Recently, the field of study known as “Political Ecology” has caught my attention. Have I found the perfect hybrid of a field for my line of inquiry? I can’t help but wonder who are these thinkers, why and how are they interested in ecology, and how do they define themselves? This blog post documents my process of learning about political ecology. … More What is Political Ecology?
Originally posted on Roberto Cazzolla Gatti:
May 15, 2017 Tomsk (Russia) ? Biological diversity is what makes the Earth an extraordinary planet, in every sense. Life itself is the most extra-ordinary thing may exist. There is nothing ordinary about her. In the universe, as far as we know, or at least in our galaxy, life…
The path toward extinction for much of Indonesia’s biologically diverse and exquisitely unique multitude of mammals, birds, and flora appears likely, if not inevitable. Indonesia has found itself in a double bind because of its own poverty and need for global investment paired with the global demand for the production of an extremely versatile commodity: palm oil. … More Palm Oil’s Threat to Biodiversity in Indonesia
The notion that nature functions as an interdependent biological community is most prominently upheld in the field of ecology. Donald Worster’s book, Nature’s Economy: The Roots of Ecology (1977), offers a useful history outlining the trajectories of thought that have informed the thinking and policy-making surrounding ecology in the Anglophone and American contexts, from the mid eighteenth-century until the 1970s, when it was published by the Sierra Club. … More Book Summary: Nature’s Economy by David Worster
As a current resident of Turkey, this post is about how I began to see the country for what it is; a haven of biodiversity trapped in a political inferno for biodiversity support. It’s a place of natural history in which the lives of people and the lives of animals have intertwined throughout the centuries in legends. But today, it’s a place where residents don’t even know their own wealth–six years ago only 1.3% of the population considered environmental problems a main concern. Turkey is a place of blindness. … More Turkey: A Blindspot of Biodiversity
By preserving biodiversity hotspots, we are able to leverage biodiversity preservation by targeting just a small percentage of the earth’s surface. It has become the single highest earning global conservation strategy attracting roughly $850 million in funds. … More Viral Ideas: Biodiversity Hotspots
In-situ and ex-situ conservation methods should not be considered equivalent strategies for protecting plant biodiversity. We must ensure for in-situ conservation (land preservation). This is especially true for biological hotspots. Ex-situ conservation (botanical gardens, gene and seed banks, or cryogenic preservation) can only supplement the rich genetic diversity that evolves in intact, wild ecosystems. … More In-situ and Ex-situ: Conservation Frenemies
Bee colony collapse is a controversial topic making us honey bees irritated in several ways. We want to complain about bee robots and how they are replacing our role as pollinators. … More Fuck you, people: bee robots
