Plan B Ch. 10 / Earth Charter

Plan B Ch. 10

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"In effect, we are in a race between political tipping points and natural tipping points" (Brown, 243).
I agree with the text that in order for action to take place, people are more inclined to wait until resources reach their tipping point. The fine line between the political tipping point and nature's tipping point can be catastrophic if the issue goes unaddressed. Society should make a stronger effort to alleviate its negative impact on the environment before the effects become irreversible. If we tackle the major tasks of reducing our carbon footprint, seeking alternative energy technology, and eliminating fossil fuel consumption, we can begin to positively impact the Earth and its sensitive ecosystems.


Earth Charter
1. Respect and Care For the Community of Life

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"Recognize that all beings are interdependent and every form of life has value regardless of its worth to human beings." This principle ties into the class discussion on which organisms are valuable to the Earth and which ones are not. Just because we can't visually observe the effect of one organism doesn't mean it lacks value to the surrounding environment. Also, the biodiversity pyramid that we observed several times throughout the semester illustrates how organisms are dependent upon one another in order to thrive and be successful in nature. As you go up the pyramid only 10% of the energy is obtained by the organism, 90% is recycled into the environment in the form of heat.

2. Ecological Integrity

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"Reduce, reuse, and recycle materials used in production and consumption systems, and ensure that residual waste can be assimilated by ecological systems." This principle is related to Ch. 4 of Plan B and was discussed in the group presentations. LEED certification systems recognize buildings that are  constructed with recycled materials and awards them levels of distinction based on a scoring system that accounts for energy consumption, transportation, construction materials, and energy efficient appliances. Ecological integrity holds everyone accountable for their actions towards the environment.

3. Social and Economic Justice

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"Recognize the ignored, protect the vulnerable, serve those who suffer, and enable them to develop their capacities and to pursue their aspirations." This principle tied into my experience on our field trip to the Coalition for Immokalee Workers. That was one of my favorite trips this semester because it was such an eye opening experience to hear the stories about oppression and slavery taking place only 20 miles away from FGCU. This experience strengthened my knowledge of consumer buying power in relation to choosing organic or locally grown produce that benefits the workers instead of large corporations.

4. Democracy, Non-Violence, and Peace

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"Treat all living beings with respect and consideration." This principle is related to in-class discussions as well as the Naples Preserve service learning project. Everything on Earth has a purpose for its existence. We may not understand the significance of every organism but when viewed at a larger scope it's clear that all living things should be respected. The Naples Preserve is home to various native plant and animal species that are present on the threatened or endangered species list. This organization strives to encourage community members to observe the beauty of Florida ecosystems. The location of the preserve is on the busy corner of U.S 41 and serves as example of how plants and animals can live in a protected environment within footsteps of urbanization. 

Plan B Ch. 3

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But today's oil-based civilization is heavily dependent on a resource whose production will soon be falling (Brown, 56).

The United States is extremely dependent on coal and natural gas to the extent that it is one of the country's largest imports. Recent studies have shown that fossil fuel consumption is both inefficient and harmful to the environment. Over the timespan of the twenty first century, dependence on fossil fuels has increased dramatically. The human population is consuming fossil fuels at such a high rate that will leave the likely deplete the source by 2050. In order to address this issue, society needs to reduce their consumption on fossil fuels and shifts towards a cleaner and more efficient alternative.

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Considering carbon emissions, water requirements, local water pollution, and the overall environmental devastation from processing billions of tons of tar sand or oil shale, civilization would be better off if this oil were simply left in the ground (Brown, 73).

If oil were left in the ground and never discovered, our society and environment would be drastically different. The lifestyles of many individuals would be changed and industries wouldn't be as prevalent. It's eyeopening to observe the effects of fossil fuels on the environment and imagine a world without the consumption of oil. Civilization would be more oriented on the environment and its resources rather than focused on money and GDP. Hopefully society can change its habits and realize that it is best to leave oil and natural gas untouched underground. This will force the population to pursue natural sources of energy.

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A business-as-usual energy policy is no longer an option (Brown, 71).

In regards to the text, I believe the policy over energy efficiency and fossil fuel consumption is not a black or white issue. This scenario affects both the business aspect of society as well as the environmental side. In order to address the concerns over energy, a new system needs to be tested and slowly implemented to observe its effect on society and the surrounding environment. Although businesses account for the majority of energy consumption, the human population as a whole wastes copious amounts of energy through residential use. In order to initiate change, there needs to be participation among the entire population.

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In addition to coal's disproportionate contribution to climate disruption and damage to human health, it also is the most easily replaced of the three fossil fuels (Brown, 75).

If coal is such an easy resource to replace, why haven't we done so already? The biggest obstacle for the energy industry is fear of change among the population. In terms of alternative energy, we should invest more time and money towards natural energy resources that will eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels. The problem with alternative energy is funding and getting enough people to approve the implementation. Majority of people live by the saying, "If it's not broken don't fix it." This phrase cannot be used in comparison to sustainability because our current system may not be broken, but it sure isn't working effectively. There needs to be a way to rally up support for clean energy before its too late.