Sustainability

an ecological ethics need - one way

Abstract

Environmental studies are gaining increased importance nowadays, especially because of the disasters, both natural and manmade, which have put discussions on this issue in the worldwide spotlight. We know that the anthropocentric model has contributed greatly to the current state of ecological crises; the view of man being ‘the supreme being of the planet’ has always triggered contrary behavior to the idea of harmonious co-existence between mankind and nature. According to this original viewpoint, the beings of nature have intrinsic value and are the property and domain of man. People have always misused nature as a source, taking for granted that these sources are endless. A classic example of this is the so-called ‘developed countries’; most of them began to exploit their natural resources without any planning, resulting in a rapid decline of these natural resources. As time goes by, the results of this aggression have impacted directly upon us, causing serious consequences and changing the course of studies on the world environment. The importance of approaching issues relating to this topic is clear. Clear policies must be created in order to protect nature. These should be discussed constantly, and not only when we have drastic changes in the weather, ecosystem problems and the physical aspects of the planet. The model of ecological ethics has gained much publicity as it is currently being debated in many different spheres of thought. The word “ethics” originates from the Greek word ‘ethos’, which means “way of acting and being”. Ecological ethics is the wisdom of putting the law in the service of life; it is creating a membership of coexistence and self-care, both with each other and with nature, land, water and all living things, from an awareness of sustainable use and interdependence. The idea of ecological ethics appears when we get over the relationship of controlling the natural resources and start acting as caretakers of the community of life to which we belong as members.