tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043563940250688862024-03-20T23:37:54.036-07:00Philosophy Field CoursePhilosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-78037779772436547762013-11-05T06:24:00.002-08:002013-11-05T06:24:31.689-08:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hahoutli</span><span style="font-size: small; text-decoration: underline;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="line-height: 18px;">by Patrick Strzalkowski</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNmfULnJvLnHQt_pA587Q4hJZqH7N6CzXX4PRRBXRCPq3XK6Bu6HXE5TqdwIlsM3UQC27ZJVixu4MswwIyqO3Gd0N9vxLKGzX6CiHz783HV7-KMnt-ImFUOM-LAP4W23o4-g_ngClm_bf/s1600/philosophy+field+course+meeting+with+Steven+Charleson+at+Hooksum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNmfULnJvLnHQt_pA587Q4hJZqH7N6CzXX4PRRBXRCPq3XK6Bu6HXE5TqdwIlsM3UQC27ZJVixu4MswwIyqO3Gd0N9vxLKGzX6CiHz783HV7-KMnt-ImFUOM-LAP4W23o4-g_ngClm_bf/s400/philosophy+field+course+meeting+with+Steven+Charleson+at+Hooksum.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">Our class left for
Hesquiat territory on the morning of August 24</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">th </sup><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">in the water taxi
Wolf Dancer. For two hours we travelled north along the western side of
Vancouver Island, covered at the time by a dense fog. The seven of us eventually
arrived at the Hooksum Outdoor School run by Steve and Karen Charleson. Hooksum
educates about 100 people every year. Most visitors, staying for 28 days, are
trained in first aid and kayak guiding. On top of the two certificates, students
learn to be comfortable in Hesquiaht territory. We too were invited to treat
Hooksum, as Steve and Karen put it, “not like a remote wilderness nor like an
adventure holiday, but instead like our own living room.” This was the first
gesture in welcoming us into their “hahoutli.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steve
explained that hahoutli is a part of the landscape to which a group of people
belongs. The Hesquiaht belong in their
hahoutli. This relationship of belonging has several implications. The chief
and other tribe members are responsible for keeping their hahoutli in a healthy
state. Steve stressed that no one technically
owns the hahoutli in the way that one might own a piece of property. The Hesquiaht are caretakers entrusted with
its permanent well being. In return, their hahoutli provides everything they
need to survive. I can only imagine what
it must be like to know that your ancestors have lived and cared for the same trees,
hunted the same game and walked the same beaches for thousands of years.
Clearly this brings a deep sense of attachment and responsibility to maintain
the hahoutli and pass it on to the next generation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
idea that was hardest for me to grasp was that the First Nations from one
hahoutli rarely involve themselves in matters outside of their territory. The
idea is that each tribe is responsible for their own hahoutli and anything
outside of that region is another tribe’s issue. I find this tough because they
are potential for decisions from one tribe to affect much more than themselves.
Shouldn’t people have a voice and an opinion on matters that will affect them,
even if it is not within their hahoutli or territory? This was an answer given
to me when I asked a few different people as to what right or responsibility do
you feel that you have in influencing decisions made in areas that are not of
your own.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 36pt;">As of very recently
Vancouver Island is the only area in Canada where treaties were not signed
between the First Nations and the Government of Canada. The Ucluelet First Nation
recently signed a treaty with the government but much of Vancouver Island still
remains First Nations’ territory. This creates an interesting dynamic as the
government still controls much of what happens on the island in terms of
resource extraction policies and other industry regulations. The government has
policies for how much forest must be logged, the amount of fish to be caught
and mining permits all on First Nation’s territory. The First Nations have been
in the area for thousands of years and have gained deep knowledge of the
systems of their hahoutli. To me, it makes little sense that should be
restricted on making their independent decisions by the government’s
regulations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: 36pt;">It would be a great idea
if every tribe, neighbourhood, or city taking care of their region, treating it
as a hahoutli. In today’s world where everything is becoming more
interconnected and every place is becoming more accessible. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: 36pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: 36pt;">Admittedly, some issues do not remain within
borders, climate change being perhaps f the more salient. But these large scale
issues are often difficult to wrestle with even in theory, let alone in
practice. It can also be somewhat demoralizing to know that one’s own efforts
are potentially undone by what someone else is doing.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: 36pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: 36pt;">By contrast, environmental action that
focuses on one’s immediate surroundings can have tangible, rewarding effects.
In the words of Dan Lewis of Clayquot Action put it, “one must tend your own
garden before tending to someone else’s.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Edited by
Stefan Linquist<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-56474800231140924252013-10-21T10:19:00.000-07:002013-10-21T10:22:46.545-07:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Should science play a greater role in
political decisions? </b></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">by </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Nick Dell </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">2013 Philosophy field Course meeting Mayor Josie Osborne (center).</span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Scientific literacy amongst
the voting population is a serious issue. The Canadian Federal Government is
<a href="http://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/scientists-protest-federal-government-muzzling-funding-cuts-1.1457683" target="_blank">cutting funding</a> to “pure” (non-industry related) science at an alarming rate.
These actions suggest that, in the eyes of some, scientific information is not
relevant for political decisions. Our experiences in Clayoquot Sound spoke to
this issue in a number of ways. Josie Osborne, mayor of Tofino, is trained as
an environmental scientist but now finds herself in the role of a political
decision maker. This causes her to reflect on the ways that science is and
ought to be perceived. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Even in municipal politics,
Mayor Osborne declared, scientific literacy is an issue that needs to be
addressed and solved in the future. She found that, working as a liaison
between fish farms and First Nation’s communities as “translator” of western
science into more traditional ecological understanding, her job was crucial in
the development and integration of lay communities and the scientific
community.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Science ought not to be so
esoteric, she describes, but the problem stems in part from scientists’
difficulty in explaining their findings to the public. Often
scientists do not see it as their role to explain the significance of their
results in simple, understandable terms. On other occasions they are simply not
very effective at doing so. Yet, who should be brokering discussions about
scientific theory and data, if not the scientists themselves?</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">If there was more community
involvement with scientists, public understanding of science might change.
Ecological science is difficult. Experiments are difficult to conduct and their
relevance to real-world situations are often questionable. Field studies are
often short, compared to the duration of ecological processes themselves, and
many factors are out of scientists’ control. Research findings are thus often
tentative. The models and theories used to frame and interpret ecological
research contain many assumptions which are open to constant criticism and
revision. Working scientists know this. Yet, the public perception of science
is quite different. The public persona of science is that of a static,
monolithic, authoritative,even slightly dogmatic enterprise.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> In my personal
experience I often thought of science as having definite answers, like
mathematics. There is a formula, a periodic table of elements, proven theories
etc. that scientists rely on for their truths and conclusions derived thereof,
axiomatically. There was a question, they would do a study, they found some
evidence to prove a hypothesis and the answer was given with a certain degree
of conclusiveness. If it’s good enough for ‘science’, it’s good enough for me.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">So, why is science poorly represented in decision making and environmental policy?</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">One of the factors that
Josie mentioned is that the complexity of the decision making process. There
are usually many other factors to weigh in addition to scientific concerns.
Science inevitably takes on a much smaller role than perhaps it ought to.
Scientists can come to be seen as one of many “stakeholders” with skin in the
political game. Their voices become drowned out as one of many, equally
legitimate concerns.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">It seems that this is the
wrong role for science in policy making. If people had a better understanding
of the way science actually works, then perhaps the public would have an easier
time adopting scientific perspectives. Science is not perfect. Nor is it just
another stakeholder. In fact there is probably no single pigeonhole for science
in the political process. However, greater public engagement with scientists might
help to ensure that political decisions are scientifically literate.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">-edited by Stefan Linquist</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-23508759208377395602013-01-27T15:17:00.002-08:002013-01-27T15:19:29.709-08:00<br />
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<b style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Fish farming
and the Precautionary Principle: </b><b style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">How opposing views on risk influence the aquaculture debate in Clayoquot Sound.</b></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">By Catherine Wisniowski and S. Linquist</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1TUgNA9pYSiwM7DfDfv92XpU9qyhhQNGSgscbHLnS_Bc3had_wyeoDo8-pBI5zjo-lo81KB7Gqt6cuQqgcRd2P9rQ3oYBBq2dxDgT6hNDBLLLjZltbmKt-UoDvcZKICRbio6xkYAGtbn/s1600/fish+farm+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1TUgNA9pYSiwM7DfDfv92XpU9qyhhQNGSgscbHLnS_Bc3had_wyeoDo8-pBI5zjo-lo81KB7Gqt6cuQqgcRd2P9rQ3oYBBq2dxDgT6hNDBLLLjZltbmKt-UoDvcZKICRbio6xkYAGtbn/s320/fish+farm+2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;">There is no doubt that the </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;">environmentalist
group, the Friends of Clayoquot Sound (FOCS) do not see eye-to-eye with the two
aquaculture companies operating in the Clayoquot Biosphere Reserve. But what exactly is at issue between these
groups, and is there room for rational dialogue? Here it is argued that these groups are divided over their assessment of risk. Based on
what the two groups value, they either accept or reject the precautionary
principle (PP), resulting in disagreement on what an allowable amount of risk
should be for aquaculture. Looking at how each group responds to this Principle both explains the source of their disagreement and points towards an avenue for progress in this debate.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The riskiness of an activity is defined
as the likelihood times the magnitude of harm that might result from that
activity. For example, reckless driving is a high-risk activity because it is
likely to cause severe harm. Shaving is
a low risk activity, even though it can cause severe harm, because the likelihood
of death or mutilation is remote. Likewise, playing the lottery
is a low risk activity even though the loss of money is very
likely, because this harm is usually inconsequential. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">From this perspective there are two
obvious sources of disagreement surrounding the riskiness of fish farming. One
source of disagreement concerns the magnitude of the associated harms. Opponents of fish farming often claim that this activity
could result in the destruction of wild salmon runs, for example. This is seen
as a severe harm since those runs are economically and socially valuable, and
their loss is difficult or impossible to reverse. A second source of disagreement is over the
likelihood of those harms. Fish farm
opponents argue that aquaculture is likely to result in the loss of
wild salmon runs. Aquaculture advocates contest this assessment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">There is a third, less obvious source of disagreement over the risks associated with fish farming. Strictly speaking, the very assessment of risk presupposes some set of values. These values can serve as a source of disagreement in their own right. For example, two people might disagree over the value of economic growth or the value of pristine wilderness. Unless one shares these values, activities that threaten these things will not be regarded as harmful or risky. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo borrowed from <a href="http://www.american.com/archive/2011/may/the-problems-with-precaution-a-principle-without-principle">here</a>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;">Public
debates over the risks associated with fish farming tend to operate within a more
simplified framework than the one just outlined. Environmentalists
often appeal to the so-called Precautionary Principle (PP) as a tool for
assessing risk.</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;">In simple terms, the Precautionary Principle states that an action should be avoided if there is even a remote possibility
of generating harm. </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;">T</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;">he problem with this principle is that it is excessively conservative. The PP discourages any potentially harmful activity </span><i style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;">regardless of its likelihood.</i><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;"> Hence, this
principle discourages many low risk activities. To illustrate, imagine what it would mean to adopt the Precautionary Principle in daily life. This would mean refraining from activities that have the possibility of causing harm. Flying in airplanes, driving to the store, seeking medical treatment, and most recreational pursuits would be ruled out. Clearly, it would not be reasonable to apply this principle on daily basis. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;">It
