Wetlands, Water, Oil
May is National Wetlands Month, and wetlands arise from the presence of water. This month has seen an unending upward surge in the price of gasoline. Therefore, the following quotes from David W. Orr are appropriate:
“Oil and water have had contrary affect on our minds. . . .Oil has undermined intelligence in at least six ways.
First, oil eroded our ability to think intelligently about community and the possibility of cooperation. . . .
Second, oil has undermined our land intelligence by increasing the speed with which we move on it or fly over it. . . .
Third, oil has made us dumber by making the world more complicated but less complex. . . .
Fourth, cheap oil and the automobile are responsible . . . for the urban sprawl that has conditioned us to think that ugliness and disorder are normal or at least economically necessary. . . .
Fifth, oil has undermined intelligence by devaluing handwork and craftsmanship. . . .
Finally, oil has undermined intelligence because it requires technologies that we are smart enough to build but not smart enough to use safely. . . .”(pp. 54-57).
Orr, D. 1994. Reflections on water and oil. In D. Orr (Ed.),Earth in Mind: On Education, Environment, and the Human Prospect. Washington, D.C.: Island Press.
Filed under: New Vrindaban, environment, holistic education, life, literature & environment, nature | 1 Comment
An artist/friend forwarded your above blog to me. Our focus on the wetlands is similar in theme. Please take a moment to look at the link provided as part of my website.
Your words have an editorial voice. My paintings are about favorite places and places that have meaning -as you will see in my tagline.