Branches of Ecocriticism: Environmentalism
Branches of Ecocriticism: Environmentalism
Environmentalism includes a broad range of people who are concerned about environmental issues but wish to maintain their standard of living without radical change. (Garrard 21) Environmentalists display a broad range of activism. They deeply care about the environment but they may instead focus on cleaner solutions that would replace a current resource rather than eliminate it entirely. There are various levels of environmentalism. For example, an environmentalist could be someone that simply recycles, or could include someone who has drastically changed every aspect of their life to become more environmentally friendly. Environmentalists advocate for action and implementation of change by individuals, but may look to the government or other institutions who have more power than the individual, to implement large levels of structural change.
Rachel Carson kickstarted environmentalism with Silent Spring. A book about the danger of pesticides. In the 60’s and 70’s, environmentalism started to gain traction in society. Over the years it has become a large part of the way we view and talk about the world, and one of the most important topics in politics. Growing concern surrounding a rapidly increasing shoreline and climate change along with solar and wind farms popping up everywhere, has lead to more and more people to start asking themselves how they can contribute and help, even if it’s just by using less straws.
Through literary and cultural representations people are informed about environmentalism and often motivated by the rhetoric in literature that relates to environmentalism. Eco critics analyze how policy and activism is motivated by this rhetoric. The act of analyzing these connections is called Ecocriticism. Text and other forms of media can largely move people to one side or the other of Environmentalism. Perhaps a commercial for solar energy will motivate someone to save up for a solar panel. Then again, a coal commercial may make someone not realize the negative affects coal can have. In this way, rhetoric, the way people in literature and society talk and write about these topics, can have a severe impact on how people perceive and take care of the environment.
Recyling helps reduce waste in landfills, which ultimately reduces the amount of environmental descrution and pollution due to creating space on the earth for waste.
Use Re-Useable Cups/Straws helps reduce the amount of plastic waste on our planet that will end up in landfills and the oceans. Reducing plastic in the ocean can also help preserve wildlife.
Composting reduces harmful emissions and greenhouse gasses, as well as the need for chemical fertilizers. Composting reduces agricultural waste, and provides an organic fertilizer.
Eat a plant based diet. Eating less meat helps reduce greenhouse gass emissions and soil, air, and water polluation. Eating less red meat in particular also impacts overall personal health.
Support local farms helps reduce the amount of fossil fuels burned by decreasing the amount of miles your food has to travel. It also helps protect local land and wildlife.
Consvere energy and use clean and renewable energy sources. Conversing energy by using renewable sources like the sun and the wind, largely reduces the amount of carbon in the air from burning coal. By reducing the amount of coal burned, we reduce the amount of destruction to the earth that is caused by mining for coal. This also helps protect the environment and the wildlife that are in these areas that are typically mined.
Plant trees and gardens. This helps clean the air by absorbing carbon. Trees and gardens help filter groundwater and can provide benefits to some animal and insect populations.
Volunteer to clean up waste and litter. This helps keep our community, environment, and oceans clean. It helps protect the land and wildlife.
Greenpeace - Greenpeace is an international organization founded in 1971 that uses creative activism to protest and bring awareness to environmentally harmful actions like whale hunting, nuclear testing, and coal burning.
World Wildlife Fund - The World Wildlife Fund has a well know panda logo. It's an international program that works to preserve nature and wildlife and wishes to create a world where humans and nature can coexist in harmony.
Sierra Club - The Sierra club was founded in 1892 and is one of the oldest conservation organizations. The Sierra Club focuses on fighting for governmental and political change and is a very respected organization.
EarthFirst - EarthFirst is famous for it's radical action. It was founded in 1979 and is open to all. It's well known for taking drastic action against corrupt corporatoins that have a negative impact on the environment.
These are just a few of the organizations that help advocate for the environment, to find more ways to get involved, visit greendreamer.com