is no surprise that, in applying the Precautionary Principle to aquaculture,
FOCS regards this activity as intolerably risky. But why do environmentalists apply this principle to fish farming but not to other aspects of daily life? Are they being consistent? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;">One possibility is that groups like the FOCS assign a high likelihood to the risks associated with
fish farming, and that this point is considered too obvious to warrant serious discussion. On this view, there is an implicit judgment of likelihood that determines when the Precautionary Principle is invoked. If one assesses an activity (e.g. flying in an airplane) as low risk, then the PP is not seen as applicable. On the other hand, if an activity is <i>obviously</i> likely to cause harm, then this automatically triggers the PP. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;">One might criticize this model of risk assessment on the grounds that is that it discourages public debate over the likelihood of certain harms. A model which explicitly includes likelihood assessment as a part of the assessment is more transparent. But </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;">perhaps the more important question is why do some environmentalists view fish farming as so obviously likely to cause harm? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;">There are numerous possible answers to this question. One answer is that groups like the FOCS have been conditioned by previous experiences with similar industries. Many of the logging practices undertaken on Vancouver Island, for example, were harmful to the pristine forests that environmentalists value. Perhaps this history with other industries motivates a suspicion that fish farming is also likely to cause harm. This would explain why environmentalists selectively appeal to the Precautionary Principle when dealing with this industry and not other aspects of their lives. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;">Another reason that fish farming is "obviously" harmful, from the perspective of some environmentalists, is that there are numerous anecdotal reports of the impact of fish farms on the marine ecosystem. Vivid anecdotes have a lasting impact on the public imagination.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">Yet another reason that environmentalists might consider it obvious that fish farming is likely to cause harm stems from the track record of this industry. Reports of disease transmission. the excessive use of antibiotics, the destruction of predators, and large scale escapes were once fairly common. If one also assumes that this industry lacks the motivation or ability to improve, then it might seem likely that these harms persist. </span></div>
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<img src="http://www.friendsoftheirishenvironment.net/cmsfiles/salmon-farm.bmp" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo borrowed from <a href="http://www.google.ca/imgres?start=115&num=10&hl=en&sa=X&tbo=d&biw=1680&bih=989&tbm=isch&tbnid=qBs2AdrgAqNHWM:&imgrefurl=http://www.friendsoftheirishenvironment.net/paperstoday/index.php%3Fdo%3Dpaperstoday%26pc%3D3&docid=imx95Llv8oW9YM&imgurl=http://www.friendsoftheirishenvironment.net/cmsfiles/salmon-farm.bmp&w=468&h=399&ei=CbIFUbXXLoKCyAGioYGwDg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=436&vpy=274&dur=15&hovh=207&hovw=243&tx=186&ty=85&sig=110847521525021772851&page=3&tbnh=135&tbnw=163&ndsp=60&ved=1t:429,r:17,s:100,i:55">here</a>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;">A further consideration is that a certain amount of misinformation surrounds this industry. There is no shortage of rumors about the negative impacts of fish farming on the environment. Many of these ideas have reached the status of received wisdom in the mind of the general public. They are therefore almost immune to reasonable doubt. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;">Of course,
the fish farming industry rejects the Precautionary Principle as an assessment
tool. Interestingly, this industry identifies some of the same potential harms
as environmentalists. Chief among these is the possibility of disease outbreak.</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;">This industry also shares at least some of
the same values as environmentalists. Specifically, clean water and minimal ecological
impact are valued because they are necessary for the long term viability of this business. Over the short term, severe
polluting would draw the attention of DFO regulators and result in fines or
loss of their operating license. Of course, some values are not shared with environmentalists. A value in "pristine" wilderness, entirely devoid of human impact, is inconsistent with any amount of fish farming regardless of the magnitude or likelihood of harm. Such incommensurable values are important to identify and distinguish from other potential sources of disagreement. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;">The primary reason that the fish farming industry rejects the Precautionary Principle, however, is because this principle avoids an assessment of the likelihood of potential harms. In fact, from an industry perspective the likelihood of disease transmission and other harms are seen as quite low. Once again, a
historical perspective helps to understand this assessment.
In recent decades this industry has become much more regulated. Not only are fish farms monitored by DFO, they now operate under close public scrutiny. </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">From a historical perspective this industry has become much less likely to cause harm and is thereby less risky than in the past. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;">Fish
farmers further object to the ambiguity of the PP, in that it fails to explain how much
precaution should be used and until what point. They also oppose the PP because
it prevents advancement in policy and regulation development (Burnett 2009). Fish farming can also be viewed as a solution to a portion of the world’s problems concerning global food demand. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;">Deciding
on an acceptable amount of risk is a difficult task, requiring an open discussion of values as well as an up-to-date assessment of the likelihood and magnitude of potential harms. The Precautionary Principle is a flawed tool for risk assessment because it is excessively conservative. One must apply this principle selectively, or else become paralyzed by even the remote possibility of risk. What then justifies the selective application of this principle to fish farming? Environmentalists assume that this industry is likely to cause harm, perhaps because of a bad history, hearsay, or misinformation. But this assumption needs to be revisited given recent improvements in fish farming practices and increased regulation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;">This is not to suggest that fish farming in Clayoquot Sound poses an acceptable level of risk. Rather, in order to assess this question one must move beyond the </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt;">Precautionary Principle and adopt a more transparent risk assessment framework. </span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bibliography</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Burnett HS.
Understanding the Precautionary Principle and its Threat to Human Welfare. <span class="hcite">Social Philosophy and Policy</span>
[Internet]. 2009 [cited 2012 December 6];26(2):378-410. Available from: </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://journals1.scholarsportal.info/details-%09sfx.xqy?uri=/02650525/v26i0002/378_utppaitthw.xml"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">http://journals1.scholarsportal.info/details- sfx.xqy?uri=/02650525/v26i0002/378_utppaitthw.xml</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> doi:
<span class="hcite">10.1017/S0265052509090281</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">George, Patterson/. September 1<sup>st</sup>, 2012. Meeting at Tofino
Botanical Gardens – Darwin’s Café (Tofino,BC).
Personal Communication.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Lewis, D. August 2012. Meeting in Tofino, BC. Personal Communication.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Turnheim B,
Tezcan MY. Complex Governance to Cope with Global Environmental Risk: An Assessment of the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Science and Engineering Ethics [Internet]. 2010 [cited 2012
December 6];16:517-533. Available from: </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://journals1.scholarsportal.info/details-%09sfx.xqy?uri=/13533452/v16i0003/517_cgtcwgnfcocc.xml"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">http://journals1.scholarsportal.info/details- sfx.xqy?uri=/13533452/v16i0003/517_cgtcwgnfcocc.xml</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> doi:
10.1007/s11948-009- 9170-1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-3031884389063444732012-12-03T12:42:00.002-08:002012-12-03T12:44:48.518-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0FJaJQqoM_I3IlBkp3owjv56XPO2ISvYhl-yxyGi87D8UZstoCm2-tey4eZSvC3z3ba7TIUGNaMLax56tsV7dfF0Ip8LlX_3wxl7YLKVjrMpx7HYFhCqzmxOMIuuXMrVEIQcsZgWJsny/s1600/fishfarmnet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0FJaJQqoM_I3IlBkp3owjv56XPO2ISvYhl-yxyGi87D8UZstoCm2-tey4eZSvC3z3ba7TIUGNaMLax56tsV7dfF0Ip8LlX_3wxl7YLKVjrMpx7HYFhCqzmxOMIuuXMrVEIQcsZgWJsny/s320/fishfarmnet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Language in Environmentalism and the Idea of Public Reason</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">By: <b>Michelle Bastien</b> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">When
you and I, as ordinary citizens (assuming of course that you are an ordinary
citizen), sit down and chat about the current environmental issues, we speak in
a very specific language. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This language
is not technical or academic, per say, however this language has jargon; words such
as “environmental impact”, “sustainability”, “pristine wilderness”, and “biodiversity”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These terms mean something specific in regards
to our discussion, they convey a certain argument or position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Proper understanding of environmental jargon
is important because it influences many of our decisions as consumers, as
political beings and/or as business owners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yet, our specific definition for these words varies, which inevitably creates
ambiguity in the terminology when it stands alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I</i>
consider sustainable environmental practices may not be what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i> consider sustainable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet the term “sustainable” can be applied in
both of our environmental philosophies despite the fact that we hold differing
positions. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is frustrating when one
tries to really understand an environmental position, however this language
serves a very specific function in our democratic society and there is a reason
for the existing ambiguity. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Exactly what
that function is, I hope to answer by the end of this piece.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">First
of all, what do I mean by “environmental language”? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Environmental language, as I define it, is
more than just the buzzwords we are so habituated to hearing and using.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This language comes with a structure of argumentation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People expect that you present your environmental
“facts” with a kind of scientific objectivity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Public arguments hinge on the causal relationships outlined between human
action and negative impact: this human action will cause this environmental
impact (insert scientific evidence here).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Therefore, it is bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or the
reverse: this change in our human action will cause a reduction or elimination
of this negative environmental impact (insert scientific evidence here).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, it is good. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The
following is a simple example of an environmental argument.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pulled these arguments from Mainstream
Canada’s and the Friends of the Clayoquot Sound’s (FoCS) websites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These examples are meant to demonstrate that
from a listener’s point of view both positions seem rational and scientifically
reasonable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet, they make opposing
claims on the impact of open net fishing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Mainstream
Canada claims that placing open net aquacultures in strong currents allows the ocean
floors to regenerate more efficiently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The strong current disperses the food and fish waste over a larger, yet
still localized, surface area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
larger surface area reduces the smothering effect where the waste settles on
the ocean floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To further reduce their
impact, Mainstream Canada cycles through their cages in order to allow the ocean
floor to fully regenerate itself from the deposits. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In their words: “</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Salmon waste and uneaten
feed on the ocean floor can cause temporary oxygen reduction and other chemical
changes as they decompose, and may cause an increase in the concentration of
metals such as copper or zinc. For this reason, salmon farms are situated
in deep waters with sufficient current to disperse organic wastes”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Mainstream 2012).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being conscious of these impacts and
structuring their practices in order to reduce and eliminate these
environmental impacts, Mainstream Canada prides themselves for being
sustainable.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Where
as FoCS claims that these strong tidal flows are an environmental hazard
because the diseases and contaminants, that inevitably emerges from these
cages, can travel kilometres.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
increases the potential of infecting the wild salmon population: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">because salmon farms are located in
areas with strong tidal flow to disperse the feces from hundreds of thousands
of fish contained in close proximity, these same tidal currents can spread
viral particles many kilometres” (FoCS 2012).</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Concluding that Mainstream Canada is an
