Environmental Ethics

"Environmental Apocalypse or Ecologism: the Beginning of a New Era"
      It sometimes seems to be a common question in environmental ethics as to whether the fate of the earth and its environment is blown out of proportion and or misinterpreted by environmentalists. Is the earth truly facing a possible environmental apocalypse? Could it be possible to avoid such a disaster that may be in the works, by embracing the view of Ecologism? These important questions will be addressed from different views within this essay, to address our current and future environmental and cultural “issues.”
      Environmental facts and evidence to support the claim of an approaching environmental “apocalypse” is brought to our attention each and every day. Humans have caused an increase in the levels of ultraviolet radiation by depleting the ozone, are contributing to high levels of waste production and build up, cleared nearly 10 million square kilometers of forest area and significantly increased the amount of carbon dioxide released in the atmosphere (Pojman, 1). It is also stated that the US one of the main contributor to this problem due to our lifestyles here in the US.
      The US, most obviously, adds to environmental stress on a global scale. It seems that our lifestyle that we love is somewhat the cause of our environmental depletion. Depressingly, we only contain about 4.5% of the world's population (Pojman, 13.) but we produce more than 275 million tons of waste every year (Pojman, 15). The US also uses close to 25% of the world’s non-renewable energy, 34% of the world's total mineral resources, 30% of its food, and produces 33% of the world's pollution.
      Some people that express optimism, for the environment’s survival, believe that society will continue to progress. It is also an opinion that our ability to do more with less resource will also progress. We hear examples of plantation that have different values, grow in wastelands, and need minimal amounts of... [continues]

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