We were asked at the end of the class to search for places, experiences, objects, advertisements, and so on that showed a hostility towards nature. I chose the following selections because they aren't done by completely heartless people, as was the one above. They also demonstrate the negative hostility and positive love for nature and our planet. This first one show a negative opinion of nature by attaching the long commercialized feelings towards vultures:
This next video doesn't seem inherently negative towards nature, but there are subtleties like the factory in the middle of a forest, the rabbit being run over (didn't happen in this video but that is what would have happened in real life), and so on.
This next one I selected is positive toward nature. I chose to share positive messages, because, as our professor often says, words create worlds. One of my goals as an Urban Ecologist is to switch the messages we are collectively sending to be ones of positivity. Not only do people respond better to positive messages, but they have a greater effect for change. This video showcases beautiful shots of our country and world and is set to "This Land is Your Land". The message at the end is "The world is a gift. Play Responsibly." One other piece from this video that I wanted to focus on was, the Jeep always being on a road, not roaming all over the countryside. As they stated the world is a gift, not a play thingy. We are responsible for its care, and roaming all over creation destroying habitats is not responsible!
I wanted to list this video to adapt or add to the last video's message. The world is a gift, and we are responsible for its care. We are also responsible for the care of those around us. This video talks about children suffering in other nations, and closes with, "just because it isn't happening here doesn't mean it isn't happening."
I wanted to expand that thought to our environment as well. We can turn on the faucet and water comes out. We can flip a switch and the light comes on. Not everyone has that luxury, and at what costs are we living in luxury?
Downstream the water runs out because how much we use, and to get that electricity, coal is mined by fellow human beings in terrible conditions. "Just because it isn't happening here, doesn't mean it isn't happening."
Water, electricity, gas, and other resources are gifts, we need to employ them responsibly. I used employ instead of use because of its changed meaning. We use something and "throw it away", but as one of my previous posts mentioned, there is no away. Our air pollution in Utah doesn't just affect us, it affects everyone on the planet. That pollution seeps into our streams, and is blown to other areas. What we do affects everyone, we are all connected and there is no away. Let us treat our planet and each other with respect.
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