'Environment' Separates Humans; 'Ecology' is a Whole-systems Vision that Sees Humans as a Species in the Biosphere! 💚

The Biosphere & the Bioregion in Literature

Which is the Better Term? Environment or Ecology?

Biosphere Reserves | As Pockets of Hope

Today’s The Hindu | Editorial

3rd Nov 2023

#newspaperinlearning #bioregionalism #biospherereserves

Away from the cacophony of urban life, most of us look for respite in sites with natural beauty, lush greenery, and peaceful surroundings.

Discarded Plastic Bottles in Coastal Areas

As the tourist season approaches, it is no surprise that while we search for unpolluted spots to explore, and with 80% of all tourism taking place in coastal areas, would you call it a relaxing vacation if you found discarded plastic bottles while taking a stroll on the beach?

Stainless Steel Bottles as Alternatives

In the Island of Principe Biosphere Reserve, Sao Tome and Principe in Africa, schoolchildren have been equipped with stainless steel bottles for drinking water, so the daily production and consumption of single-use plastic bottles can be completely avoided.

Biosphere Reserves as Hidden Oases & Living Jewels

Acting as pockets of hope in the face of the climate crisis, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) biosphere reserves are hidden oases, protecting biodiversity, reducing pollution, and enhancing climate resilience.

They are living jewels of land, coastal and marine ecosystems, scattered across the globe, where nature and humans come together creating a symphony of life.

3rd November 2023: World Biosphere Reserve Day

World Biosphere Reserve Day is celebrated on 3rd November each year to raise awareness of the importance of biosphere reserves and to promote their conservation and sustainable use.

The Structure of the Biosphere Reserves

In the heart of each biosphere reserve lies the strictly protected core zone, providing habitat for flora and fauna, and protecting water, soil, air, and biota as a whole ecosystem.

There is a buffer zone surrounding the core zone, where people live and work in harmony with nature; a zone that also functions as a laboratory for scientists to study nature, and for training and education.

The outermost edge is the transition zone where communities practise socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable human activities.

According to UNESCO, there are currently 748 biosphere reserves across 134 countries, including 22 transboundary sites, enhancing the friendly cooperation between neighbouring countries. They impact the lives of more than 250 million people in 134 countries; 12 sites can be found in India alone.

Threats to Biosphere Reserves

Despite these sites being the most vital ecosystems protecting nature, these oases are not without threats such as deforestation, invasive species and land use changes such as mining. With increasing urbanisation and constant growth of the world population, exploitation by humans is ever increasing.

Ridge to Reef: The Asian Meet in Chennai

On this second anniversary of World Biosphere Reserve Day, [today, 3rd November 2023], it is important to reflect on the progress that has been made in conserving and sustainably using these vital ecosystems.

In this context, UNESCO in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, concluded the 10th South and Central Asian Biosphere Reserve Network Meeting (SACAM) in Chennai, India (November 1-3).

With the theme “Ridge to Reef,” the SACAM provided a platform for exchanging knowledge and fostering collaborations in the realm of sustainable environmental practices in the South and Central Asia Region,

say the writers.

Coming to the question -

Which is Better? Environment or Ecology?

This takes us back to our domain of Literature, and the concept of Biosphere and Bioregion in the Literary Imagination, ain’t it? 😊

In their book titled, The Biosphere and the Bioregion: Essential Writings of Peter Berg, Cheryll Glotfelty and Eve Quesnel observe that -

By definition, “environment” separates humans from the “environment” that surrounds and is outside them.

“Environment” rests on the premise of a duality between humans and nature, and environmentalists want to protect nature from humans.

According to Berg, this view is fundamentally flawed.

He prefers the word “ecology” to “environment.”

Ecology is a whole-systems vision that sees humans as a species in the biosphere, a part of nature.

Speaking of environmentalists, Berg said, “it seemed to me that they were spectators of nature rather than involved in it. They weren’t willing to give up the benefit of the anthropocentric viewpoint of dominating the earth. [ . . . ] They wanted to keep that but also be nice to nature” (“Ecology Emerges”).

Berg wanted to replace industrial civilization with an ecological civilization, and from his perspective environmentalism amounted to little more than cleaning up environmental messes rather than transforming civilization into one that does not damage natural life-support systems in the first place.

In his critique of the environmentalist paradigm, Berg shared the outlook of deep ecologists such as Arne Naess, and he wanted to create a social movement that would transform society and enact a biocentric philosophy.

To do that required grounding. Berg’s idea of the bioregion described a territory where a culture based on principles of deep ecology could take place.

Berg wanted to replace the protest approach of environmentalist politics with a proactive approach of ecological politics (“Ecology Emerges”).

While protest had its place, Berg preferred an orientation that took positive steps to restore damaged ecosystems and push for sustainability. And he wanted to do it “in a communal way—interactive, mutualistic, participatory” (“Ecology Emerges”). As he saw it culture change comes from the bottom up, not from the top down.

For Berg, the environmental movement became less interesting and engaging as it became institutionalized with Earth Day and the founding of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970.

The implications for biosphere reserves and bioregionalism are numerous, say the writers.

Politically, governmental borders should follow natural watershed lines.

In terms of education, school children would learn the bioregional realities of where they live.

Isn’t it amazing that we don’t teach that in school?

That we’ve gotten to this point in environmental awareness and ecological destruction, and we’re not teaching children the bioregional characteristics of where they live, or their connectedness with them, or the activities that are appropriate for living in a specific life-place?

In terms of philosophy and literature there are obvious implications. Paintings can easily relate to the natural phenomena of the place where the artist lives, or poetry.

Gary Snyder is a writer who will be known in the future for leading a transition for North American literature: from Europe to the Pacific Rim, and to life-places like his own Shasta Bioregion in northern California. Culture can go straight to wilderness for inspiration rather than just relying on industrial civilization,

say Cheryl and Eve!

PS: For an Overview on Bioregional Literary Studies, you may want to look up our past post HERE.