Alva -- Environmental Ethics

  The main takeaways I am leaving this class with are a greater willingness to deeply consider and reflect on approaches to environmental interactions, with more nuanced takes on issues I previously would not have dedicated thought to. Some stand-out topics I have considered more deeply, some of which I still stand conflicted and reflective on, are human /non-human hierarchies, plant pain, and each debate topic we explored in class. Thinking back to my initial reflection, I had assumed I would leave class with more clarity on where I stood in terms of hierarchical thinking between humans and non-humans and how to ethically account for all species in environmental action. I have certainly been willing to embrace shifting from my anthropocentric mindset, and am more cognizant of that a just environmental ethic cannot only account for humans. However, after leaving class discussions on Kantian ethics and Wilson’s responses to his understanding of human/non-human hierarchies, I was sti...

To what extent are Indigenous environmental values and approaches part of what Armstrong explains as “vanishing?” Given how contrasting mainstream environmental approaches of exploitation and commodification are, could you say that Indigenous principles of environmental stewardship have vanished? 

  For my outdoor time this week, I decided to sit under a tree on the quad to observe how people engage with the green space that is a centrepiece of our campus. I sat by a tree on the east side of the quad, giving me an all-encompassing view of students leaving classes, heading to the library, or walking to Rastall’s.   What I noticed most as students were moving through the space was how little they were looking up. People were looking on their phones, or making eye contact with friends but did not seem to attend to their surroundings. These observations made me think of my outdoor time from last week, where engaging my senses made me feel a much stronger sense of place and peace on my walk. I, too, have had rushed walks across Tava Quad not really looking around, and often do not feel very connected to the space when doing so.  I also thought about how while there are numerous paved or gravelled paths across the quad, many people were walking straight across the grass ...

For class today, we read two sections from Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book  Braiding Sweetgrass, which   explores Indigenous knowledge as a complementary or alternative approach to mainstream scientific methodology. I especially appreciation Kimmerer’s exploration of the gift economy and culture of gratitude (106). To me, it seems that the ethical responsibilities that she outlines as part of reciprocity to the earth are essential to restructuring the relationship that some humans have with the land that hosts us.  As part of her exploration of the gift economy structure of interacting with the Earth, Kimmerer emphasizes the ways in which the Earth has welcomed humans, and that we have an obligation to give back because of that. She mentions that since the beginning of time, other species on Earth have been a “lifeboat” for humans and that now, it is time for us to be theirs. She also highlights the generosity of the pecan tree, and the subsequent obligation of humans to prote...

  For today’s class, we read three pieces that explored the intersectional concept of ecofeminism, which emphasizes the connections between gendered domination and hierarchy and the domination of nature. My reading reflection will specifically be centered around Warren and King’s pieces. Their explorations of the role of hierarchical thinking in creating intersectional forms of oppression such as environmental degradation stands out to me as a consistent obstacle to building sustainable and beneficial relationships with nature.   An element of Warren’s piece that stood out to me is their exploration of hierarchy.  importantly highlights that hierarchical thinking may not be inherently problematic  in of itself, but becomes oppressive when coupled with a logic of domination (591). This commentary reminded me of several conversations we have had as a class surrounding moral hierarchies, particularly in the context of hierarchies between species. While I firml...

  For my outdoor time this week, I went on a long walk along Shooks Run here in Colorado Springs. Throughout my four years living in the Springs, Shooks Run has been a favorite place of mine to walk or run. My walk this week specifically made me reflect on the importance of all senses being involved when building connections with nature and outdoor spaces more broadly.   Walking is one of my favorite activities, and I often go for long walks a few times every week to find peace and calm. It’s an activity that is of great value for both my physical and mental health. Often times, I listen to music or podcasts while walking, which sometimes draws my focus away from my surroundings. Being able to choose the sounds I listen to often makes me zone out from my physical surroundings. I can almost feel the same walking on a treadmill as on a trail if I listen to the same music.  For my walk this week, I opted for a music-free stroll. I left my headphones at home and filled my ear...

  For class today, we read the first part of Aldo Leopold’s   Sand County Almanac,  as well as a chapter by Stone regarding whether trees should have legal standing. For my reading reflection today, I will specifically be sharing some reflections that Stone’s chapter evoked for me. I was particularly struck by their exploration of how new proposals of legality have long been ridiculed, which made me draw to connections from other readings from the class and made me reflect on why people are not ready for the massive paradigm shift that may be needed to create meaningful change.   Early in Stone’s piece, they provide some historical examples of attempts at conferring new rights onto new entities. Stone explains that the responses to these movements have consistently been “odd or frightening or laughable” (Stone 191). This idea of attempts at mindset changes brought me back to pieces on vegetarianism from earlier this week, in which authors explored that the responses ...