Blog Questions

What promotes human connection to nature?

Human connection to nature, I believe, can be fully comprehended when people are curious about the cosmos, and this curiosity can be spurred on early through education. The world is an amazing place, and what is more remarkable is being able to fully comprehend the reality in which we exist. Science education is very important, now, more so than ever. The late Carl Sagan convinced a whole generation to look up to the night sky and question our place in the cosmos. When we reflect on our past, the nearly impossible odds that we happen to be at right place at the right time in this vast universe that spans billions of light years across, there is a certain humbling feeling—a feeling of connectedness to all things past and present. Seeing a picture of the pale blue dot from beyond the outer rings of Saturn, our infinitesimal status in the universe truly conveys how fragile Earth really is—and I feel like we should take on the challenge, to preserve the only home we have ever known.

What promotes disconnection from nature?

As I had mentioned above, I think a lack of education can promote a disconnection from nature. If people do not have an appreciation for the diversity of life on Earth, how can they be excited about environmental issues that plague the world today? Some people have become obsessed with material objects, where people place social status above environmental concerns. I am not sure nature is a thing that people learn to love if they do not have an innate desire to experience it for themselves. Many people, I presume, care about environmental issues even if they have not ventured out into the wilderness. Some people view it as an inconvenience—being told to recycle, maybe even feeling annoyed when they are told how much their vehicles contribute to pollution. Some people may just be naive. There is no right or wrong answer. The sentiment relies solely on the individual.

Is there a danger to a growing disconnect from nature?

I feel that many people do not understand how great the diversity of life really is, and how interconnected we really are with every living thing inhabiting this planet. Many people fear to venture outside their comfort zones—whether that be outside the concrete jungle of giant metropolises or they have become complacent in the sheltered lives of their own homes—some people seem to be inconvenienced by the growing trend of sustainable development or pessimistic in whether they can make an impact. A growing number of people spend a large percentage of their lives indoors, unaware of the inexplicable beauty the Earth has to offer. This, I presume, can lead to a growing disconnect from nature.

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Where do your environmental ethics lie? Anthropocentric? Biocentric? Ecocentric?

My ethics probably lie more towards a biocentric and ecocentric worldview. I do not see myself as special or more required to be on this earth than any other living thing on this planet. I do not know if anybody can have a viewpoint hinge solely on one or the other. There are issues that concern me in all three phases. Sometimes, an anthropocentric viewpoint concerning the environment seems egotistic to me. The belief that mankind is special has no bearing on my decisions. We are not special. Practices engaged to enrich the lives of humanity are great. We feel connected as a species, more so than from a species of a different genus because we are able to communicate and feel more empathy towards one another. But thinking that humans have direct control or have a given right to conquer nature seems troublesome and selfish. My understanding is to leave this place—the Earth—with the hope that it would be a better place than when I arrived.