unsustainable industry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>FoCS says:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">There are many environmental and
economic impacts associated with the practice of open net-cage salmon
aquaculture, but of particular concern are a number of deadly salmon viruses”
(FoCS 2012). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pay particular attention to
the quotes provided and notice that the structure of the language is
similar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both parties have identified a
causal relationship between a human action and a particular outcome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the one hand, a strong tidal current
disperses the organic wastes, and on the other strong tidal currents spreads
diseases.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The goal of this piece is not
for you the reader to decide whose side you stand on, that is besides the
point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The point is to make light of the
fact that both parties use the same language in order to publicly present their
argument.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let us be frank: the “science”
behind these arguments is not the originating reason for these group’s passions.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mainstream Canada and FoCS have their
own reasons for being present in our cultures, neither of which is in the name
of science.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let us quickly identify the
systems of values that can be found imbedded within the superficial language of
environmentalism. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Mainstream
Canada defines sustainability as being able to “operate in such a way that
[they] do not reduce the potential for future food production based on the same
natural resources” (Mainstream 2012).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
go on to say “sustainability is a goal that relies on balancing environmental,
social and economic benefits and impacts, with a long-term commitment for
continual improvement” (Mainstream 2012). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are two important ideas that I would
like to draw from the above statements: 1) Mainstream Canada distinguishes the
idea of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">environmental sustainability</i> from
the larger concept of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sustainability</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For Mainstream Canada, environmental is only
one leg of the tripod model of sustainability and the environmental leg is
largely to keep the two other legs standing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If aquaculture permanently and irrevocably damages ocean waters, then economic
opportunities will be lost which will lead to un-employment and the chain
reaction becomes socially and economically systemic. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, their values gravitate towards
economic successes. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">On
the other hand, FoCS have a very different philosophy of sustainability and it
revolves around the idea of a pristine wilderness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In gross: if it was not there before, it
should not be here at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore,
anything people put in the ocean waters is un-sustainable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They act on visibility and aesthetics and
strongly believe in the idea that nature knows best.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 22.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">This
clash in system of values in environmentalism is analogous to the clash in the
systems of values in politics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John
Rawls points out in his article “The Idea of Public Reason Revisited” that a
natural outcome of a “well ordered constitutional democratic society” (Rawls
765) is the idea of public reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
says: “This is because a basic feature of democracy is the fact of reasonable
pluralism—the fact that a plurality of conflicting reasonable comprehensive
doctrines, religious, philosophical, and moral, is the normal result of its
culture of free institutions” (Rawls 765-766).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Basically, the idea of public reason is the idea that citizens need to
have a universal and neutral language in order to discuss contentious issues,
like environmentalism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An example
provided by Rawls clarifies his position quite well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 22.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">In
1784-1785 there was a famous debate between Patrick Henry and James Madison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This debate dealt with the question as to
whether or not religion should be incorporated in public schools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The interesting aspect of this debate is the
fact that it “was argued almost entirely by reference to political values
alone” (Rawls 794).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christian knowledge
was argued to be “an effective way to achieve basic political values, namely,
the good and peaceable conduct of citizens” (Rawls 794).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christian knowledge was not defended to be
“good in itself” because to argue on such grounds requires that the listeners
are themselves Christians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For Rawls, it
is only sensible and natural that politics, in a liberal democracy, has
developed a shared language with its own structure of argumentation and
jargon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is no different in
environmentalism.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 22.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Noteworthy Light";"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The
voice of science seems to have been adopted as the universal voice, as it
appears to be void of any particular system of value.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, it has become the public
reason and that is why as listener’s we need to be attentive to an
environmental argument.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Superficially,
they will all seem scientifically sound and rational.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is up to you to scratch the surface in
order to have a better understanding of a particular position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=304356394025068886" name="_GoBack"></a></span></div>
Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-72623696995383024642012-07-03T13:16:00.001-07:002012-07-03T13:18:13.793-07:00Rebecca Livernois on how environmental conflicts arise out of competing worldviews<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US">Conflict in
environmental ideals as a manifestation of </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US">differences in fundamental economic
worldviews: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US">A case study in Tofino, BC </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 150%;"> Rebecca
Livernois</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US">Environmentalists, industry, and First Nations in Tofino, British
Columbia, debate often with little resolution. Conversations with representatives
of these groups suggest that their disagreements are symptomatic of different
and conflicting worldviews. However, it is not obvious whether these worldviews
can be reconciled, or, whether they are opposed at some fundamental level. The aim of this paper is to identify the
fundamental disagreements between industry and environmentalists, and industry
and First Nations, with the purpose of providing the opportunity for groups to
better understand their respective positions. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US">A strategy is needed to access fundamental values because they often
get entangled with, what I call, surface values. A surface value is one that a person appeals
to in defending some position, but which they are willing to retract if that
value is shown to conflict with some other value. A fundamental value is one that a personal
appeals to in defending some position, and which they will retain if it is
shown to conflict with some other value. Simply put, fundamental values are not
up for revision, at least without serious deliberation, while surface values
are. It is likely that many people are unaware of their fundamental values, because
the relative strengths of values may not be delineated until they are
challenged. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US">The strategy used in this paper is to distinguish ‘fundamental
values’ from ‘surface values’ through Socratic style conversation. Representatives of different interests groups
were presented with a challenging question designed to reveal their fundamental
values. The question asked how each representative would defend a particular
position of their group or organization, given that this position sometimes causes
harm to other people. The specific question often took on slightly different
form, depending on the context. For example, the groups and the nature of the
harm caused by each organization was sometimes described, to help make the
question clear. Through this process it
was possible to identify, for each group, which values are more fundamental
than causing harm.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"> A representative of the
salmon farming industry, a representative of Friends of Clayoquot Sound (a
local environmentalist organization that opposes salmon farming), and a
representative of the Nuu-Chah-Nulth First Nations were presented with the harm
question. Their responses are discussed in what follows. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US">The environmentalist representative was asked how he would defend
the organization’s opposition to a proposed mine in Tofino to a local, poor,
and unemployed person who’s life would greatly improve from a job at the mine. He
responded that the environment is intrinsically valuable, in a comparable way
that a person is intrinsically valuable. Hence, certain actions, such as the destruction
of old-growth forests, are unacceptable in a similar way that murder is
unacceptable. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US">The salmon farm representative was asked how he would defend his
organization’s possible pollution of the aquatic ecosystem through the farm’s regular
operations when this actively harms the interests of environmentally concerned
individuals and possibly the ecosystem as well. This representative took the stance
of a realist: he is operating within the rules of the current economic system while
adhering to government regulations. Furthermore, he believes that scientific
research proves that salmon farms are not seriously harming the environment. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US">The Nuu-Chah-Nulth representative was asked how he defended his aim
to protect his land from logging and regain his traditional territory when the
logging industry provides a primary employment source in the area, and as such,
the fulfillment of his aim would lead to high unemployment. He justified his interests
by arguing that his ancestors have been on that same land for thousands of
years, and as such they ought to be the ones to determine what happens to it.
This implies that the harm that is done is only a result of interfering in
their territory in the first place, and as such logging companies’ claim to log
the land to avoid job and profit losses is feeble.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US">The conflict between the environmentalist and the industry
perspectives is in part based on conceptions of how natural items ought to be
commodified. Industry is operating under a market-economy paradigm where
something with no economic value can have its existence changed, and ought to
have its existence changed, to become a resource (that is, to become
economically valuable) the moment it is demanded by someone with sufficient money
to pay for it. This is in direct conflict with the environmentalist perspective,
which values the environment intrinsically, not merely instrumentally, as is
the case with industry. It is likely that environmentalists believe that there
should be some additional, morally based step, such as a powerful steward of
the environment or an alternative economic system, between a natural thing
existing in-itself apart from economic value and existing as a resource. Some
things could become resources, while other things could never be considered as
a resource. Hence the conflict in values stems from differing beliefs in the
way nature ought to be commodified, if at all; this is a disagreement on the
mechanisms of the economy. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US">Contrasting the Nuu-Chah-Nulth to the industry perspective, it
becomes apparent that the direction of focus is starkly different. That is,
industry operates within a typical Western progress narrative where growth is
that which is <i>good</i>. Hence the future
is that which is aimed towards; technology and innovations will improve life.
In contrast, the highest <i>good</i> exists
in the past from a Nuu-Chah-Nulth perspective. A traditional First Nations
person is, in a way, aiming toward the ideal past to ensure a good future, a
concept which is foreign to people who hold strongly the dominant Western
paradigm. For the two groups, that which is <i>good</i>
exists in different time (past and future) and space (the land supporting local
First Nations communities versus supplying a global economy). Hence
perspectives are focused in opposite directions, which could make mutual
understanding difficult. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US">Resolutions in these conflicts seem unlikely. In particular, given
the definition of fundamental values as inflexible, there is little possibility
that any of these values will alter enough for an alignment of interests to
occur. However it is possible that environmentalists and industry values could
align, insofar as the industry representative is a realist. If the reality of
the economic system was changed in favour of environmentalists’ interest, and industry
maintains its realist stance, then the two interests would become aligned. However,
structural change is “likely to occur only when the old paradigm is clearly
shown to no longer be serviceable.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/Stefan/Downloads/Tofino%20paper%20summary%20-%20after_edits.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">[1]</span></span></span></a>
A shift in paradigm to one that is more in line with the environmentalist
perspective could only take place when industry can no longer make sufficient
profits without adjusting to better environmental practices. This could be
interpreted as the classic dilemma of having to wait for appropriate change
until something devastating occurs, and at which time change must take place.
