For years, the western view of the natural world has been that it is a separate entity, something removed from humanity. The natural world has merely been that thing out there, that place with trees and animals far from the city that many inhabit. Something to be marveled at and exploited, be it for tourism or for natural resources. The natural world, to humans, have merely been locations that we pass through as viewers and not as participants
This ability to separate ourselves from the natural world, to view it as simple bystanders, has allowed us to develop the belief that we are immune to the consequences resulting from our depletion of natural resources. But as all those that have studied the environment, whether in regards to ethics or justice or policy or science, can tell you, humans are not in fact above or removed from the natural world. We are, despite all thought otherwise, creatures of nature. We are, like every animal on Earth, subjected to the laws of nature and the consequences of breaking those laws.
Until we have shifted from the idea that we are better than the natural world, we will not be able to effectively and efficiently implant environment changes. So before we can get people to turn off their lights when they’re not using them, or sort and recycle their garbage or even to just walk instead of drive, we have to convince people that what happens to nature will eventually have a monumental effect in their lives too.
