Letters from Our Readers: Fall 2008
Storm Warnings I found George Black’s depiction of Bangladesh problematic in a number of respects, particularly the alarm he builds about poor Muslims displaced by climate change as potential terrorist threats (“The Gathering Storm,” Summer 2008). Fearmongering and religious stereotyping undermine the international understanding necessary to effectively address poor people’s vulnerability to global warming. One should also be wary of inflated estimates of “environmental refugees.” The 25 million environmental refugee figure popularized in 1995 has little basis in fact, as a number of scholars have pointed out. Environmentalists should be extremely cautious about linking climate-related migration to national security. Using the language of threats may garner more attention in the media and policy circles, but it diminishes empathy and could intensify anti-immigrant sentiment. The heart of darkness is not in Bangladesh or in Africa, but in our own prejudices about the poor. Betsy Hartmann Director, Population and Development Program Hampshire College Amherst, Massachusetts As the Sea Rises George Black raises the specter of a dangerous fundamentalist Islam as a result of environmental dislocation in Bangladesh. I think it is regrettable that he should have recourse to prevailing stereotypes about Islam that stir up fears about terrorism and antagonism to Western values. Since Islam teaches peace, social justice, and responsibility toward other people and the world, a move to embrace Islam could very well result in efforts to create a more equitable society and ameliorate environmental degradation. For instance, for many hundreds of years, Muslims who enjoyed worldly success devoted a large proportion of their wealth to creating waqfs, or pious foundations that included schools, homes for widows and orphans, as well as fountains and public waterworks to provide this all-important resource to all people in society; the remains of these foundations are still in evidence in many cities of the Muslim world, including Cairo and Istanbul. And in his article, Mr. Black quotes Muslim religious scholars who underscore Islamic principles calling for responsible stewardship of creation. Instead of falling back on unfounded fears, we should recognize that the venerable traditions of Islam can actually serve to avert the impending environmental and human catastrophe in Bangladesh. Elise Auerbach Chicago, Illinois Your article on the grave threats faced by Bangladesh and other low-lying regions did a good job of stating the serious ramifications of global warming. But it concluded that the root cause of those problems was global warming itself. In fact, the root cause is the size and behavior of global population. In the very long term, an equilibrium will be reached between the carrying capacity of our planet and the number and lifestyles of people here. Our only choice is how we reach that point, not whether we will get there. We can reach a balance gracefully, by limiting our numbers and consumptive habits, or nature will make the tough choices for us. I hope the environmental community will raise awareness of population and lifestyle as the true underlying cause of nearly all major problems in the world today, global warming included. Steve Johnson Lakewood, Colorado George Black responds: My story made it clear, I thought, that Bangladesh’s tradition of Islam is indeed one of its greatest assets, and that there is a growing awareness in Islamic thought of the concept of environmental stewardship. I also took pains to stress that estimates of the numbers who will be displaced vary enormously. That said, there’s a serious underlying question here: like it or not, one of the most urgent issues facing us in the coming years will be the humanitarian and political impact of global warming on the world’s poorest countries. And it so happens that the most vulnerable place of all is Bangladesh, where the majority of the population is Muslim. Throwing around words like “stereotyping” and “fearmongering” doesn’t seem to me a particularly helpful way of discussing this reality or looking for solutions before millions of lives are ruined. Come Together “Montana Gives Peace a Chance” was refreshing (Summer 2008). We need to see more of this kind of problem-solving so we can move ahead with the important environmental challenges of our day. The lessons from this article go far beyond the Yaak Valley of Montana. Kudos to Bass, King, and the lot of them. posted online by Roderick K. Purcell Snakes on a Plain Something happened to me as I read “‘We Have Rattlesnakes’” (Summer 2008): my unjustified fear of these creatures subsided and I began to feel compassion instead. Thank you for reminding me that ignorance is not bliss. posted online by Elizabeth Barrington Since nonaggressive rattlesnakes do not hunt human beings and will generally not harm anybody with enough sense to leave them alone, there’s no justification for the mass harvest and slaughter of an animal necessary to a healthy ecology. Commonsense precautions make coexisting with dangerous animals possible, so let us use common sense, take precautions, and stop killing wolves, bears, and rattlesnakes out of irrational fear. Geri A. Mellgren-Kerwin Burbank, California Malls R.I.P. This is excellent news (“The De-Malling of America,” Summer 2008). We need sustainable, mixed-use communities, in which owning a car is an expensive luxury and where one lives best by walking, by cycling, and through excellent public transportation. posted online by Mark Eden With the cost of gas topping $4 per gallon, people will want to live closer to where they work, learn, shop, and entertain. What this nation has been unable to do through zoning—create a new, more sustainable and environmentally friendly paradigm—is being created based on rising energy costs. Benefits will include a greater sense of community and a more manageable and pleasurable lifestyle for baby boomers and their parents. posted online by Michael Layne Fad or Not? Thank you for “Green Me” (Summer 2008), in which you sort through all the book offerings and give us your recommendations. Sustainability colleagues agonize over the possibility that going green is just a fad right now and the public’s attention will soon turn elsewhere. It won’t be a fad as long as there is some direct utility to people by living their lives in a greener way: saved money, improved health for family, and enhanced happiness overall. posted online by Justine Burt Postcapitalism I was struck by a contrast in the Summer 2008 issue of OnEarth: in Dispatches, an article on James Gustave Speth says that “worshipping at the altar of economic growth” has “diminished our sense of duty to the community by emphasizing the wrong values: individual rather than collective success, material rather than personal relationships” (“Crossing the Next Bridge”). Meanwhile, a few pages away in Reviews, Laura Wright picks through a pile of self-help books with a very different standard (“Green Me”): “Among these many volumes, the best…may espouse the planetary benefits of each act of do-goodism, but they’re also about what’s in it for you” (emphasis in original). The book that left her feeling “most hopeful” was the one that taught her “how much—in dollars and sense—I could do for me while doing something good for everyone.” As Speth points out, focusing on our own success without considering the rest of the world is what has messed up our planet in the first place. Making self-benefit the primary measure for green lifestyle changes is unlikely to be the path to undoing the damage. Ed Ravin Bronx, New York Ad-ing to Our Woes We object to the number of ads that promote the idea that one can have all the accoutrements of lavish living and simultaneously be green. Instead, OnEarth should demonstrate in its articles and its advertisements how one can change one’s lifestyle to make this world better for everyone, not just a privileged few. Don and Kay Weaver Greencastle, Indiana Feelin’ the Love I just had to send this note of commendation after reading your Summer 2008 issue. The articles exceeded themselves in quality and sensitivity. Thank you for educating our hearts and minds. Gerre McKenna Oakland, California I’m writing to compliment you on your summer issue. The cover photo is a winner! I’ve passed George Black’s tremendous story (“The Gathering Storm”) to several people. Thanks for a first-class magazine. Tom A. Sterling Palm Beach, Florida Errata: On page 52 of our Summer 2008 issue, the author credit for the book Go Green, Live Rich should have appeared as David Bach with Hillary Rosner. The following photographers were improperly credited on page 58: Carol Freeman Photography, dragonfly; Patrick McMullan, Dan Tishman.
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Letters from Our Readers: Fall 2008
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