Conservation — Page 9

The worldwide rush to develop capacity for producing biofuels has proceeded with little foresight. Facilities are being developed without a guaranteed supply of feedstocks (http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0105/p01s04-wmgn.html). Orangutans may be threatened by oil palm plantations (http://www.orangutans-sos.org/ )

I can distinctly remember what got me interested in environmental issues. When I was in 3rd grade I had this really amazing teacher who taught us about the environment. It was my first exposure to “reduce, reuse, and recycle” and she taught us about things we could do to help improve the environment. I was a little skeptical at first…

Regardless of dictionary definitions, anyone who has ever restored a car or a house knows that it is not only possible, it is also a rewarding experience that allows one to regain use of something that has been damaged or fallen into disrepair. But no one expects a restored house to be the same house that it was before. The paint may be the same color, but if lead paint was used something less toxic would now be substituted. No one would propose the use of asbestos as insulation or wallpaper known to burst into flames from a mere spark. In some parts of the world, air conditioning might be installed to protect the remaining historic components of a structure from the elements; if threatened by floods, a historic house undergoing restoration might be raised up on pilings. Where a house might have been home to a family of five, it might now be used as an office or retail store.

Fossil trees in Antarctica show us that climate has changed greatly in the past. Suppose the current warming is just part of a longer trend that we can’t do anything about?

Cristina Rumbaitis del Rio discusses “The role of ecological theory and practice in poverty alleviation and environmental conservation,” in the latest Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.