Nature conservation + Spirituality = Sustainability
Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI)
P.O.Box 44, Phaltan - 415523, Maharashtra, India
Introduction
American heritage dictionary defines nature as "The order, disposition and essence of all entities composing the physical universe" or in essence the biosphere. Thus if some living species do get annihilated due to our activities still we are part of nature. So why are we concerned about this question ? The answer lies in the fact that if we destroy nature we will loose valuable genetic information and with that a possible mechanism to evolve efficiently.
Nature also provides us direct benefits and without it we will not be able to survive. Majority of medicines presently in use and all our foods are derived from plants and animals. The cost of over-the-counter drugs from plants alone was estimated to be $ 84 billion worldwide. Yet a tiny fraction of biodiversity has been utilized in medicine. Similarly in 1997 an international team of economists and environmental scientists came out with a figure of $ 33 trillion on all ecosystem services provided by natural systems to humanity free of charge. This amount was more than twice the total GDP of the world. Ecosystem services include regulation of the atmosphere and climate; the purification and retention of fresh water; the formation and enrichment of soil; nutrient cycling; the detoxification and recirculation of waste; the pollination of crops and the production of lumber, fodder and biomass fuel. Even if by magic we get technology and this much money to provide these services, the physical task will be nearly impossible to accomplish thereby proving the superiority of natural systems over manmade ones.
Besides providing ecosystem utilities, nature also provides us knowledge for our future science and technology. Nature had billions of years of head start and hence it has evolved through infinite permutations and combinations of designs. Since our brains are a product of natural evolution and earth time, we cannot think more than what already exists in nature. Thus the fastest way for us to progress is to copy nature. If we destroy nature we will be robbed of the design template for our further development.
There are large number of examples where we have benefited from copying nature. Presently the new mantra in design world is to mimic nature. Thus better fluid dynamic foils by mimicking dolphin swimming; better insulation by studying polar bear's fur; better design of helicopter by observing bumble bee flying and better light bulb by understanding the firefly luminescence etc. are among innumerable examples that are being researched all over the world. Our ability to feed the world will also come from copying the natural genetic manipulation of the species. Thus the modern tools of biotechnology and genetic engineering will be used in producing higher yielding crops which use minimum of inputs of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Our ability to mimic the natural process (nanotechnology is a prime example) has just started and we are still scratching the surface. Out of 10 to 100 million species on this planet earth we have only discovered about 1.5 to 1.8 million. Just to duplicate the complexity of biological life and interactions of organisms will take millions of years to perfect. Hence the best thing we can do is to live in harmony with nature and evolve with it.
Since we have evolved with other life forms our brains are wired to enjoy the beauty of nature. No manmade systems can compete with the joy and well being we feel in observing the infinite variations of nature's display. There are large number of studies all over the world which have shown that subjects recover rapidly from physical stress when they are exposed to pleasing natural environmental conditions. Thus nature is very important for our well being and intellectual and emotional evolution.
Possible solutions
Yet the fact remains that we are destroying nature with our wasteful lifestyles and our burgeoning populations. We use natural resources very inefficiently since we want to change things rapidly. Besides we still do not understand the complexity and beautiful designs of the natural systems. As we evolve in our science and technologies we will understand its wonders and may become more tuned to it. Thus rather than exploiting resources like oil and gas which took millions of years to produce we will produce innovative renewable energy technologies with cycle times of 10-15 years. This may include fuel cells, efficient biomass based power systems, solar and wind energy units. Researches world over do point towards this strategy. Estimates are that, at present level of technology, for all the world's population to have wasteful lifestyle of U.S. will require about 4 more planet earth. Obviously this is untenable and our lifestyle has to change so that it becomes sustainable and more emotionally rewarding.
The new lifestyle can be based on decentralized development. Hallmark of evolution of a system is its size reduction; increase in its complexity; increased efficiency of materials and energy transfer through it; and equilibrium of system with forces surrounding it. Just as dinosaurs became extinct and were replaced by human beings and other small compact life forms, our big cities will be replaced by smaller more compact rural communities. Similarly our energy production systems will also become smaller to take advantage of locally available natural resources. Thus the evolutionary model for our society could be a rural based sustainable society which will be driven by very advanced technologies so that it will be able to feed and create for itself goods and services from the raw materials available to it in its geographical area. With the availability of Internet, desktop manufacturing, small renewable energy powerpacks, genetically modified food and other advanced technologies being researched in laboratories all around the world, it will be possible to have a sustainable development. A recent study done in India showed that for a community size of Taluka (equivalent to a county in U.S.) all its energy demand of electricity, liquid and gaseous fuels could be met by judicious use of locally available biomass resource. With provision of large-scale employment generation, Taluka model provides a critical mass for sustainable development.
However all the development models will become untenable if we do not put a cap on our greed for materials, resources and energy. Present economic models are based on increased consumption and encourage greed. Spirituality can help in keeping our greed for materials and resources in check and sustainable development can only take place when we use the resources for our needs and not for our greed as Mahatma Gandhi once said. As a person progresses on the path of spirituality his or her priorities in life change. The focus of life shifts towards getting personal happiness through mental peace and less on material needs and desires and hence towards sustainability. Recent examples of Mahatma Gandhi and Einstein have shown that with very few needs and living very simply they were able to produce the highest quality of thought. Spirituality also helps us have a compassionate view of nature and as we evolve spiritually we become more tuned to it which helps us in preserving it. Besides it helps us live in harmony with each other and enables everybody to work together for common good. Also in all religions the respect for nature is preached and the maxim of simple living and high thinking is ingrained.
Nevertheless the clock on technology cannot be turned back. It is an evolutionary process and as we advance technologically we become more spiritual, since technology helps us in doing things more efficiently and thus our needs are satisfied with less quantity of materials and energy. This allows us to think and reflect on higher things in life. Eventually we will follow nature where all the processes are carried out extremely efficiently with few materials, in minimum number of steps and at room temperatures. Thus a combination of high technology together with spiritual growth will be a new paradigm of sustainable development.
How can we do it?
A change in mindset is necessary for sustainable growth. The best way to do it is to teach the children in schools about wonders of nature. The awe that the children will feel on knowing that nature has nearly all the answers to the design problems we are trying to solve will produce in them healthy respect and love for it. This is the only way to create a generation of responsible citizens. In this process the role of women needs to be brought to the mainstream specially in developing world. They constitute 50% of the race and can have tremendous influence in teaching children. A program where all the scientists from the major labs are required to teach part-time in schools will be a step in the right direction.
There is also a need for international cooperation on development of sustainable and environmentally sound technologies. Two billion people who live below the poverty line in developing countries need to be brought in the mainstream of progress. Their aspirations of good life have been fuelled by electronic mass media. If they remain in a state of poverty the destruction of nature will continue to take place, since developing countries are following the same nature destroying pattern of developed countries half a century ago. Equitable international cooperation allows the developing countries to leapfrog into modern age with efficient use of materials and energy and will eventually help North.
Though we human beings have changed the tapestry of nature and produced problems facing our planet, yet we have this innate ability to take corrective actions once the information and knowledge is available to us. Thus the fear of greenhouse gases, genetically modified foods, human and animal cloning can be allayed by continuously evolving technological and social interventions. The upsurge of movements around the world in the renewable energy and environmental fields attests to this fact. Hence it is the responsibility of all of us especially the mass media to inform the citizens about these issues in a sustained and responsible manner. This will help educate the politicians, policy makers, corporate world and environmental pressure groups so that we evolve towards sustainable living.
Suggested reading