However, there are alternative, less dramatic possible situations that could
bring on a gradual alignment of interests: the demands of consumers could alter
to a point where only environmentally responsible industries make large
profits. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US">From speaking with the Nuu-Chah-Nulth representative, it was clear
that he was fully aware of the different perspectives of First Nations and the
‘Western’ world. Therefore, in the conflict between worldviews of First Nations
and the West, this distinction is primarily useful for Western people in
acknowledging that progress, science and growth are only assumed to be good; they
are not the only, or necessarily right, way of seeing the world. If the First
Nation perspective was better understood by industry and the government, then
perhaps a more constructive debate could take place. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US">I suggest that the conflicts over the treatment of the environment
are based on fundamental differences in worldviews. It is possible that more
constructive debate could lead to shifting environmental regulations that the
realist industries would have to accept and which would better suit both
environmentalists and First Nations. </span></div>
<div>
<br />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/Stefan/Downloads/Tofino%20paper%20summary%20-%20after_edits.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> William E. Shafer, “Social Paradigms and Attitudes Toward
Environmental Accountability,” <i>Journal of
Business Ethics</i> (2006) 65:125</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<br />Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-16634528827880642312012-03-04T16:08:00.000-08:002012-03-04T16:08:42.483-08:00Abby Wilson on strong vs weak sustainability<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In her final paper for the 2011 field course, Abby Wilson looked at the controversy between environmentalists and fish farmers in Clayoquot Sound. She notes that it can be tempting to characterize their disagreement in terms of two different views about sustainability. </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Weak sustainability</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> condones human use of natural resources, as long as those resources are replenished. S</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">trong sustainability</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> prohibits any major impact on the environment, regardless of whether it is replenished. It might seem that fish farmers adopt the former view of sustainability while enviromentalists adopt the latter. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, Abby argues that, contrary to initial appearances, this is </span><u style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">not</u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> what distinguishes the two groups. They do not disagree about the correct definition of sustainability (strong versus weak), although this is how one side of the debate --environmentalists-- would portray the issue. The actual debate turns on whether sustainability is a moral or a scientific issue in the first place. Environmentalists characterize sustainability as a moral issue, whereas industry tends to view it as a scientific one. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can read a summary of this interesting thesis in what follows. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></b></div><a name='more'></a><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Envisioning Epistemological Sustainability: Salmon Farming in Clayoquot Sound as a Challenge to the Sustainability Concept<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Abby Wilson</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The controversy over open-net salmon farming in Clayoquot Sound points to deeper, critical problems with the concept of sustainability. While sustainability is generally accepted as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future to meet its own needs, the specific entailments of what is sustainable are contentious. Friends of Clayoquot Sound, a local environmental group, claims that open-net salmon farming is irredeemably unsustainable;yet Clayoquot’s two salmon farming companies, Mainstream Canada and Creative Salmon, heavily disagree. The problem with sustainability is that it is too ambiguous- its meaning is used in too many contexts. “Sustainability” gets invoked to describe everything from the tar sands to wind turbines to the total collapse of industrial civilization. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many theorists distinguish between ‘weak sustainability’ and ‘strong sustainability’ to explain how the term can be used in so many different contexts. Weak sustainability prioritizes the continuation and growth of the economy while strong sustainability prioritizes the integrity of the environment. Weak sustainability values economic continuity whereas strong sustainability values environmental preservation. The model of weak/strong sustainability often gets applied to explain environmental conflicts such as Clayoquot’s fish farming controversy; one could argue that Friends of Clayoquot Sound is appealing to strong sustainability whereas the salmon farming industry appeals to weak sustainability. This is how Friends of Clayoquot Sound portrays the controversy- they emphasize a fundamental conflict of values between environmentalists and the salmon farming industry, suggesting that the industry prioritizes profits to the detriment of Clayoquot’s ecosystems. According to Friends, the controversy is rooted in a <i>value-difference.</i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: 36pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: 36pt;">However, Mainstream Canada and Creative Salmon give a very different account of the fish farming controversy. Both companies emphasize the dependency of their operations on the health of the ocean, the need to manage environmental harm, and the inter connectedness between economic and environmental interests. The weak/strong sustainability model implies that there are competing values beneath different economic paradigms; however, Clayoquot’s fish farming industry portrays a case where it would be impossible for these values to conflict. Instead, the industry suggests that the salmon farming controversy is rooted in a </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: 36pt;">knowledge-difference</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: 36pt;">, where environmental advocates are refusing to recognize the technological improvements, scientific studies, and environmental policies that both salmon farming companies had incorporated.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: 36pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: 36pt;">However, environmental conflicts do not often become resolved once both sides share the same information and evidence.There is a deeper epistemological problem below the salmon farming controversy and the concept of sustainability: how do we </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: 36pt;">know</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: 36pt;"> what is ultimately going to be sustainable? While scientific studies are currently used to measure present environmental impacts, they can only make predictions about what will be sustainable. Furthermore, the scientific community has difficulty reaching consensus on complex environmental issues and environmental problems are often situated in a globally complex web of variables. All of this points to a need to consider the epistemological limits of the sustainability concept in the context of contemporary environmental conflicts. Rather than simplifying environmental conflicts into value differences, the ambiguity of sustainability needs to be explored as an epistemological problem.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: 36pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: 36pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: 36pt;">For more information contact Abby Wilson </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: 36pt;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: 36pt;">abigail.c.wilson@gmail.com)</span></div>Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-31571141418656815532011-10-26T12:22:00.000-07:002011-10-26T14:17:10.011-07:00Radio interview about Philosophy Field CourseThis is just to announce my recent interview on CFRU's Pioneer Radio. The show follows roughly the same format as This American Life. Each week they choose a theme which is covered in several acts. In this week's episode, <a href="http://pioneerradio.wordpress.com/2011/10/17/episode-twenty-eight-%E2%80%94-the-powers-that-be/">The Powers that Be</a>, I discuss the ways that scientific evidence is understood from the perspectives of industry, environmentalists and First Nations.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1159482309"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZw4eMtf9tQL21VFLxWRUaNOCTHBUZDIkzgfMvAZJL7S-yeC3KgY0o7OcfSOaOdCmGDGGpqpWwNJJo87o_gmwYDViJk8H7BgL7shYR_YHvgoWVMTY5Qtzj-IFefffirDYoj7nagMLLGzk9/s320/stopandsearch.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pioneerradio.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/authority-show.mp3">click here for mp3 </a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I love this image from the program. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">It might remind some field course participants of the last night on Tonquin Beach!</span></div><br />
Your comments are welcome below!Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-19914284667215648892011-09-26T13:00:00.000-07:002011-10-03T21:52:41.345-07:00Mainstream Salmon - Could an environmentalist ever approve?<div class="MsoNormal">Mainstream Salmon is the local branch of a large multinational fish farming company called Cermaq. Based in Norway, they have foreign operations in Scotland, Chile and Canada. On Thursday, September 1<sup>st</sup> our group met with Mainstream’s Sustainability Officer, James Costello, and visited one of their open-net aquaculture sites</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsCJ7CCPAKMCak0DdrAU5ZbwmJHopA5T8oKleQn38FgswPbUBuE2mJvWXwLe1hEh8XqmstX-6yBXdWXKkluUhgf9VrgifRIe3Qk2ry5nKw6T76HRh3tZxhWjyd-H-Xbd3-d5c_rwSptJjO/s1600/IMG_4204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsCJ7CCPAKMCak0DdrAU5ZbwmJHopA5T8oKleQn38FgswPbUBuE2mJvWXwLe1hEh8XqmstX-6yBXdWXKkluUhgf9VrgifRIe3Qk2ry5nKw6T76HRh3tZxhWjyd-H-Xbd3-d5c_rwSptJjO/s400/IMG_4204.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Testing water quality outside pens at Mainstream salmon site. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">Mainstream differs from Creative Salmon, the fish-farm visited earlier in the week, in several key respects. This company raises Atlantic rather than Pacific Salmon. Atlantics grow faster and survive in higher density. They are also more passive in the pen. Overall, their level of domestication affords relative ease in aquiculture. Mainstream is also a much larger corporation than Creative. This is a point of contention for some environmentalists who portray Mainstream as the “evil” foreign company lacking environmental conscience. More on this subject in a moment.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">Prior to embarking on our visit to Tofino, I asked students about what they expected from our visit to Mainstream. None of them had an idea about the site itself. How large? How many fish? What sort of location? Such questions had never occurred to them and I suspect as much is true of the public at large. This creates an opportunity for people with an agenda, either for or against fish farming, to direct people’s thinking by constructing the images for them. It also highlights the importance of experiences like ours, in which matters are investigated first hand. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">Students did have expectations about the Mr Costello. They assumed that he would emphasize the economic benefits of fish farming while downplaying its ecological impact. My own expectations were similar. I anticipated a well oiled presentation glorifying the virtues of fish farming. My hope was to get past this, if possible, and engage with James and his colleagues on a personal, informal level.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">As with all of our encounters on this trip, prior expectations were defied. There was no slick presentation. He seemed much more interested in allowing us to look around and ask questions. Nor did James draw a clear distinction between economy and environment. A point also made by Tim Rundle at Creative Salmon is that many environmentally beneficial advances are also economical. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">In addition, several more subtle points came to light during this meeting. Let me speak briefly on the topics of multinational ownership and First Nations partnership. Then I will close with some thoughts about the cognitive barriers that stand between fish farm advocates and their environmental opponents. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">People naturally feel threatened by large, powerful corporations. The facelessness and distance that comes with foreign ownership also raise concern about environmental accountability. In the past I have not seen very far beyond these sentiments. However, like a landscape that one stops to appreciate for the first time, I now see details in this picture that were not previously apparent to me. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">Cermaq is a leader in technological development. Most notably, they are working on a way to bio-manufacture protein for fish feed. Currently this protein is harvested from less marketable fish than salmon– e.g. smelt or herring. Bio-manufacturing fish feed, rather than fishing for it, would dramatically reduce this industry’s ecological impact (as well as costs). This sort of R&D is much more feasible for a large multinational company than a small local operation. I am not saying that these benefits outweigh the costs associated with foreign ownership. My point is simply that the issue is far from back and white. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig25bnf7wCsfUY17LVO-oDvye-0hbFpCe_7vEfYO-Ig-RW5Bs4Pt8NRpcv7z407KGQmwqH0_q7VdGW_2T77WKDy6a_L6aBtoABubBXf5nETGXzsCJo34r-36ffcsIc4WXTdOeAxeBjTfnL/s1600/IMG_4203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig25bnf7wCsfUY17LVO-oDvye-0hbFpCe_7vEfYO-Ig-RW5Bs4Pt8NRpcv7z407KGQmwqH0_q7VdGW_2T77WKDy6a_L6aBtoABubBXf5nETGXzsCJo34r-36ffcsIc4WXTdOeAxeBjTfnL/s400/IMG_4203.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Discussing fish feed technology with James Costello, Sustainability Officer at Mainstream</span></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">As I mentioned in a previous post, companies like Mainstream are partnering with First Nations. When I first heard of these arrangements, admittedly, I was somewhat skeptical. This struck me as a ploy to win public appeal by capitalizing on First Nations’ reputation as environmental stewards. I now appreciate new details in this arrangement. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">At one level, industrial partnerships have positive social implications for First Nations. It is about time that the indigenous owners of this territory were consulted about how it is used. Now, finally, they are able to direct the path of these industries instead of standing by on the sidelines. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">At another level is the economic benefit, both to First Nations and more broadly. Fish farms are a source of training, jobs and economic stimulus. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">The worry of course is that First Nations partnerships are slanted heavily in favour of the powerful. A skeptic might regard them as primarily for show. Perhaps First Nations are being taken advantage of, losing their good reputation as environmental stewards in the process. How could one know if this is so? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">One way is to simply look around at what is happening on site. Joining us on our trip was Mr George Frank, First Nations liaison for Mainstream. He explained in broad outline the relationship between the Ahousat First Nation and Mainstream. Ahousat monitors Mainstream’s activities and supports their operation. In exchange, Mainstream employs a certain number of Ahousat people and engages in various forms of community development. I suppose that there is also some financial arrangement among these groups, but that is none of my business. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZiGMYrvCELnhIJQc5SRNukmyAFs9JqxlQf0gh0wK5loFWjDyw6Uij9hIPv0bORhn_afkRc9d0du_MkjmyK62e7e_Z-VY8yMiJN1GgAMVM8I9pYiYdjasdi2z9mNYS6q1o8qg21iJfSEt/s1600/IMG_4206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZiGMYrvCELnhIJQc5SRNukmyAFs9JqxlQf0gh0wK5loFWjDyw6Uij9hIPv0bORhn_afkRc9d0du_MkjmyK62e7e_Z-VY8yMiJN1GgAMVM8I9pYiYdjasdi2z9mNYS6q1o8qg21iJfSEt/s320/IMG_4206.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">George Frank surveying operations at Mainstream.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">If George had seemed out of touch with the daily operations at Mainstream it would have raised a red flag about the effectiveness of his role as liaison. However, my impression during our visit was the exact opposite. George was on top of his game. He provided answers to all of our questions, no matter how specific. I also noticed his attention to the details of daily operations as we toured the site together. If anyone knows what is happening on that fish farm, it is George. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">Let me close this entry with a hypothetical question. I am told that the most outspoken local critics of fish farming have not visited this site nor spoken with these people directly. This leads me to wonder, <b>if environmentalists were to visit this fish farm, would they change their views?</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">My guess is no. They wouldn’t. I see three potential barriers that would prevent someone from even entertaining the thought of a multinational fish farm that is, on the whole, a social and ecological benefit.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">One reason for resistance stems from a fundamental difference in values. Some environmentalists are opposed to economic development and globalization, no matter what. If this is at the heart of their opposition, then there is nothing that Cermaq could do (besides dissolve) that would make environmentalists happy. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">A second reason for resistance is scepticism. An environmentalist might simply disbelieve the claims of industry-funded representatives on the grounds of their source alone. Claims about improved farming practices, technological advances, benefits to First Nations, etc would then be ignored. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">Applied in moderation, scepticism can be healthy. Taken to its extreme, skepticism can lapse into dogmatism. One must not lose sight of the occasions when even one’s opponent shares a common interest in the truth. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">A third reason for rejecting fish farms, even in the face of what we have seen, is due to the underlying suspicion that there MUST be something wrong with these operations. The harms are lurking out there, even if they are currently unknown. This suspicion sometimes goes under the heading of the precautionary principle: one should assume that industrial activities are harmful until they have been proven otherwise. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">This idea is easily abused, often by people who are unaware that they are abusing it. What does it mean to prove that some industry is not harmful? Perhaps one requires a scientific demonstration beyond any shadow of a doubt? If so, this is not a standard applied to other industries. In other aspects of food production we happily accept a certain amount of risk. However, when it comes to the unfamiliar, people easily shift to a highly risk averse attitude. Demands are imposed on unfamiliar practices, like fish farming, that would never be applied to familiar practices. For example, you wouldn’t thin k of checking the brakes every time you step into a car. One must be cautious not to lapse into unreasonable suspicion about a practice because of its unfamiliarity alone. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">So, there appear to be three reasons why someone might fail to recognize the benefits of fish farming, even if they were apparent: (1) fundamental opposition to industry, (2) scepticism about the benefits, and (3) paranoia about unknown unknowns. Identifying and analyzing these points of disagreement is the philosopher’s way of making contributions to this debate.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">I have suggested that all three ways of thinking lend themselves to excess. Some people become so entrenched in their anti-corporate values that no industry can be seen as beneficial, regardless of what it does. Others become so skeptical of pro-industry information that they close their eyes to valuable sources of information. Finally, the demand for certainty is an unreasonable guideline, that easily gets applied to matters one does not fully understand. I am not sure where I stand on the issue of fish farming in Clayoquot. But I have learned from these experiences to question my preconceptions, and try to avoid these excessive ways of thinking. </span><br />
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</span></div>Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-88641739512756322102011-09-22T19:24:00.000-07:002011-10-03T21:51:47.261-07:00Friends of Clayoquot (part 2) - what is the future of environmentalism?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I have come to view The Friends of Clayoquot Sound as a case study in the environmental movement at large. This organization is confronting two major changes in the political landscape that have occurred over the past decade. One is the increased involvement of First Nations in industry. The second is the improvements by industries in their environmental practices. In my view, environmentalists have not found a way to adapt to these changes and until they do, their authority and their relevance are under serious threat. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNUAPhSKBUDdyBP-n_GWZtm4OV7GF2CcDucmPmIc0VwQcVmfQ59m52pbjZaRvZlinSE37ULAzuIPYIoTH19pWTmzbyErppiqBVBZSPFw5x9gwJxKifcKSEFnf3waRw5KCRMYUJCrVYk-D/s1600/samonaresacred.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNUAPhSKBUDdyBP-n_GWZtm4OV7GF2CcDucmPmIc0VwQcVmfQ59m52pbjZaRvZlinSE37ULAzuIPYIoTH19pWTmzbyErppiqBVBZSPFw5x9gwJxKifcKSEFnf3waRw5KCRMYUJCrVYk-D/s320/samonaresacred.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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Back in the protest days of the 1990s, The Friends were aligned with First Nations and other environmental groups in opposition to logging. It is now standard for these industries to partner with First Nations. Often this involves consultation with First Nations representatives before a development application is submitted to government. These partnerships increase a project's likelihood of approval. Importantly, they also provide First Nations with an opportunity to direct these projects. The terms of the partnership agreements are not available on public record. So it is impossible to assess their equity. But the very fact that First Nations now contribute to shaping their traditional territories is undeniably progressive.</div><br />
Of course, this places environmentalists in a difficult position. They have lost an important ally in their campaign against industry. It is also difficult to find the right moral platform from which to criticize activities that have First Nations approval. If one agrees that the Nuu-Chah-Nulth have the moral and legal title to these lands, on what basis can one criticize their management practices? Matters are very different when we are talking about crown land. In that case, Canadian citizens are entitled to a say in land management. Not so for First Nations territory. One must also keep in mind the historical oppression of these groups, and just how important it is for them to finally gain control over their own destiny.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">An environmentalist might well be suspicious of partnerships between First Nations and industry. How equitable are these agreements? Whom exactly do they benefit? These are questions that I will touch on in more detail in my discussion of Mainstream Salmon and Iisaak.</span><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Naturally First Nations communities do not speak with a single voice. Some individuals are less than entirely supportive of these industrial partnerships. However, First Nations communities need to work as one. This culture is also quite hierarchical, with hereditary Chiefs being key decision makers. I asked someone whether he considered opposing the decisions of his band. The answer was that, “not if I want to keep my friends”. (See my <a href="http://philosophyfieldcourse.blogspot.com/2011/09/josie-osborne-personal-relationships-in.html">earlier post</a> on the two dimensions of personal relationships). </span><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Getting back to the Friends of Clayoquot Sound. The political landscape has clearly evolved over the past decate or two. So have the practices of the industries they oppose. As <a href="http://philosophyfieldcourse.blogspot.com/2011/08/creative-salmon.html">Tim Rundle of Creative Salmon demonstrated to us</a>, the fish farming industry has adopted many practices that reduce ecological impact. Iisaak, the first nations logging group licenced to operate in Clayoquot Sound, also adopts a much more selective set of practices compared to those which generated outrage in the 1980s and 90s. Both industries have evolved in response to environmental pressure</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-kp51lMBqhPh8NgfaMVSE9Dx8VRO3lpFdOt5L3-pMn4OBUzyx-kECHqVxJIyUtE6moMwWAVrXJq4vD6RUfUukWQy_X3uLEjMDF92VQ3pvFO-CQny1SnT64IjHg7nZQIaSJSzdc2UMIIMG/s1600/sticker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-kp51lMBqhPh8NgfaMVSE9Dx8VRO3lpFdOt5L3-pMn4OBUzyx-kECHqVxJIyUtE6moMwWAVrXJq4vD6RUfUukWQy_X3uLEjMDF92VQ3pvFO-CQny1SnT64IjHg7nZQIaSJSzdc2UMIIMG/s1600/sticker.jpg" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I am somewhat critical of The Friends for failing to acknowledge these advances. No mention is made of the reduction in feed, the reduction in antibiotics, the reduction in harm to predators, the aeration of pens, the decrease in stocking densities, nor the rotation times among pens. Failing to acknowledge these advances and presenting the fish farms of today as no different from 20 years ago is inaccurate and arguably negligent. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I put it to Dan that his group might even take credit for these improvements. Creative Salmon acknowledges environmental concerns as one of the motivations behind their advances. But this suggestion apperaed not to sit well with Dan. This strikes at the heart of how environmentalists have traditionally regarded themselves, as champions of the people fighting against evil corporations. Nowadays, this attitude appears too black and white. The danger, as I see it, is that environmental groups are risking their credibility. Industries like Creative Salmon and Iisaak are not as media savy as The Friends. The message of their imrpovements is taking longer to get out. But eventually this will change. Environmental concerns are now consumer concerns. It is in these industries' economic interest to broadcast their achievements. If it becomes common knowledge that fish farms and logging companies are cleaning up their acts (as I think is happening), and that these efforts are being ignored or misrepresented by environmentalists, those advocates will appear uninformed and ideologically driven. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Another way in which The Friends and other advocacy groups have responded to these changes, at least in the fish farming case, is to identify new putative harms to the environment. Most recently the issue has been a decrease in wild salmon stocks. Fish farms are held responsible for this decline because they are seen as incubators for disease. This is a very complex issue and I do not pretend to understand its nuances. However, from a philosophical perspective, three important questions arise.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Firstly, what is the magnitude of these environmental harms? Some argue that the presence of fish farming in Clayoquot will cause the local extinction of wild salmon. Is this scenario plausible? Or is it more plausible that they will result in at modest reduction, or none at all? This is a difficult scientific question. One should not assume that environmentalists are in possession of the answer. Lately, some environmentalists have taken rhetorical steps to exacerbate the magnitude of these harms. They claim that wild salmon are a part of “our” heritage as British Columbians. Suddenly fish farming is a threat to "our" social identity. As a born British Collumbian of non-native descent, this strikes me as a bit desperate. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Second, would the purported harms occur regardless of fish farms? For example, some argue that habitat destruction, not disease, is the driving cause of salmon decline. Perhaps even more significant is a point that our group raised in opposition to Dan Lewis. Any decrease in fish farming will most likely increase the pressure on wild stocks. There is no wild population in the world that can sustain human consumption at current population levels. If the collapse of the East Coast cod fishery has taught us anything, it is that wild fish stocks are difficult to manage. So how exactly does the elimination of fish farming benefit wild salmon? It seems just as plausible that a reduction in farming will negatively impact wild salmon populations in the long run?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUshPPK6vLSgBcVKEesfWX_kxn_Ve4RNB1ZiSGVO7op94oEKoSCGCKnK22cVN_wLJSQJbdD6AsuI7ckKreZWh6RH-afFLd1aw4zW_gPNs6pdrEkXCWIyt1eLidlQoVxrmDQgmkTzRXfZ3/s1600/IMG_1175-anti-fish-farm-fish-sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUshPPK6vLSgBcVKEesfWX_kxn_Ve4RNB1ZiSGVO7op94oEKoSCGCKnK22cVN_wLJSQJbdD6AsuI7ckKreZWh6RH-afFLd1aw4zW_gPNs6pdrEkXCWIyt1eLidlQoVxrmDQgmkTzRXfZ3/s320/IMG_1175-anti-fish-farm-fish-sign.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The third question concerns the benefits of fish farming. How do they stack up against the purported costs? I spoke in my<a href="http://philosophyfieldcourse.blogspot.com/2011/09/friends-of-clayoquot-sound-part-1-do.html"> previous post</a> about the social and economic benefits of these industries for local communities. There are further potential benefits when it comes to feeding a global population. Perhaps a reduction in wild salmon stocks (if in fact this is a consequence - I am not so sure) is an acceptable price to pay for these outcomes.