Utilitarian Conservation or Preservation Movement - Essay Example

Utilitarian Conservation Utilitarian conservation was a modality of conserving the environment in the historical times (19th century). Environmental conservation had always been a great concern kin the American sphere. The US army and the Forest Service pioneered the environmental conservation including President Theodore Roosevelt. Conserving the American environment considered both the preservation and the utilitarian movements. The need was to ensure that the environmental and natural factors such as the valleys, rivers and the forests were preserved and kept alive. The government of the United States through the US army corps as well as the US Forest Service have played a pivotal role in ensuring that the conservation was achieved. In their mandate, there was need to prevent unprecedented human influence on nature. Through the conservational efforts, the government and other conservatisms managed to protect the nature (McPhee 3-45). Since the movement was initiated, the utilitarian conservation that has been dominant in the modern day spheres. Both the US army of Engineers as well as the US forest service has stood firm on the support of utilitarian conservation. Since the conservation methods that were used in the utilitarian movements protected and preserved the nature, contemporary conservation movements have also drawn from these ideas. US forest service and the US army advocate for allowing the nature to take its course in various areas because of this movement. The movement has only permitted human interventions when there are very critical situations demanding the human involvement. Human interactions with the environments help in defining the needs for the nature. There are many people whose interaction with the environment has led to the degradation of the environments. The human behaviours have threatened the environment including the animal species in the natural habitats (Abbey 55-87). Studies have shown that the enlighten stage gave the utilitarian conservation movement the relevancy that it has today. With the ideas that were used in the utilitarian movement, the contemporary conservation techniques can now find a leeway. After a period, the enlightenment and knowledge on how to conduct preservation is achieved. The US army as well as the US forest service helps in ensuring that the goals of the utilitarian movements are achieved. Conservation of the environment is a mandatory subject that every stakeholder in the government should be concerned about. Conserving the environment helps the future generations and races in achieving the best natural habitats that they need. For instance, many people who rely on the environment for food, habitat and accommodation will have to enjoy the fruits of conservation. Conservation, must take a longer process in order to be adopted by the larger population. Utilitarian movement cites developmental factors such as modernization and urbanization as the main issues surrounding the interference with the environment and nature. Although it remains a weird challenge for Americans to ensure that conservation of the nature is done, there are tremendous efforts that have helped in reinstating the conservation movements started in the 19th century. The government of the US forest service introduced various laws that prevent individuals from haphazard urbanization and interference with the environments. However, the human unintended interactions with the environment have affected the progression of the movement. Many individuals have backed the movement. This has led to tremendous changes in the environmental conservation techniques and policies (McPhee 3-45). Human activities have contributed to the larger portion of the problems that have been seen on our environments. The fact that humans encroach into natural habitats and destroy the nature has grotesquely affected the environments. However, there is possibility that the utilitarian movement will lead to positive conservation results. The utilitarian movement has strategies that can be applied to enhance efficiency in protecting the nature. In addition, the natural habitats also include the animals, birds and any other form of wildlife. Conservation of the natural environment has sustained a balanced ecosystem. However, bad practices by human beings challenge the efforts made by the pioneers and proponents of the utilitarian movement. In the contemporary world, there are scientific methods that can be applied in conserving the environments. The utilitarian movement proposes the application of these conventional scientific methods in protecting nature and the environments. However, the government and other relevant authorities must create the enabling environments that enhance the preservation of the environments and natural habitats (Abbey 23-87). According to the utilitarian movement, nature is supposed to resolve its own problems without the interventions of the human beings. However, the movement also permits influence by human beings in cases where there are serious issues that become overwhelming to nature. According to proponents of the utilitarian movement, the nature is only overwhelmed by the unintended human behaviours. For this reason, the US army and the US forest service contend that human beings are supposed to use the water dams and water reservoirs as ways of preventing the issues of interference with the natural water resources. In accordance with the utilitarian movement, individuals should consider reclaiming the affected natural resources alongside preservation. Therefore, this movement proposes lesser interference by human activities to the natural habitats. However, if one chooses to have any interference on the nature, then such interferences should ensure conservation of the nature and environments. Encounters with the Archdruid The encounters with Archdruid are a book that was written by John McPhee. The book has three distinct discussions on the challenges that the environmentalist Brower experienced while carrying out his conservations. In this book, the author discusses how Brower struggles against the miners who were destroying the environments as they conducted their mining projects. The author also mentions how Brower struggles against developers and the United States Bureau of reclamation. Mcphee (1) reports on how human activities affect the nature and the environment at large. He reports the facts and events that show fictitious reporting to identify the damage that the human activities cause to our natural habitats. In Glacier Peak Wilderness, a mineral engineer named Charles Park comes in confrontation