Dbq Human Environment

934 Words4 Pages

Since the beginning of mankind, there have been many examples of humans developing both positive and negative relationships with the environment. From early Native Americans preciously cultivating and restoring their natural surroundings, to large manufacturing conglomerates of the modern age polluting air and water without regard, the interaction between humans and their environment has been both productive and destructive in various ways. By evaluating that it is much more important for a developing civilization/nation to conserve and protect its resources rather than fully develop them, we can completely understand the unique impacts that the human race has had on the environment, and how significant the negative gaffes and consequently, …show more content…

This is the reason why many environmental activists attempt to promote healthy living, the awareness of conservation, and the importance of refurbishing our surroundings to an improved state. Many people throughout history have recognized this, but this idea has not become mainstream until the early 21st century. Going as far back as the 5th century, you can find individuals such as Tao Te Ching of the Lao Tzu dynasty, who wrote about subjects such as Mother Nature's unpredictability and how it cannot be controlled by the hand of any human. By stating this, he is proving many a point, declaring that we should be grateful for the opportunities that we have to colonize on this Earth(Document 1). As you move up through history a few centuries, you can additionally find people such as Aldo Leopold, who was an important American conservationist who became founder of the WWF, (World Wildlife Fund). He preached on the critical idea of conservation, and how vital it is that the human race doesn’t degrade the plants, animals, and all other portions …show more content…

The 5th century seen the beginning of these various points of views sprout, often within the religion of Buddhism. An individual following this religion during the aforementioned time period, whose name was Sutta Nipata, began to write about the countless species of animals present on Earth. By comparing them with one another, he claimed that all of them were sacred, and blessed by the hand of Buddha. Even earlier than Nipata's writings was the creation of the Roman Catholic Bible, whose first chapter and verses, under the name of Genesis, includes the supposed creation of the Earth, man, and all the animals created by the God of the Catholic faith. This piece is important because many individuals who devoutly follow this religion are taught to respect God's creation, a rule which is included within the Ten Commandments. Chief Seattle of the Northwestern Indian tribe also composed information about the environment when replying to the United States government in 1852. He wrote that no man should own the Earth, for it is sacred and hollowed to his people. By trading land like a man might trade meat in a market, we are gravitating away from the Earth's immense beauty. By associating religion within nature, the human race has created an element of respect and sanctity to our ecosystems