A Land Ethic

 A Sustainable Future

Ch. 17 Habitat Destruction (p.112) - 

Habitat is the place where an organism lives and finds food, water, cover, and space to grow and reproduce. Each organism has evolved over time to be adapted to a particular kind of habitat. Habitat destruction is the most significant driver of ecosystem damage, biodiversity loss, and species extinction and comes about because of a variety of human activities (Robertson 2017).

It's sad to think that most buildings in our area are built on top of what once was a home to organisms. I can't imagine being taken away from my home. As humans living in this world, we should be mindful & considerate of the organisms around us. Most buildings have built around the homes of organisms to prevent from habitat destruction & protect it from what can harm it.  

Ch. 17 Conservation (p.118) - 

Conservation is the first line of defense for pre-serving biodiversity. Its goal is to preserve existing populations, species, and habitats and prevent their disappearance. It does this by establishing protected places, which may be reserves, refuges, parks, or private lands with special legal protection (Robertson 2017).

As I walk through FGCU, I go back to the colloquium video & admire the preservation. I don't take advantage of the nature I see on my walks on campus as I once did. I now have a better understanding that what I do now can positively or negatively make a difference on the home of organisms.

https://schwabentraum.com/zero-waste-and-sustainable-living/


 

Three examples of evidence that I'm exhibit an ethical relationship with my community:

1. I use reusable shopping boxes - I grocery shop at Aldi & they require customers to bring their own reusable bags. If you don't have one then you can reuse their supply boxes or buy a reusable bag for $1.99. I love that they do this one sustainable practice because it encourages & reminds customers to use/bring a reusable bag every time they shop. It can be quite a handful when you forget to bring your own bag/box because they DONT offer plastic bags. I've definitely enjoyed grocery shopping more than ever because of this. 

2. I focus on eating more plant-based foods - I tried vegetarian for 6 months & I learned how creative you can be with fruits & vegetables. I'm now able to prepare creative recipes that are both delicious & healthy. I lean towards buying fresh fruits & vegetables rather than processed foods...I can honestly feel the difference between the both. I limit my meat intake each meal & prefer to stick to cleaner meats such as ground turkey, turkey slices, chicken, & turkey bacon.   

3. I'm taking the minimal approach - I am going through a french girl phase & love how minimal they are. I am realizing that I prefer having items that I know I need & will use on the daily basis rather than having a hoarding mindset that I will "eventually" use it when I know I won't. I also recently came to the realization that my shopping habits are not ethical & I am slowly but surely transitioning back to my thrifting roots. 

Three examples of evidence that I'm NOT exhibiting an ethical relationship with my community: 

1. I don't recycle often - A bad habit of mine...I know! I tend to put both recyclable items & my trash together, instead of separating the two *currently cringing at myself as I type this* but hey the first step to recovery is calling yourself out on your bad habits, right? 

2. I use & buy unsustainable products - I am aware of this & have been doing my research to get myself into packaging that are both reusable & recyclable.     

3. I can be wasteful - I go through cotton balls like crazy & it's so wasteful! I've recently heard about reusable cotton rounds & it sounds like a convenient purchase. 

I enjoyed creating a list of examples that exhibit my ethical relationship with my community & a list of examples that DO NOT. The lists are helpful in knowing what I should carry on with & what I need to work on in playing my part in taking care of my future. I'm looking forward to seeing where I am in a year as I go through my sustainable journey!

References:

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability Principles and Practice. Routledge.