Environment, Progress, and Social Equality in the Modern Age

Introduction: Detachment from Natural Systems

The modern world and all of its technological progress has led to a situation in which many individuals become detached from any reliance on knowledge of natural systems to provide for themselves and their families. Yet they are entirely dependent on the natural systems that provide food, water, and clean air — it is just that they are largely unaware of how these systems are integrated into their lives. Whereas individuals once had to hunt, gather, farm, or raise livestock for their sustenance, people today can simply travel to the grocery store and purchase nearly anything they desire.

The modern environment has created a circumstance in which people take for granted the technologies, man-made systems, and natural systems that all work together to provide for them. As James Burke points out in his documentary Connections: The Trigger Effect, it is actually impossible for individuals to understand all of these systems, given that there are so many operating at such a level of sophistication that there is simply not enough time to fully grasp the workings of each one. Thus it is absolutely essential that we accept most of these systems on faith on a daily basis, simply to navigate modern society.

However, there are many consequences that arise when a majority of the population is forced to accept the benevolence of these systems on trust in human progress. One artist has found that photography can be a useful tool for illustrating some of the ways the global landscape has changed. Edward Burtynsky has traveled the world photographing some of the most awe-inspiring industrial transformations of the landscape that have occurred as industrial development has grown exponentially across the planet. His works generally highlight the consequences of development on natural systems, prompting viewers to question their assumptions about sustainability.

The limits of progress are beginning to emerge for those paying attention to the cracks appearing in both technological developments and economic and political systems. Bill McKibben has been a staunch critic of our current development path. In The End of Nature, McKibben wrote about the toll that natural systems were taking due to so-called progress, and how this situation was unsustainable in the long run. Furthermore, McKibben applied a similar methodology to technological advancements in bioengineering, especially as they apply to humans. In Enough, McKibben examines what it means to be human and how crossing certain technological thresholds might also endanger an evolutionary balance that could prove detrimental to the species over time (McKibben).

The Limits of Progress

If our economic systems are to meet the challenges posed by growing environmental concerns, they must move rapidly to embrace sustainable practices. Although some innovative companies have already done so voluntarily, a great many have not, nor do they show any inclination to do so in the near future — especially companies in the developing world. Somehow, such organizations and societies must be compelled to change through one of two approaches. Change can come from a top-down approach in which governments of the world act against the degradation of the planet, or it can come from bottom-up pressures in which citizens demand that their institutions take action to mitigate environmental disasters.

The most alarming environmental trend is certainly the ongoing alteration of the Earth's energy balance. Exponential increases in greenhouse gas emissions, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels, have led to a carbon dioxide concentration of roughly 395.77 parts per million in the atmosphere (CO2 Now). The current concentrations of CO2 are alarming to many researchers because several scientists have argued that the highest level of CO2 the Earth can sustainably support is somewhere around 350 parts per million (Hansen, Sato, and Kharecha). As McKibben argues in Eaarth, the planet will look substantially different from the one we grew up on from this point forward (McKibben).

When all of the climate data is put in perspective, a rather bleak picture of the planet's future emerges. The planet that future generations will inherit will undoubtedly look substantially different from the one previous generations enjoyed — and this seems already unavoidable even with swift action. Greenhouse gases remain in the atmosphere for many centuries; therefore, there can be no quick solution to the problem. Furthermore, the continued exponential growth of greenhouse gas emissions is already being felt today, as the frequency of extreme weather events and temperature records has increased substantially.

The current economic models — systems built upon growth and consumption — seem unable to shift direction easily. Each new generation of consumers continues accumulating more and more, and it is the combination of population growth and the resources consumed per person that is causing the most damage. This model must change, however, if a livable planet is to be passed on to future generations. It is not only the abstract notion of "future generations" that must be considered. In fact, the generations already born will have to deal with the consequences of environmental mismanagement for literally the rest of their lives. Time is running out as the window of opportunity closes — if it has not already closed.