</span><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">A final thought on this issue. In raising these criticisms of The Friends I am very aware of what I do not know. They might turn out to be right about the link between fish farms and wild salmon decline. What concerns me is their willingness to advocate a position as if the factors ARE well known. I see this as irresponsible given that the harms of removing fish farms are arguably more tangible than the purported consequences of allowing them to persist. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> It also concerns me that environmentalists ignore larger, more global ecological issues. If fish farms are removed from this region, where else will they go? Perhaps to a country with even lower environmental standards, and what then will the impacts be? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Ultimately, I think that environmentalists are still fighting the same battle that they were 20 years ago. But the situation has changed. Consumers are more informed. Industry has become more responsible. Communities like the Nuu-Chah-Nulth are realizing social and economic benefits that must be balanced against environmental costs. If these issues ever appeared black and white, they certainly do not seem that way anymore. How will environmental organizations adapt to this new political landscape? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVgeiUVd16GNHxR_zQzgj6N5fh8kppzWFON_Aqb6NVkDk-HHzolvUCE5GZtkSd0myz3fqPKnlIHOY6TG8mlv1kqsFs3Ts-yjtw6KdXQ_5xaK4kY9TkYPpPvoycYnDmek4GnWk5AAPmTeo/s1600/IMG_4208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVgeiUVd16GNHxR_zQzgj6N5fh8kppzWFON_Aqb6NVkDk-HHzolvUCE5GZtkSd0myz3fqPKnlIHOY6TG8mlv1kqsFs3Ts-yjtw6KdXQ_5xaK4kY9TkYPpPvoycYnDmek4GnWk5AAPmTeo/s320/IMG_4208.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div></div></div>Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-70401929414262006562011-09-22T14:34:00.000-07:002011-10-03T21:50:59.857-07:00Friends of Clayoquot Sound (part 1) - Do trees have rights like people?<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The Friends of Clayoquot Sound describe themselves as a grassroots, community based environmental organization. Active in this region since 1979, ‘The Friends’ (for short) were major players in the 1990s protests against old growth logging. Currently they focus on three perceived threats to this region: open net fish farming, continued logging of old growth, and the recently proposed copper mine on Catface Mountain. From our perspective, this organization represents a distinctive voice in the ongoing debates over sustainability and economic development. Our aim was to understand The Friends’ vision for the future of Clayoquot Sound and how their goals and activities are justified philosophically. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">On Tuesday, August 30<sup>th</sup> we attended a slideshow presented by Dan Lewis and Bonnie Glambeck called <a href="http://clayoquot.tumblr.com/">The Secrets of ClayoquotSound</a>. The following afternoon we met with Dan, Executive Director of the Friends of Clayoquot Sound, for two hours of lively conversation. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMxYbRKZiirM96U4vFl7D_gidRrJUli8mzBBGXriRAX1muHzuXfh9EV4UbU3cbo1yhXQ1kUURzFqhuKCc7dKVLTsB_WBHKnm3KM8hvBeP8Mhuh9RXH51v9kl9XNqJnpdP3I5XcJ5wcx4R/s1600/IMG_1405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMxYbRKZiirM96U4vFl7D_gidRrJUli8mzBBGXriRAX1muHzuXfh9EV4UbU3cbo1yhXQ1kUURzFqhuKCc7dKVLTsB_WBHKnm3KM8hvBeP8Mhuh9RXH51v9kl9XNqJnpdP3I5XcJ5wcx4R/s320/IMG_1405.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Meeting with Dan Lewis outside Friends of Clayouquot office. </span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The slideshow opened with a presentation by Joe Martin, a Nuu-Chah-Nulth spokesperson. He shared a traditional song with the audience and expressed his concerns over industrial activity in the area. This was followed by images of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kidlins/165459290/">variable retention</a> logging as it is currently practiced in certain regions of Clayoquot. These were contrasted with other images of pristine, unlogged forests and their inhabitants. I gather that the intended message was to illustrate the damage caused by these logging practices. It was even suggested that they differ little in their impact from old-style clear cutting.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGYnfAyzv6G0EiZUfW1YFXRN_g9GClFgUUUKdWeFPTdPOLBpakSkzKr_cULS7Z4p84FH8XAtP33HrasrtrPCJNH1SUqwwN761Yf1wiL-9Zreljmm2o22SpxFU82BvWgfwqwIM7eIXhUUiH/s1600/focs1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGYnfAyzv6G0EiZUfW1YFXRN_g9GClFgUUUKdWeFPTdPOLBpakSkzKr_cULS7Z4p84FH8XAtP33HrasrtrPCJNH1SUqwwN761Yf1wiL-9Zreljmm2o22SpxFU82BvWgfwqwIM7eIXhUUiH/s320/focs1.jpg" width="222" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowDaRM9xTzSue4AXskWsOdpoPYxHsrSNJTO7UUkKmhxZ33uxOGRoIQbdiuMxseWjQxneHgou0k3s_gjtGjy3QpH9d_xHeE-p72DNSIGoQyke9oUaF6XXA5Cn07LI6h0u95GI2yo6tSqBA/s1600/loggingclayoquot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowDaRM9xTzSue4AXskWsOdpoPYxHsrSNJTO7UUkKmhxZ33uxOGRoIQbdiuMxseWjQxneHgou0k3s_gjtGjy3QpH9d_xHeE-p72DNSIGoQyke9oUaF6XXA5Cn07LI6h0u95GI2yo6tSqBA/s320/loggingclayoquot.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Initially, I had the predictable sort of reaction to these images. But on refection I am led to question this response. It is possible that variable retention logging has a relatively minor impact over the long term. To decide this matter one would require other sorts of evidence besides evocative photos. The slideshow seemed geared more towards mustering public sentiment than documenting scientifically grounded facts. Perhaps this approach is justified in a presentation tailored for the general public. But personally I would prefer to see the level of debate raised up a few notches. Some scientific evidence, even a few citations, would make for a stronger case – if only to communicate to the audience that The Friends are basing their own case on solid grounds. Environmentalists often prefer the strong punch-line over reasoned argument, and in my view this is unfortunate. In fact, the general impression of our group is that the average Tofino resident possesses a fairly sophisticated understanding of these issues, certainly more detailed than what was presented in this slideshow. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Another interesting message was that despite Clayoquot Sound’s designation as a UNESCO Biosphere reserve, the area is not legally protected. The Friends are concerned to dispel any public misconceptions about what this designation entails. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/X3Dp7rNmBys?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">During the Secrets of Clayoquot Sound presentation we were treated to this protest video. Enjoy!</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">What then is The Friends' vision for Clayoquot's future? My sense is that they would like to see the removal of all fish farms in the Sound and a moratorium against any logging in old growth watersheds. This raised several questions for our group, mainly concerning the economic and social implications. How many people depend, directly or indirectly, on these industries? What would happen to the community if they were to disappear? And how would one justify this outcome to community members? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> <br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In response, Dan argued that the damage caused by these industries to Clayoquot Sound is inherently unethical. On this view, the loss of old growth is morally objectionable because these forests have intrinsic worth akin, perhaps, to the worth of a person. It would be immoral to condone any industry that harms people, regardless of the social and economic benefits. According to Dan, the same implication holds for the destruction of old growth forests. </span><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">While I understand this sentiment, there are problems with the idea that forests are valuable in this strong, moral sense. To place them on par with human life, or even human welfare, requires further argument. What justifies the idea that forests matter more than people? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">One can certainly empathize with those who depend on industry for their livelihood. If people in this region are benefitting from fish farming and logging, and if this does not result in the utter destruction of old growth forests, then I can see how these activities might be tolerated in the name of human welfare. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Of course, Dan Lewis might respond to this point by saying that people do not have an inherent right to live and flourish in this region. Europeans originally moved here to attain personal wealth. Now their descendants have come to expect as much, viewing it as their right to demand a high standard of living and indefinitely many opportunities. What justifies THAT attitude, he might ask. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I am not sure how to respond to this challenge so instead I will accept, for the sake of argument, that economic opportunities are not an entitlement. If a high standard of living is what one wants, then perhaps it is best to search elsewhere - or else accept a more modest standard of living. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I have a more difficult time extending this to First Nations. Their ancestors did not arrive here with the ambition of personal wealth. These are their traditional lands to manage. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">First Nations communities alsoe have the most to benefit from industrial development. Currently, the standard of living in many of these communities is unacceptable. These individuals have a right to develop the region as they see fit in order to improve their well being.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In fact this is an issue I want to address in a separate blog post. The cozy relationship that once existed between environmentalists and First Nations has eroded in recent years. Environmentalists now find themselves in a new political environment and it is unclear how they are going to adapt. </span><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In the mean time let me try to summarize the current line of thinking. I have attempted to reconstruct part of our exchange with Dan Lewis. His organization values pristine wilderness as an end in itself. The destruction of this wilderness is seen as a moral evil. So any economic development is by extension immoral, on this view, no matter whom it benefits. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">But this is a big assumption. Not everyone values pristine forests over human welfare and I see no reason why they must. Arguably the destruction of some pristine forest is an acceptable trade-off for a high standard of living. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">But one might also call THIS value into question. What entitles the current occupants of Clayoquot to a high standard of living? Perhaps those who desire wealth should seek it elsewhere. An interesting complexity however is that not all of Clayoquot's inhabitants share the same entitlements. It strikes me that the aboriginal occupants of this region enjoy a privileged position</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> in deciding how it is developed. </span></div>Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-55345272119069909602011-09-17T17:04:00.000-07:002011-10-03T21:56:30.934-07:00Ecotrust Canada - The challenges of adaptive management.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On Tuesday, September 30th our group met with Satnam Manhas of <a href="http://ecotrust.ca/">Ecotrust Canada</a>. Its mission is to promote what they call the "conservation economy". What exactly this means is up for interpretation.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHLISCjPQ5P4-niG_3UUKjJkEHgxxpXIGP8Tkplt3eOTwTP_5eHuavDbsdiTWx7qLcuWzYLfye72EbCvYpQ69iEM3IoZxpNwoZK1USHub3Bqvra285eyBtmljyPiyCkrzeH-OtYMQXkTD/s1600/IMG_4137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHLISCjPQ5P4-niG_3UUKjJkEHgxxpXIGP8Tkplt3eOTwTP_5eHuavDbsdiTWx7qLcuWzYLfye72EbCvYpQ69iEM3IoZxpNwoZK1USHub3Bqvra285eyBtmljyPiyCkrzeH-OtYMQXkTD/s400/IMG_4137.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> Ecotrust Canada's Tofino operations are based in this former fish processing plant.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This also happened to be the view from our hostel. Not too shabby!</span></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ecotrust engages in a mind-boggling array of projects. The Thisfish campaign, for example, involves tracing salmon "from boat to plate" using an electronic tag placed on each fish. This adds value to the product by allowing consumers to trace the origin of their food and discover its path to the dinner table. Other projects include purchasing Cougar Annie's Garden as a potential education and conference destination, and operating a small seafood outlet in Tofiino. Many of these endeavours are unsuccessful. However, Ecotrust strives to apply an adaptive management approach. This involves undertaking risky projects in the spirit of experimentation. Failures are documented (as well as successes) and the resulting lessons are then applied to future projects. This, at least, is how they operate in theory. In practice the feedback loop is not always completed. </span>Even on the Ecotrust website, there is no discussion of the lessons derived from unsuccessful endeavours. I see this as something of a missed opportunity. However, Satnam explained that they are at the mercy of funding agencies' expectations. Granting agencies don't often allocate money to analyze failure. Instead they expect a string of successes, and Ecotrust must comply with this expectation. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQHO7rTNCO1-WiuoS8nGuvsy9dEZbrmpN8I1MHTLKI8h5OPQ8-VRg109UOwTh-27iS7UkXNgI8-CWJ7aN7cwgDtRWdJy4DiwzNpEz2FZHngY5AQVQpyP3UM8ghBefmgFbSKkP0TCk8mst/s1600/how-thisfish-works.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQHO7rTNCO1-WiuoS8nGuvsy9dEZbrmpN8I1MHTLKI8h5OPQ8-VRg109UOwTh-27iS7UkXNgI8-CWJ7aN7cwgDtRWdJy4DiwzNpEz2FZHngY5AQVQpyP3UM8ghBefmgFbSKkP0TCk8mst/s400/how-thisfish-works.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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One of the more interesting Ecotrust projects is their campaign to <a href="http://ecotrust.ca/fisheries/accessing-federal-fisheries-data">release information</a> from Department of Fisheries and Oceans about catch rates of wild fish. Ecotrust argues that it is in the public interest to know whom is harvesting this public resource and to what degree. DFO uses this information to manage fisheries. But the information is classified on the grounds that it is a trade secret, the disclosure of which would harm fishermen's livelihood.<br />
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If this claim is correct, one can understand DFO's position. By disclosing information they would lose the trust and therefore the cooperation of fishermen. This in turn would undermine their ability to manage this resource.<br />
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On the other hand, DFO does not exactly have a strong track record when it comes to fisheries management (I am thinking of the East coast cod fishery). One hopes that the lesson has been learned, and that DFO adheres to conservative management practices. Yet skepticism is understandable.<br />
