ES 70 final

Question 1

Principles of Earth First

Answer 1

• Wilderness has a right to exist for its own sake
  *All life forms, from virus to the great whales, have an inherent and equal right to existence
  *Humankind is no greater than any other form of life and has no legitimate claim to dominate
  Earth
  *Humankind, through overpopulation, anthropocentrism, industrialization, excessive energy
  consumption/resource extraction, state capitalism, father-figure hierarchies, imperialism,
  pollution, and natural area destruction, threatens the basic life processes of EARTH
  *All human decisions should consider Earth first, humankind second
   *The only true test of morality is whether an action, individual, social, or political, benefits
  Earth
  *Humankind will be happier, healthier, more secure, and more comfortable in a society that
  recognizes humankind’s true biological nature and which is in dynamic harmony with the
  total biosphere
  *Political compromise has no place in the defense of Earth
  *Earth is Goddess and the proper object of human worship

Question 2

What is “direct action” environmentalism

Answer 2

“A category of activism in which participants act directly,
ignoring established (or institutionalized) political and
social procedures.”

Examples of direct action are strikes, boycotts, sabotage,
blockades, tree-sits, obtaining secret footage, lock-on’s
and protests, or a combination of these methods

Much of the debate and disagreement over the ethics of direct action has to do with how “violence” should be defined and what exactly constitutes civil disobedience vs acts of terror.

Question 3

What is civil disobedience

Answer 3

Civil disobedience is commonly
defined as involving forms of
passive or nonviolent
resistance, such as those actions
undertaken by Gandhi or Martin
Luther King (sit-ins and marches,
other forms of peaceful protest.)

While there is a refusal to comply
with the law in civil disobedience,
the forms of noncompliance avoid
violence and often anything that
could be understood as forceful or
coercive.

Question 4

ecosabotage

Answer 4

the deliberate destruction or damaging of something to prevent it from working properly for ecological protection

Question 5

ecosabotage and self-defense

Answer 5

defense is of nature, and “self” is expanded to include nature

Question 6

types of action by XR

Answer 6

climbed onto overhead gantries

soup on painting

stopping public transport

Peaceful marches

nonviolent public protests,

tree-sitting

tree-spiking

ecosabotage

obtaining secret footage

Question 7

Roger Hallam, XR founder, on disruption and nonviolence

Answer 7

non violence likely to bring more success

hit them where it hurts, which is their pockets

Moral Authority

Broader Participation

Media Attention

Strategic Advantage

Minimization of Harm

Legitimacy and Legality

Question 8

iconoclasm

Answer 8

the action of attacking or assertively rejecting cherished beliefs and institutions or established values and practices

Example: BLM destroying symbols of the state like flags and statues

Question 9

how is the environmental crisis itself a kind of “religious” crisis

Answer 9

it is a religious crisis because god’s creation is being destroyed

to consider the meaning of “God” as
collectivity or oneness, political action as worship, and the space of protest and debate as one of sanctuary

hold prayer in public and connect it to environmental crisis peaceful protest

Question 10

role of psychedelic substances in XR practice/protests

Answer 10

psychedelics experiences can lead to a shift in consciousness, motivating individuals to challenge societal norms and engage in civil disobedience

brings people closer to nature/appreciate nature more

sense of self

Question 11

what is dark green religion

Answer 11

Emphasizes the interconnectedness of all life and the importance of ecological sustainability. Followers of dark green religion often revere nature as sacred and view environmental protection as a moral imperative

Question 12

Green religion

Answer 12

The book series involved the participation and collaboration of more than 800 scholars, theologians, religious leaders, and environmental specialists from around the world

Question 13

Lynn White thesis

Answer 13

Science that Western,
biblical traditions were
especially responsible for
creating an attitude of
disregard for nature in the
West.

