"Biodiversity is the very fabric of life." (Shiva, 38)
This is an expressive
way to start the passage. It is very intense – but true. In this simple
statement, Shiva explains the importance and meaning of biodiversity. From
this, I understand that biodiversity is extremely important in today’s world,
just as it was in the past. Humans have interrupted the natural processes of
the world, which has lead to additional problems, and in turn we end up
destroying more of the environment to compensate for. Many creatures that once
lived on this planet are now extinct because of our careless nature. One thing
humans need to do is coexist with animals instead of destroying them and their
habitats. Without biodiversity,
ecosystems would collapse. Biodiversity increases ecosystem productivity where
every organism matters. Shiva (43) also says, “The smallest microbe plays a
critical role in maintaining the ecological processes that create the
conditions of life for all species, including, of course, our own." Every
organism has an essential role in the ecosystem. The extinction of one species
often leads to others. We need to be aware of our choices towards the
environment.
“Humankind is one among millions of
other species. It does not have a right to push other species to extinction, or
to manipulate them for greed, profit and power without concern for their well being.” (Shiva 40)
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| Dr. Galdikas With an Orangutan: Source |
This is such a powerful statement and
it evokes an emotional response in me. As humans we have the intelligence, the
power, and the resources to protect animals and the environment. Unlike the
Native Americans, who think of animals as their brothers and sisters, we like
to manipulate them for greed, profit, and power, without a concern for the
creature’s well being. I am very drawn to this quote because I believe in
animal rights. Among many others, I believe that palm oil plantations are a
major evil and are driving orangutan populations to extinction. The orangutan’s
forest home is being destroyed and transformed into palm oil plantations on a
substantial scale. Greedy businessmen and plantation workers are destroying the
orangutan’s home. Poaching and pet trade of these beautiful animals is becoming
more widespread. Forest fires are purposely set to clear land, however by doing
so many of these animals are killed. Mothers are separated from their young
only to await the same fate. The film “Born to be Wild” first showed me the
evils of Palm oil plantations. I fell in love with Dr Birute Mary Galdikas and her passion for
these creatures. As a result, Ive tried to cut out sources of palm oil whenever
I see it, in hopes not to support this killing of my favorite animals, but its
harder than it sounds. Restating Shiva’s quote, I wish that people would stop
pushing species to extinction, or manipulating them for greed, profit and power
without concern for their well being.
Here's a link to products that contain palm oil: Palm Oil Shopping Guide
“The lesson
from biodiversity is co-operation, not competition. It is that the big depends
on the small, and cannot survive by exterminating the small.” (Shiva 44)
It’s essential
that we learn how to coexist with all creatures on the planet, no matter how
small. For example, earthworms and various other decomposers, we may think that
they are useless or pests, however they are the base of the food pyramid. If
they suddenly disappeared the plants would suffer and in turn, so would the
primary producers and so on.
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