COLUMN: We need the environment … to a point
The environment, no matter why you think it’s here, is a wonderful thing. It keeps us warm or cool, it gives us water and light and it protects us from boredom. But is it here expressly for our purpose, or are we here for its purpose?
Since elementary school, I have believed humans evolved from the first thing that slithered out of the pool of primordial ooze. What a lovely thought. And since then, I have believed that the environment was here long before we were and will probably continue to be here long after we kill ourselves off, unless we destroy everything first.
There’s been some debate lately about whether stapling a poster to a tree is OK. Some would say the tree is there for our use and if it dies because of it, there’s another one to take its place. Others would say the tree is as close to God as anything and should not be harmed or taken advantage of in such a way.
It’s just a tree.
That’s hard for a practicing tree-hugger to say. But for crying out loud. Some things can be taken a little too seriously. Trees are wonderful, beautiful things that should be protected, admired, climbed and, at some point, chopped. I love the smell of a burning pine bough as much as the next person. I buy live Christmas trees. And I lie under trees on a sunny afternoon to daydream, too. I don’t want to see trees used carelessly, but staples really aren’t doing any harm.
There’s a class on environmental writing this semester that asks students to examine past writings – such as “Silent Spring” – and then write their own paper. A friend in that class is worried because she just can’t seem to get into the “paranoid spirit” of it all. The sky is falling. The earth is dying. The pesticides will kill us all. Is there no end?
Paranoia isn’t doing the environmental movement any good. Extremists have never been given very much credibility, whether they’re extreme about religion, abortion, gay rights or the environment. Perhaps if we all calm down a little bit and exchange ideas in a more enlightened manner, like talking rather than hissing, things might change faster and more easily. I agree we need to take care of the environment. I don’t think animals and trees and such were planted here purely for our use. How absurd. I think we need to remember that life isn’t life without these things. We need to use these things around us for food and recreation. But we don’t need to abuse these things, either.
Trees are good. Bears are good. One needs the other for survival, as do humans and the environment. Maybe if all those extremists creating paranoia would calm down a little bit, the other end of the spectrum wouldn’t be so anti-trees.
Likewise, if the local club on campus – ECOS, which tried to educate students on the number of trees used in a single day at Utah State University in paper alone – would stop tying paper signs on trees to convince students to stop wasting paper, the point would come across a little more smoothly. As it was, most people laughed at the absurdity of those flyers.
And only the trees suffer.
Heather Fredrickson is a senior majoring in journalism. E-mail comments to her at slr4h@cc.usu.edu