with Brower. Brower battles with Park whose main hope is to find and exploit the mineral reserves in the glacier wilderness. Park tells of the economic value of the mineral deposits he is yet to exploit. On the other hand, Brower insists that the wilderness can take care of itself alone without Mr Park’s intervention. Brower plays the part of a loyal conservation proponent who battles down the project intended by Charles Park on the Glacier Peak Wilderness (McPhee 3-45). In addition, McPhee (54) brings in the idea of Charles Fraser who is the real estate developer seeking to pursue the worth and importance of the trees. The author maintains that this developer has uncontrollable worship for the trees making him able to sacrifice the human beings for the trees. Fraser had a plan of forming the Cumberland Island like park in Georgia. The author says that Bower took the responsibility to stop Fraser from the formation of the Island. Although Fraser is one of the conservationists in the book, bower intends to stop the ill-intended projects from occurring. McPhee (600 however mentions that Fraser is a trusted and a self-proclaimed conservationists after forming the Hilton Highland. After a persistent fight with Brower, Fraser agrees to sell off his Cubmerland Island to the national park. Such oppositions help in preventing the degradation of the environment. McPhee uses the scene n Brower to bring the idea of conservation of the environment and how it affects the human projects. On the other hand, Brower fights against Floyd Dominy who was the commissioner of the US Bureau of Reclamation. According to Brower, the government of the US was supposed to stop damming of the rivers. He described damming rivers as a critical offense that would affect the nature of the rivers. He fought to save Glen Canyon from damming using into the Glen Canyon Dam. However, Brower becomes marginalized at this stage where people start to think that he is a disloyal fighter who fights at everything. True to the utilitarian movement, Brower relentlessly manages to stop these projects from occurring. However, other proponents blamed the bureau for radicalizing Brower (McPhee 43-45). McPhee’s uses a classical description that envisions the needs to conserve nature over the human needs. He uses the wise ideas and prescriptions that place his arguments at a better place. His text has been widely accepted by many of the major magazines. Existential values of the environment and the natural habitats have been indicated in this text. There are many opinions made by McPhee shed light on the meaning of environment. Ideally, McPhee uses three scenes where Brower relentlessly battles against the individuals who seek to damage the environment. His effortless war against environmental degradation makes him unique to the other members of the society. From the three encounters, the most effective individual who articulates his view is Charles Fraser. After the lengthy battle with Fraser on the Cumberland Island, Fraser agrees and sells the Island to the National Park foundation. Brower achieves these only successful fights from his relentless endeavors. Although Fraser also pretends to ensure regulated land use, Brower challenges him that his interests override the importance of nature. Winning this battle was a sign that both Brower and Fraser came into terms. On the other hand, the least effective encounter is the encounter with Floyd Dominy, who is the Commissioner of the United States Bureau of Reclamation. In this encounter, Brower is only seen as a militant who is only interested in blocking the projects and developments. Dominy radicalizes Brower as he ends up losing the fight. In this encounter, Brower sought to block the damming of the Glen Canyon River into the Glen canyon dam. His fight failed to yield fruits. However, his stature and interests in conserving the environment and the nature had been felt. He succeeded in many fights and often confronted situations with his belief in utilitarian movement. In today’s world, opposition of the development is unrealistic. However, the contemporary world also reinstates the ideas enshrined in the utilitarian movements that state that individuals must let the environment and nature to take its course without influence. Influence by human beings on the environment has affected the nature of the environments in the contemporary settings. However, Brower believed that the human influence might only be responsible in certain cases. His views may be viewed as irrelevant views in the conventional systems. Nonetheless, his stand aims at protecting and preserving the environment amid the unprecedented interactions with the nature. Although both McPhee and Abbey talk about environmental conservation, McPhee gives the direct encounters of Brower and the individuals believed to have destroyed the environment. Abbey uses his text to cite the major activities that cause destruction of the environments. On the other hand, McPhee uses his text to show how Brower stopped the activities by the individuals who attempted to spoil the environment while pursuing their own interests. However, both Abbey and McPhee apply the utilitarian movement in ensuring that the environment is protected. Both of them advocate for the nature to take its course without the influence by the other individuals. In the 20th century sphere, the idea of conservation fronted by Brower fits in much circumstance. In this era where developmental activities such as constructions and exploitation are rampant, the utilitarian movement helps in reducing the rates of destruction of the natural resources. Ideas of Brower can be used in preventing the unintended constructions over the natural settings. The utilitarian movement emulated by Brower, can help in reducing the rates at which the natural resources and environments are depleted. The 29th century is the hallmark of the development. At this stage, there are lots of constructions, building and development of sophisticated machines used in destruction of the environments. Brower’s idea of utilitarian movement can help in the protection and reclamation of the environment. Desert Solitaire Edward Abbey who was a park ranger in the Arches National Park did dessert Solitaire. Like McPhee, Abbey talks about his encounters with the attempts to develop and introduce tourism in the National Parks. According to his book, he was against the excessive tourism that occurred in the national park. He reiterates how they pulled a dead body out of the desert after the person died on tour. Abbey advocates for the protection of the desert as he sees the desert as a symbol of strength. He gets comfort after resisting