified foods looming on the horizon, society as a whole must seriously judge what is important to us. We will always have our “meat-eaters” and animal research testers. The key will be to balance all of these factors out with the concern for the well being of Earth’s other residents. The possibilities are out there - we just have to find them. We have to realize that nature and its creatures are beyond any one nation’s jurisdiction. And right now, they are not sufficiently protected. 
As U. Utah Philips surmised - “The Earth is not dying - it is being killed. And the people who are killing it have names and addresses.”

FOOD

Earth's resources have been freely utilized by humans in order to survive and prosper from the dawn of time. Early societies had little impact on the environment or ecological balance as they were small and not technologically advanced. Where populations grew due to the availability
of abundant food, clean water and a good climate, the balance was occasionally tipped and either starvation occurred or groups moved on to other more hospitable sites.

Today the basic needs of humans have not changed although the ways in which they are met have gone through dramatic paradigmatic changes. Each of these has taken us further from the sources until today, in developed countries, meat is wrapped in plastic and water comes through a pipe. In the so-called third world there is little if any meat available and clean potable water is a scarce resource. The imbalance of resource availability is a serious issue.

Human impact on the environment has been deadly. Earth's resources are being consumed, largely for the enjoyment and wealth-building of a relative few, with little regard for indigenous rights or needs. In the ages of exploration and industrialization of the 16th to the 20th centuries there was no such concept as the "rights" of indigenous populations and exploitation of raw materials and resources produced in the third world was unchecked.

In this year of 2000 we have reached a point that (1) about 24,000 people die every day from hunger or hunger related causes (2) Ten percent of the children in developing countries die before the age of 5 (3) At any time 800 million people suffer from the effects of hunger and malnutrition (4) Only .0008% of the world's water is available for human consumption leaving
more than 70% of the world's population without access to clean water (5) it is estimated that 25,000 people die every day as a result of polluted water.

The problems caused by overuse of water resources and pollution of once clean water supplies is almost overwhelming. The lack of clean water affects both the vital supply of safe drinking water, a daily need, and adequate sanitation which is critical to health. The places where water is stored -- rivers, lakes, ponds, etc. are themselves contaminated by human and industrial run-off. Underground aquifers, which are vast storage supplies of clean water, are easily contaminated by human activity. Where sanitation is not adequate, disease is common: typhoid, enteritis, dysentery, cholera, infectious hepatitis and anchylostomiasis thrive in natural water sites used for human runoff. Disease carrying insects breed and multiply in such waters. The severe floods that have plagued Mozambique are textbook examples of how a natural disaster can be a catalyst for disease and human suffering. It is ironic how some parts of the world cannot get enough water and others get too much.

WHO and UNICEF are currently conducting a global exercise to assess the status of the water supply and sanitation sector as of the end of 1999.  These assessments occur every 5 years and are used as important reference to policy-making at the global, regional and country levels. A comprehensive and authoritative evaluation of this sector will address water supply and sanitation coverage. According to WHO:

"The findings of this exercise will...be used to prepare the forthcoming report.
"Global Assessment 2000: Status of the water supply and sanitation sector."
This document will be of great relevance to policy and decision making
at global, regional and country levels. Its conclusions will provide the basis for
intensive advocacy work at all levels to accelerate investment in the development
of the water supply and sanitation sector."

The UN Commission on Sustainable Development, which has conducted international meetings over several decades, has arrived at the concept of the indivisibility of environmental protection and the development process.  This radical statement was one reason that the US refused to sign the Commission's report from Rio in 1993. Article 23 of the Commission's
report of June, 1993 states:

"Economic development, social development and environmental protection are interdependent and mutually reinforcing components of sustainable development..." 

The Commission's agenda for the year 2000 is to develop integrated planning and management of land resources, financial resources, trade, investment and economic growth, and agriculture. Its list of issues calls for developed countries to aid developing countries by acceleration of their transition to sustainable development and a market economy. It seeks two important financial commitments: First, that developing countries contribute .7% of their GNP annually to official development assistance, and second, the removal of the long term debt of developing countries.

POLLUTION

Pollution of water supply has been an ongoing issue since the end of World War II. The effect on fish stocks and other sustainable resources has been well documented. Of more recent concern has been the problem of air pollution. The three primary problems in regard to air pollution are: particulate matter, acid precipitation and photochemical smog. 

Recently U.S. government scientists reported a significant and surprising warming of the world's oceans over the past 40 years. The broad study of temperature data from the oceans, dating to the 1950's, shows average temperatures have increased more than expected -- about half a degree
Fahrenheit closer to the surface and one-tenth of a degree even at depths of up to 10,000 feet. Ocean temperatures below 300 meters have risen 1/10 of a degree Fahrenheit since the 1950's. Closer to the surface, ocean waters have increased in temperature by 0.56 degrees.

"In each ocean basin substantial temperature changes are occurring at much deeper depths than we previously thought," James Baker, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said. "This is just one more piece of the puzzle to understanding the variability of the earth's climate system.  Since the 1970's temperatures at the earth's surface have warmed, Arctic sea ice has decreased in thickness, and now we know that the average temperature 
of the world's oceans has increased during this same time period" (MSNBC)

So what is being done? President Clinton said in December that we are making some strides toward environmental awareness and the curbing of pollution. He noted steps to improve air quality by reducing pollution from cars and other vehicles. New measures will produce cleaner fuels and strengthen tailpipe emission standards for cars, sport utility vehicles and light-duty trucks. Over 10 years these measures will cut smog-producing pollution from new vehicles by 77 to 95 percent.