certain religious traditions, particularly Judaism and Christianity, have historically emphasized the superiority of God over nature and the dominion of humans over the natural world. This perspective has often led to the exploitation and depletion of natural resources for human ends. Many religions have focused on personal salvation and considered this world as corrupt, thereby neglecting environmental concerns. Consequently, there is a need to reevaluate religious teachings to prioritize the value of nature and prevent its destruction

Question 14

relationship between concern for climate change and religious
affiliation/commitment

Answer 14

highly religious americans are less concerned about climate change, less convinced human activity plays a role in warming of eath

Question 15

Taylor’s basic claims regarding the world religions getting
“greener”

Answer 15

whether this transformation will fully materialize depends on various factors. Taylor acknowledges that while some religious groups and individuals are already embracing environmentalism as part of their faith, others may resist such changes due to entrenched theological beliefs or institutional structures. Additionally, socio-political factors, including economic interests and cultural norms, can also influence the trajectory of religious attitudes towards environmental concerns

Question 16

Taylor’s idea of “civic” or “civil” religion: how dark green religion might function as a civic religion

Answer 16

Taylor proposes that “dark green religion” – with its emphasis on nature spirituality and environmental stewardship – could potentially function as a form of civic religion. Civic religion refers to a shared set of beliefs and practices that bind a society together, often transcending specific religious traditions. In this context, dark green religion could serve as a unifying force, fostering a sense of collective responsibility for environmental protection and sustainability.

Taylor suggests that dark green religion’s emphasis on ecological ethics and reverence for nature could inspire civic engagement and shape public policy towards more environmentally friendly practices. By framing environmental stewardship as a sacred duty, dark green religion could motivate individuals and communities to work towards ecological preservation and address pressing environmental challenges

Question 17

What features of surfing align it with dark green religion

Answer 17

Nature Reverence

Ecological Awareness

Embodied Spirituality

Community and Ritual

Environmental Activism

Eco-spiritual Philosophy

surfing waves that have been created by the energy from the big bang

Question 18

what is TEK

Answer 18

traditional ecological knowledge is a system of ecological science and technology developed by indigenous people over 20000 years ago

example: cultural burning practices

Question 19

what is place based knowledge

Answer 19

indigenous people have privileged working knowledge of the specific landscapes associated with their territory

Question 20

what is personhood/rights

Answer 20

Personhood/rights rooted in an understanding of relationality rather than individuality. A “person” comes into being only in the context
of relationship.

Personhood/rights concept resonates with sacred qualities of nature & natural entities recognized in these cultures

Question 21

pros of personhood/rights

Answer 21

May offer a way to merge rights paradigm with ecocentric perspectives (beyond individualist ethics)

May offer protections to nature that go beyond ideas of property or even environmental law (e.g. where endangered species law falls short)

It’s a legal tool that can give leverage to stakeholders or tribes to mount a defense of
nature in court or instigate law suits .

Protecting entities like rivers or forests effectively protects numerous other entities at the same time

A good way of blending the virtues of non-anthropocentrism from environmental ethics
with the virtues of reconciliation and
reparations from environmental justice

Question 22

cons of personhood/rights

Answer 22

How is nature going to be defined?

How to identify a defendant? (often there
are multiple parties)

Who can bring a suit on nature’s behalf? Who decides?

If a natural entity can bring suit, can a lawsuit be brought against it in turn? Can a river be sued?

RoN can be used in ways that might
undermine protection of nature or stop progress on climate change

Legal rights without a change in attitudes and moral values may not be sufficient (“You can’t legislate morality”)

Question 23

Stone’s argument on rights of nature

Answer 23

Stone argued that since rights of corporations have
been recognized and protected as persons, we should extend that same recognition to the environment

Question 24

Similarities and differences of rights of nature and animal rights

Answer 24

One similarity between animal rights and rights of nature is the overall idea of what the approaches stem from, which is the importance of humanity’s relationship with nature

One difference between the approaches is the scope of what is being considered. Animal rights is more focused on the individual animal as subjects of life with meaning and value which is why they deserve rights. On the other hand, the rights of nature are concerned more on broader ecological systems, such as whole ecosystems.