the destructions that might occur on the deserts. As he sees the unintended behaviours by human beings on the forests, he becomes agitated and forced to intervene (Abbey 34-50). Abbey plays his part in this book as a member of the great ecosystem where he remains steadfast in preserving the ecosystem. In his book, he demonstrates his love for the flowers and the entire forest. He is agonized by the human activities that target the safe natural forests and environments around him. Although he is independent, he shows his vibrancy in implementing the utilitarian conservation movement. Abbey remarks that the harsh forests make life alluring, attractive and vibrant. Like the other proponents of utilitarian movement, Abbey advocates for the conservation of the forests (Abbey 23-87). Abbey expresses his utmost disgust in the trends of destructiveness among the human beings. He says that the contemporary cultures have influenced the nature of the deserts. He goes ahead and personifies himself as nature. He then explains how it would be if he is wiped by the adversaries of the human practices. He says that the officials who are normally elected into leadership normally perpetrate wars and violence that affect and destroy the nature. He explains that such events affect the nature such as forests and wildlife instead of killing the enemies. He comments about the domestic routines that affect the forests. Abbey also cites the social issues such as encroachment of whites into the Native American territories. He says that such activities multiply the poverty among the Native Americans who are already poor. According to Abbey, man’s craving for more cities and industries has led to destruction of the natural habitats for some of the animals. His points on the overcrowding of the environments and industries, sheds light on the human effects on the environments. Abbey is profoundly disdained by the materialism expressed by individuals. According to him, man may preserve the nature and avoid the destruction of the forests and wilderness (Abbey 23-76) through various ways. Abbey dislikes the human culture of destroying the nature to construct things that only fulfill his interests. He notes that the changes that have occurred in the environments are as a result of the disregard for nature by human beings. He says that the art of tourism threatens the environments. While many people love touring, he notes that this phenomenon only destroys the remnants of the forests and nature that has remained. Abbey (145) says that those who plot to encroach into the forests and construct their plants count themselves successful. In this manner, they also succeed in destroying the ecosystem. In his thoughts, he mentions the principle of civilization. He says that this principle can help in weeding down the social paradigm that allows expansion of societies into natural habitats. He construes the expansionist ideology that seeks to justify the expansion of technology. The primary solution offered by Abbey (322) is that individuals should preserve and reclaim the lost freedom, which is the nature. He believes that nature had been lost in the past but can be reclaimed. He notices that stopping the trends in human seeking luxuries and self-interest will help in resolving some of these issues. According to Abbey, the technology and introduction of industrial models has nothing to improve in lives of individuals. He says that men should use nature to sustain their humanity. In as much as individuals carry out developmental ideas, there are challenges that might affect the nature. Therefore, Abbey postulates that human beings must be able to respect and conserve nature as required. Abbey reiterates that wars are responsible for the destruction of nature. He notes that instead of the soldiers killing the enemies, they take part in destruction of the nature. Idyllically, some of the wars have affected the ecosystems by releasing poisonous emissions that affect the plants and animals in the ecosystem. Abbey laments that war is one of the worst developments by humans that continues to affect the lives of individuals and the nature. Inhuman behaviors during wars have had lethal catastrophes on the nature (Abbey 45). Silent Spring Rachael Carson wrote Silent Spring in 1962. Carson (6) talks about the detrimental effects of pesticides on the environment. She cites the use of pesticides as one of the most serious human activities that has affected the nature. She accuses the chemical industries in her book and blames the government for allowing such industries to thrive and affect nature. In her book, she talks about the effects of synthetic pesticides. She demonstrates her interest in conservation of the natural environments. Carson (53) notes that the reversal of the national pesticide policies will be one of the best ways to reduce the effects of pesticides on the environments. In her efforts, she pioneered the creation of US environmental Protection Agency. Carson’s reaction to DDT was not overly reactive. The use of pesticides is one of the dangerous human activities that harm and affects the nature. Ideally, her actions led to conservative use of DDT and other synthetic pesticides. While there were many complaints from landowners to stop spraying of the pesticide, the interventions of Carson were relevant. Together with the community scientists who were studying the effects of the pesticide, Carson became able to inform individuals of the harmful effects of the pesticides. However, critics claimed that her work was ill-intentioned (Carson 123). In her estimation of the degree of effect from the pesticides, Carson was accurate. She worked with a community of scientists who had the expertise and knowledge on pesticides and their effects. Carson studied chemical pesticides after she received a letter that informed her that the DDT spray intended to kill mosquitoes had killed birds somewhere. She studied the possible effects of the chemical pesticides and accurately documented the facts. She advocated for safer methods of pest control such as the biological pest control (Carson 43). The plea by Carson is both modern utilitarian movement and a modern preservation movement. Carson advocates for natural methods of preventing pesticides as she also recommends that individuals should ensure that they preserve their environment and wildlife. Works Cited Abbey, Edward. Desert Solitaire. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1988. Print. Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring.Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2002. Print. McPhee, John. Encounters with the Archdruid., 1971.Internet resource. Read More