More recently the President talked with environmentalists in India at the Taj Mahal in Agra. According to one Indian environmentalist speaking with the president about 10,000 people die each year because of air pollution in New Delhi. The president encouraged India to take more steps to combat pollution and emphasized the need to curb greenhouse gases that are
considered responsible for global warming. He said that the effort is a special responsibility for the US and other industrialized nations like India. The President said the US and India agreed to a common agenda on the environment including the establishing of a joint panel to study ways to produce cleaner energy. The President also announced that the US would provide about $300 million in environmental aid to India.

These efforts are great strides toward a "think globally, act locally" attitude about the environmental problems plaguing the world today. While not quite at a standstill the world's leaders have not affected enough change and people themselves need to consider implications for future generations if the trend of global warming continues. It would be great to think that we could begin a new century with a new vision for the future and hope for a cleaner world. 

RESOURCES

All systems have a natural balance, which ‘natural’ systems constantly strive to maintain. In a pond the life forms within that system will not on their own accord exceed in populations the balance they have with their food supply. Humanity is part of a global ecosystem, but our population and rate of consumption are reaching critical mass, exceeding a natural balance with the planets ability to sustain life.

The greatest threat to the planet is humanity. Over-population and a seeming disregard, or lack of interest and involvement in protecting the environment and conserving our resources are the greatest challenges for us to overcome. It may be difficult to develop a UGE that can address these problems. One of the problems we face is that developing countries need to use their resources as they try to join the industrial world. Taking a closer look at these challenges may reveal just how complex the problem is.

Over Population.

At the end of World War II in 1945, the world's population stood at two billion. The rate of growth accelerated to the point that within 50 years the world's human population has nearly tripled to six billion. (Challenges for the Planet, US Department of State World Wide Web site). This alarming growth places tremendous stress on natural systems. Our resources are being lost to over-consumption, pollution or extinction.

Water, aside from being polluted, is now being consumed at a rate faster than the earth's capacity to replenish it. Modern agricultural techniques allow water to be pumped from aquifers and rivers at a rate faster than it can be replaced by rainfall. (Populations Outrunning Water Supplies, Hillary Mayell; Environmental News Network; November 1, 1999, www.enn.com) As the population continues to grow, the immediate effect of depleted water sources will be decreased ability to produce food. It is not hard to see what will follow.

As the demand for food increases there is a need for more fertile land. In 1952 there were 250 million acres of irrigated land in use. In 1993, the acres of irrigated land had risen to 600 million. But fertile land is scarce and adding new acreage comes at a cost. (Challenges for the Planet,) Deforestation in countries such as Brazil where the rain forest is being converted into farm and grazing land has a devastating impact on the bio-diversity of the region. It is estimated that about 70 animal and plant species are lost each day. Scientists estimate that in 50 years, 25% of the planet's species will be lost forever. (Challenges for the Planet) What we cannot estimate is the extent to which these species may have contributed to the discovery of new medicines, agricultural products and food ingredients.

Additionally, minerals are being consumed at alarming rates. The world's oil deposits are predicted to be exhausted within 100 years through energy and automobile consumption. These reserves could be conserved or put to more valuable uses through the production of alternate energy sources.  (Professor predicts oil's demise, Environmental News Network...)

Lack of Concern.

If the UGE is to have any significant impact on the environment, perhaps it will be in influencing individuals to take a greater interest and action in preserving our natural resources. Although governments should take the lead, it will ultimately be a combination of governments, non-government organizations, corporations, and individuals to have the impact necessary to make a positive lasting difference. 

CONCLUSION

A UGE must give equal reverence to nature and the environment and to all sentient beings that is accorded to humanity. If we don't build into our vision a reverence for the planet that is our home then we may be passing on a flawed vision that ignores a crucial part of ourselves.

PROPOSED UGE REGARDING THE ENVIRONMENT

1. We must regard nature with the same reverence and respect we would accord to a close companion. We recognize our spiritual connection to nature and our responsibility to respect and care for the planet for its own sake and as a part of ourselves.

2. Acknowledging the inevitable globalization of technology and development, we require sustainable development that protects the environment. Any other kind of development is not acceptable.

3. We affirm the right of humans, particularly indigenous populations, to use their resources in a responsible way and to enjoy the economic fruits of such use. Recognizing the ancient cultural truth that "the sins of the fathers are visited on the children" we believe that exploitative development of previous generations must be paid for.

4. Rights of sentient creatures must be respected and drawn into the balance of everyday living. They, like us, are living, breathing creatures. It is our responsibility to defend others that cannot defend themselves. In doing so, persons will not undertake this action to only gain for themselves. What happens to one will inevitably happen to all. 

This is a group project submitted in Spring 2000 by my students Marilyn, Alison, Mark and John in partial fulfillment of course requirements for HR 5113, Toward a Global Ethic: A Dialogue with the World's Religions, a University of Oklahoma Advanced Programs Human Relations course taught over the Internet.