Monday, October 20, 2014

What Is Biodiversity and Why Is It So Important?

"All life forms have an intrinsic worth and a right to evolve freely on their own terms. Humankind is one among millions of other species. It does not have a right to push other species to extinction, or to manipulate them for greed, profit and power without concern for their wellbeing." (Shiva 40)

Here Vandana Shiva assumes that all life forms have worth and rights as humans do. I feel as though all living things should be protected. I don't know exactly why but it feels right to take care of living things, whether it be humans or animals or plants.

Photo by picturesofsuccess.org

"Human beings are clearly highly ignorant of other members of the Earth Family and, at least int he Western worldview, have thought of themselves as sitting on top of a biodiversity pyramid or tree rather than forming a part of a complex web of life." (Shiva 44)

I think in my life I have thought of humanity the way Shiva is describing. I picture humans as the leaders of the world and on whom the well being of nature depends. Perhaps it's not that way. Rather, humanity is part of a larger system that is connected and relies on all its parts.

Photo by m.google.com

"As biodiversity disappears, the poor are further impoverished and deprived of the healthcare and nutrition that biodiversity provides." (Shiva 50) 

I didn't realize that poorer countries depended in such a way on the diversity of the life forms in their land. I didn't know that there could be so much use for so many different species of plants, for example. 

Photo by www.motherearthnews.com

"Quinine, digitalis and morphine are derived from plants, and even in the USA 40 per cent of all prescriptions still depend on natural sources." (Shiva 53) 

Shiva here informs that plants are very useful still for humanity. I didn't know that such a high percentage of prescriptions that help to heal so many different illnesses depended on natural sources such plants. 

Photo by wildlifeofhawii.com








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