Environmental Ethics. Assignment 2 - Essay Example

Environmental Ethics Assignment 2 Introduction Environmental ethics is considered to be an important aspect of the sustainable ecosystem. It is important for humans to understand different aspects of the environment, so that they may utilize the benefits that it has to offer by doing minimum damage to the ecosystem. This field is concerned with the ethical relationship of human being with the natural environment. The development of environmental ethics took place in 1970, in only some of the philosophical disciplines.

The development of this discipline was due to the increased effects of economic expansion, industry, technology and population, on the environment. It is a fact that human beings will perish if they do not constrain their actions towards the ecosystem or nature. The notion of anthropocentric is synonymous to human centeredness, which indicates that all ethics are related to humans. As far as it is concerned, only human beings are can reflect on the ethical aspects of disciplines; therefore all moral debates are usually human centric.

ExplanationZoos are not immoral only because they provide an unnatural habitat to the animals. Zoos cannot be considered immoral as they help animals to survive. Good zoos try to lessen the impact on animals by providing them with the surroundings similar to their natural habitats. Some animals are kept in the zoos for their own safety and for the preservation of their species. Many of the endangered species of the animals are present in the zoo so that they may repopulate their society and at some point of time they may return back to their natural habitat.

Tree-hugger is basically the term used for the environmentalist campaigners. It is also referred to the practices which prevent trees from felling down. The notion of tree hugger is all about the broad ideology, philosophy and social movement related to the protection of environment and the improvement of its health. The idea of tree hugger is also related to the environmental ethics as it is all about protecting the trees, which are considered to be one of the important natural resource of the ecosystem.

Tree huggers speak about the environmental ethics related to the trees and about their sustainable management. Sustainable living offer the human beings an ongoing opportunity for practicing the spiritual mindfulness. Each of the eco-friendly acts performed by the humans (such as repairing, composting, recycling, reusing, eco-wise shopping and conserving energy and water) are also considered to be the acts of spiritual mindfulness. It is degree of mindfulness that we add to our every day’s acts of sustainability that helps in determining the sacredness of life.

The recycling bins are considered to be the daily rounds regarding the Earth awareness and the amount of water and energy saved is considered to be the prayers of gratitude. Sustainability help people simplify their lives and re-prioritize that what actually matters to them (Straub, 2010).Human beings cannot neglect this fact that their destiny is linked with the fate of the earth, which means that the health of the humans is related to the health of the planet. The daily eco-friendly practice is a humble act of simplifying our own and also the lives of the others.

Our acts of stewardship and spiritual change us and also our environment. Human beings have destroyed the large part of the natural habitat of the animals depriving them of the place where they live. The rights of the strong and weak animals differ from one another. It is the right of the weak animals to live in their natural habitat without becoming the victims of the stronger ones. One of the significant rights of strong animals is that human beings are not allowed to kill them for the purpose of self-defense.

Boththe stronger and the weaker animals are allowed to live freely in the natural habitat. ConclusionThe human beings must be aware of the fact that they are not the only species existing on this planet. Therefore it is important for them to protect and safeguard the rights of all the species, in order to sustain the balance of the ecosystem. Human beings are considered to be an important part of the environment. Therefore there are certain environmental obligations which are affected by several aspects of ethics.

Environmental ethics can be informed by the better understanding of the environment. This discipline also develops our understanding about how the ecosystem actually works and also about the environmental crisis. The changes that occur in the environment do influence the philosophers who write about environmental obligation. ReferenceStraub, G. (2010). The Sacredness of Earth Day: Stewardship as Spiritual Practice. Retrieved April 14, 2014, from Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gail-straub/the-sacredness-of-earth-d_b_547212.html