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Ecotrust argues that on legal grounds this information cannot be withheld. According to the Access to Information Act, the disclosure of personal or sensitive information is is required, "if that disclosure would be in the public interest as it relates to public health, public safety, or protection of the environment and if the public disclosure clearly outweighs the importance of any financial loss or gain" (see previous link for sources). So legally the issue is whether the release of this information is in the interest or public or environmental health. I can see a potential case for the latter. However, this assumes that DFO is not adequately managing this resource, or, that they need to be externally monitored. It also find it interesting that the Act, as it is stated here, includes no provision for the future access to information. As I suggested, publicizing fishermen's catch rates might lead them to withhold or modify this information.<br />
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</span></div>Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-51969359727039354722011-09-15T15:01:00.000-07:002011-10-03T21:48:28.332-07:00Clayoquot Biosphere Trust (CBT)The <a href="http://clayoquotbiosphere.org/web/">CBT</a> was founded in 2000 in conjunction with Clayoquot Sound's designation as a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Its mandate is to encourage sustainable interaction with the environment (there's the S-word again). Our group met with Rebecca Hurwitz, managing director of the CBT to discuss how this goal is achieved. I might add that Rebecca was extremely helpful as a local facilitator for this field course - just one example of their activities).<br />
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I have been attempting to place this organization into the grand scheme of things, as far as local sustainability and development issues are concerned. What sort of organization is the CBT and what is its vision for the future?<br />
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The CBT is not an environmental organization in the sense of advocating for a particular political agenda. This organization also differs in its activities from the various government agencies influencing this region. The difficulty in characterizing these kinds of institutions is perhaps why they are often labelled simply as NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations), which doesn't exactly clarify what they do.<br />
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Rebecca identified three general objectives of the CBT: to promote research, education and training within the biosphere reserve. On the research front, this organization has funded numerous investigations into the social and ecological state of Clayoquot Sound and its inhabitants. They also maintain a library of archives and two research cabins (my impression however is that these are somewhat underutilized). It would be interesting to ask how (or perhaps whether) these research activities promote local sustainable development, as per the CBT mandate. Specifically, is the research conducted in Clayoquot Sound used to direct local policy? I raise this issue because there is often a disconnect between research and its application. Generally speaking, scientific findings often sit dormant after they have been collected. As a society we have come to accept this state of affairs, with academic and political worlds operating largely independent of one another.<br />
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To its credit however, the CBT is taking steps to <a href="http://clayoquotbiosphere.org/web/what-we-do/measure-community-health/">monitor community health</a>. To this end, a range of health indicators as well measures for tracking them. Some of these are quite interesting (see below) in that they seem to address locally identified concerns. In terms of aligning research and policy, this project goes part of the way in bridging this gulf by identifying areas of research likely to have local significance.<br />
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<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Indicator</strong></td><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Measure</strong></td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Nuu-chah-nulth Language</strong></td><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Learning opportunities in each community</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Resource Harvesting Activity</strong></td><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Amount of forest harvested, Amount of fish caught</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Negative human-wildlife interactions</strong></td><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Number of bears killed, Number of negative human-wildlife interactions</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Species at Risk</strong></td><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Number of species at risk in our region</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Climate Change</strong></td><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Date of first salmonberry blossom</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Marine Health</strong></td><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Eelgrass mapping</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Water Quality</strong></td><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Upstream and downstream of each community</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Salmon</span></strong></td><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Wild salmon returns at a representative sample of local rivers</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Waste</span></strong></td><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Solid waste generated per community</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Gender Equity</span></strong></td><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Number of women in leadership roles (band and district councils)</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Early Childhood Education</strong></td><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Availability of preschool in each community</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Education</span></strong></td><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Completion rates for Grade 12 including Adult Basic Education</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Youth</span></strong></td><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Availability of after school programs and youth workers in each community</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">End of Life</span></strong></td><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">How are people dying and at what age</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Nutrition</span></strong></td><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Access to fresh fruit and vegetables in each community</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Cost of living</span></strong></td><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Cost of 2L of milk in each community</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Local services</span></strong></td><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Services lost and gained in our region</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Housing</span></strong></td><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Waiting lists for affordable housing, Average income vs. average housing cost</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Transportation</span></strong></td><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">What transportation is available within the region</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Unemployment</span></strong></td><td style="padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Rates in each community (including seasonal)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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At the same time, this strikes me as quite an ambitious project. Are individuals really tracking all of these factors on a yearly basis? Who is responsible for processing and summarizing all of these data? I can imagine that it would take a team of researchers to undertake this project. I hope that this is indeed happening. I also look forward to seeing how these findings are employed to guide policy decisions. For example, what happens if some of these indicators suggest a decline in certain aspects of community health? Will such findings be taken seriously at the political level? If so, perhaps this area could serve as a model for tackling sustainability issues on a broader scale.<br />
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The CBT is also active on the education and training fronts. For example, they provide generous scholarships to entering university students (one awarded to a First Nations recipient and one to non-FN). They are also supporting an initiative to build and manage greenhouses in First Nations communities in an effort to promote community health. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYaEhJeyyzaG9EdfH4a69ZJ4oe3vCVPwgFeaTqP9WK44A2-YOS_Xb9QAg5ItPJp5C_SlN2cTKbnlygNzoZCeUBYAhyphenhyphenOubN7XceSYv54qIplk3LuKvACivlve9iu_AJLxpFq-RpPIvVkEm6/s1600/scholarship.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYaEhJeyyzaG9EdfH4a69ZJ4oe3vCVPwgFeaTqP9WK44A2-YOS_Xb9QAg5ItPJp5C_SlN2cTKbnlygNzoZCeUBYAhyphenhyphenOubN7XceSYv54qIplk3LuKvACivlve9iu_AJLxpFq-RpPIvVkEm6/s320/scholarship.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span id="storyphotocaption">Rebecca Hurwitz, posing with Brittany Morgan (centre), recipient of the Nuu-chah-nulth Student scholarship, and her mother Anne Mack. </span><span id="storyphotocredit">Photograph by : Photo from <a href="http://www2.canada.com/westerly/story.html?id=dc447aac-ed3d-420c-9dc9-239d979dedf5">Westerly News</a>. </span></span><br />
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It was an interesting lesson for students to learn about the CBT and its activities. In one respect it made them question whether there are similar organizations in their own communities and what exactly are THEY doing? In addition, I see this organization as expanding the realm of career possibilities for students, who might currently see their options as limited to governmental research agencies. One thing is for sure, organizations like the CBT will need a continued supply of bright and forward looking thinkers. The level of engagement with local communities is also something I can imagine many would find rewarding.Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-9139329457747237152011-09-14T12:33:00.000-07:002011-10-03T21:47:09.566-07:00Climate change talk at the botanical gardens<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On August 31st I gave a small public talk at the Tofino Botanical Gardens. The announcement was circulated on a local newsgroup and looked something like this:</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">"Climate change has not been proven therefore it should not be believed." </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">How public misconceptions about science harm the debate about climate change.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Wednesday, August 31<sup>st</sup>, 201 7:30 – 9:00 pm</span></div><div align="center" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Darwin</span>’s Café, Tofino Botanical Gardens</div><div align="center" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">Presentation & discussion, “café style.”</span></div><div align="center" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"> </span><em><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></em></div><div align="center" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">No charge; refreshments available.</span></em></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Scientists (scientific “producers”) and the public (scientific “consumers”) each face a distinctive problem. Producers face the problem of how to know when their theories and experiments are tracking the truth. Consumers face the problem of deciding which scientific “expert” to trust on matters impacting public policy. The standard solution to the producer problem is the (so called) scientific method. The standard solution to the consumer problem is to base policy decisions on scientific consensus (as much as possible). Dr. Stefan Linquist argues that both the scientific method and the consensus-rule are flawed, and that these misconceptions about science have negative implications for public debates over climate change. (e.g. that it has not been proven and therefore should not be believed). Join us for a short presentation followed by a discussion of these ideas.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks to the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust for co-hosting this event, and also for providing support for our group. Here is the CBT blog link to their site. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://clayoquotbiosphere.org/web/uncategorized/685/ </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Approximately 35 people attended the discussion. The audience members consisted of several locals and some visiting university students. For me, the discussion was very fun and rewarding. My aim was to identify some standard misconceptions about the nature of science that can have (in my opinion) a damaging influence on public discussions about climate change. One of these misconceptions is the emphasis on scientific consensus as the deciding factor when debating anthropogenic climate change. It is not the business of science to generate consensus, I argue, and one ought to expect continued scientific disagreement over climate change issues.The history of science tells us that opposition to the status quo occasionally moves science forward. Scientific progress requires questioning of even our most cherished beliefs.</span>.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Climate scientists should therefore be cautious not to accept without challenge received wisdom about climate change. My concern is that some scientists are motivated into passive acceptance, for fear that their opposition will be publicly misinterpreted. Ironically, that would be damaging to climate science itself. So hopefully the scientific debate will continue. However, (and this is the second part of the message) do not therefore remain complacent about the importance of this issue. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The second part of my talk emphasized a risk management approach to climate change policy. I like to break this topic down into three different levels or sub-problems. Level 1 concerns the rate and magnitude at which average global temperature is likely to be increasing. I use the word "likely" here for a reason. It is doubtful that science will ever know for sure the rate and magnitude of temperature increase to be expected over the next century. But it is possible to agree on certain probabilities. For example, it is probable (according to what I have read) that a two degree C increase over pre industrial levels is likely over the next fifty years, assuming current rates of emission. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once these probabilities have been identified, one can then begin to ask Level 2 questions. These are questions about the secondary effects of a given rate and magnitude of temperature increase. For example, how will a two degree increase over 50 years impact the food and water supply, species diversity, and desertification? Such issues are more difficult to predict, since they must take into account a wider range of factors than Level 1 questions. Nonetheless, it remains possible to assign probabilities (if not certainty) to certain projections. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is these Level 2 probabilities that should be carried forward to the Level 3 discussion. At this level one explores the political and social strategies for managing and mitigating the rate of climate change and/or its social, biological and economic impacts. It is simply not clear that a drastic reduction of CO2 emission is the best, let alone the only course of action. Other options include capture and storage, or perhaps compensation to regions most drastically effected. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That about sums up the message of my talk, which was geared towards finding a more rational approach to public discussions on this topic. Interestingly, one of the main topics of discussion concerned a challenge to the very importance of rationality, at least as far as this issue is concerned. Several participants argued that people are generally not listening to reason over this issue, suggesting that my attempt to clarify the debate is perhaps quixotic.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although I did my best to defend the use of reason in the arena of environmental decision making, I do see this as a very important challenge to my view. It is important to know how easily reason is trumped by other psychological factors like fear and greed. I simply do not know. However, I do not think that this issue is well served if participants in the public debate pander to these emotional elements. That, to me, is not a model for public decision making. So, perhaps the role of reason in influencing behaviour is limited, but I see it as the only available option, at least in a democratic society like ours. </span>Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-27515505060467527652011-09-10T20:17:00.000-07:002011-10-03T21:57:05.750-07:00Josie Osborne: Personal relationships in environmental decision making.To cap off what already felt like a full day, we spent Monday afternoon in a second meeting with Josie Osborne at the Tofino Botanical Gardens. Now this is what I call a nice learning environment. Josie explained the importance of developing personal relationships as a way of establishing trust among opposing stakeholders. While this might be true, I see personal relationships as a double-edged sword in small communities like this one.<br />
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Josie spoke candidly about her time working as a liaison with between the provincial government, the fish farm industry and the Ahousat First Nation. During these discussions, she explained, scientific findings held little sway. Even concerning questions about the ecological impacts of fish farms, some stakeholders rejected scientific findings as a legitimate form of evidence. My sense is that the disagreement occurred at a very fundamental level. In order to be considered an authority on environmental matters, some claim, an individual must be intimately familiar with an area. However, first hand familiarity is not a received scientific norm. If anything, it is considered a source of bias. Likewise, the scientific norms of random sampling and statistical analysis were not recognized by all concerned parties. To some, scientific methods are no substitute for the opinion of respected community member. When two approaches disagree not only about what the experts say about some matter, but even about what counts as legitimate expertise, it is difficult to move a discussion forward.<br />
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Josie explained how the opposition between stakeholders was eventually bridged through the formation of personal relationships. For example, riding in a boat together and talking about one's kids. Getting to know each other on a human level, she argued, was far more important than any kind of scientific evidence when it came to questions about whether fish farms should be allowed in Ahousat territory.<br />
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The philosopher in me struggles with this observation. It is not simply the absence of reason in the decision making process that bothers me (though it does for sure). I also see personal relationships as a double edged sword. As much as these relationships can be a foundation for trust, I also see their potential to reinforce the status quo. Let me try to explain.<br />
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In coastal towns like Ucluelet and Tofino there remains an old guard who pines for the days of logging and fishing. These extraction industries were a source of pride, income and identity for many people. The rise of environmentalism and the disappearance of these jobs (which are not necessarily connected, I might add) are regarded as a direct threat to these honest and honourable ways of earning a living.<br />
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Now, one might understandably resist this whole world view. The loss of jobs is more a fault of corporate greed, some would argue, than of environmentalism. For many people these extraction industries were unregulated and highly destructive. They are like dinosaurs taking their last gasp, and good riddance to them.<br />
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Getting back to personal relationships. My suggestion is that as much as they act as a bridge for trust, they can also serve to reinforce ideologies like the one just described. In a small community one is forced to interact on a daily basis with people who might hold opposing world views. In Tofino, the environmentalist stands shoulder to shoulder with the fish farmer in line at the local co-op. If personal relationships require civility, as I take it they do, then one's opposition must be tempered. It might be necessary to comply with - rather than challenge- an ideology that seems utterly destructive and outdated, or else face a difficult social dynamic. This is symptomatic of a small town, where interactions with neighbours is frequent. In a big city like Toronto, people can express whatever views they want without the slightest fear of ostracism.<br />
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Ultimately I am not sure where I stand on the question of how personal relationships impact environmental decision making. But this strikes me as an interesting question for further thought.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9BI8jLxVS8grcV0-60gkZU9SaVZQA5UNQE67a9ayV1o6QBYHBq7krLFMZpGdIgRv17NBiNwyE5rDUOOaUJ5dztvFXjtfX01idns48IUFyGPsx6DWHBiAJTsKp2cw4rHINCq3AcoJBRLq/s1600/IMG_1298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9BI8jLxVS8grcV0-60gkZU9SaVZQA5UNQE67a9ayV1o6QBYHBq7krLFMZpGdIgRv17NBiNwyE5rDUOOaUJ5dztvFXjtfX01idns48IUFyGPsx6DWHBiAJTsKp2cw4rHINCq3AcoJBRLq/s320/IMG_1298.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Speaking with George Patterson outside Darwin's Cafe, Tofino Botanical Gardens. </span></div>Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-20178178918523100552011-09-09T13:26:00.000-07:002011-10-03T21:57:31.780-07:00Ucluelet AquariumOne of Ucluelet's many gems (if I may say so) is the small regional aquarium in the centre of town. Granted, as one of the founding directors of the <a href="http://www.uclueletaquarium.org/">Ucluelet Aquarium Society</a>, I am slightly biased. But instead of delivering a sales pitch (of course everyone should go there!!), let me describe how this institution fits into the themes of our course.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQXb18DDdgIne-_OVV0rJgjTHn9Z1QfRUvWTaaI7RfmDF5Bxjohlx4xef7XcZE1qoYpO_-R1jPpaQy0MtoXi_xdYWUs9LXO_g8nAC5-WUDrDFWj4ko-NhZu4B0rvGS0wmVhLigunNNV8J/s1600/IMG_4171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQXb18DDdgIne-_OVV0rJgjTHn9Z1QfRUvWTaaI7RfmDF5Bxjohlx4xef7XcZE1qoYpO_-R1jPpaQy0MtoXi_xdYWUs9LXO_g8nAC5-WUDrDFWj4ko-NhZu4B0rvGS0wmVhLigunNNV8J/s320/IMG_4171.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Here is Laura Griffith-Cochrane doing a predator demonstration for our course. The Sunflower Sea Star (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><i>Pycnopodia helianthoides) </i></span>in front of her is one of the more formidable predators on this coast. Many invertebrates, such as the cockles Laura is holding here, have evolved specialized adaptations for sensing and avoiding these predators. </span><br />
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This humble aquarium was founded on grand ideas. Several features distinguish it, as far as I know, from any other aquarium in the world. Our hope is to provide an alternative model for institutions of its kind.<br />
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One distinguishing feature of the Ucluelet Aquarium is that all display specimens are collected from local waters. Most visitors to this region, and even some locals, are surprised at the amount of colour and diversity in these waters. Personally, I would like to see more regional aquariums like this one. This model of a regional aquarium, highlighting local diversity of each particular region, is superior to the current model of the industrial aquarium, where one sees the same collection of tropical fish. Not to mention, more sustainable.<br />
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A second distinguishing feature is the visitor interaction with staff. This openness is built into the aquarium's design. All of the piping and hardware is exposed to public view, eliminating the distance between staff and visitors. This layout helps to relax visitors and invite their curiosity -more like a marine lab than a museum. Combined with the many touch pools, this is a great environment in which to roll up one's sleeves and explore.<br />
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A third noteworthy feature of this regional aquarium is its low ecological impact. All of the creatures on display are released back into the wild at season's end. Compare this to the biological impact of a large industrial aquarium that sources most of its species from coral reefs in developing countries. Further to this theme, the Ukee Aquarium is a flow through system. That means that water is drawn directly from the ocean outside the building, flows through the tanks, and then immediately back to onto shore where it enriches the intertidal environment. Water is untreated and unfiltered. This system allows for the display of certain species that rely on microscopic plankton which are almost impossible to artificially provision.<br />
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Another benefit of the flow-through system is its direct connection to the sea. New residents are continually colonizing the tanks, making for a highly dynamic set of displays that reflect seasonal changes in the marine environment.<br />
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</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Here is a keyhole limpet (approximately 5 cm across), throwing up its defence against the painted sea star (Orthasterias koehleri): a curtain of slimy flesh, resistant to the star's clinging tube feet</span>.<br />
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To me, the Ucluelet Aquarium is not only more exciting than its larger, industrial cousins. It is also more sustainable. This institution also provides a form of economic stimulus to the community that is grounded in science education. As such, it serves as high quality venue for local school groups to learn about, and take pride in the unique features of their environment.<br />
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After running a pilot project for the past five years, the Ucluelet Aquarium Society has recently obtained funding for a larger building that will sit permanently on the waterfront. Here is a picture of its current state of construction.<br />
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</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">View from The Junction, where one is presented with the choice between "heaven" and "hell". </span></div><br />
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There is a special place in my heart for Ukee. For the past decade I have been involved in the creation of a small public aquarium out here - more on that in a moment. One of my favourite spots to revisit every year are the tidepools outside Ucleulet. Fortunately for us, our visit coincided with a fairly low tide and very calm seas. Perfect conditions for tidepooling.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The ochre sea star (Pisaster ochraceous) is perhaps THE iconic keystone species. Here we see a cluster of ochre stars foraging on the abundant mussels, limpets and barnacles that cover these intertidal rocks. This foraging activity keeps mussel populations in check, providing niche-space for other species that would otherwise be crowded out. Ochre foraging also loosens mussels from the substrate, which fall into the awaiting mouths of hungry sea anemones.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-hGRdV4fmuruHA44fVbA2_mYgftFxIkP8hkGBT4kmjnBWMMM48sKV3bevDmr2cwWfSPJDmypL4u7jLrZryErjyoHPaF3e3g062nUO8KEkfakchESiFX70xe50frKuxh8o4MQx_geWmML/s1600/IMG_0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-hGRdV4fmuruHA44fVbA2_mYgftFxIkP8hkGBT4kmjnBWMMM48sKV3bevDmr2cwWfSPJDmypL4u7jLrZryErjyoHPaF3e3g062nUO8KEkfakchESiFX70xe50frKuxh8o4MQx_geWmML/s320/IMG_0201.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Below is a fairly typical tide pool for this region, with a diversity of invertebrates covering almost every square inch of real estate. The cold water in this region is high in O2, providing a haven for plankton growth and a bounty for filter feeders. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Y5UQ41ETWzO5CAceKiXZlNuOZZPn-a4SM_t0A0vhwOwWt-TIj1jCcH-6pudh5mLzoqmP1v_SYxXE5k8ZcUVOpdKRHM9cquEUFZQfELtpBGiCCSJu7hOXnyGW1oQu7DbIa7ZDn_uw89Hx/s1600/IMG_0207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Y5UQ41ETWzO5CAceKiXZlNuOZZPn-a4SM_t0A0vhwOwWt-TIj1jCcH-6pudh5mLzoqmP1v_SYxXE5k8ZcUVOpdKRHM9cquEUFZQfELtpBGiCCSJu7hOXnyGW1oQu7DbIa7ZDn_uw89Hx/s320/IMG_0207.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Our Group spent about three hours admiring the richness and diversity of these tide pools.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> I wonder how many visitors to the coast stop and appreciate them.</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbRg3CCZpTyuWDp5doOe65sfRSidQfJ2nICqkH1un6jZ9WKJe4ZytOjDtXr6CwRm1pGMidrIaDjUPn0IazmVV1wl8t8TSDOYMh-BBCOtjdMU5fTIBi7_xdIvTZG1xix7taLmWks8Khp02/s1600/IMG_1333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbRg3CCZpTyuWDp5doOe65sfRSidQfJ2nICqkH1un6jZ9WKJe4ZytOjDtXr6CwRm1pGMidrIaDjUPn0IazmVV1wl8t8TSDOYMh-BBCOtjdMU5fTIBi7_xdIvTZG1xix7taLmWks8Khp02/s320/IMG_1333.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Here I am, rambling-on about the inter-tidal ecosystem. </span></div><br />
A recent addition to Ucluelet is the Wild Pacific Trail that hugs the coastline for several kilometres. Most of this trail is pristine wilderness. But there is a section close to town that I can only describe as surreal. Emerging from the forest that borders the coastline, we found ourselves smack-dab in the middle of a hauntingly empty suburb. These lots were cleared in the mid 2000's, at the peak of the real estate boom. There are shiny new street lamps, landscaped side-walks, fire hydrants, electrical and plumbing facilities, even cross walks; but no houses. This project was undertaken in an effort to bring development and economic growth to the community. I guess the idea was, "build it and they will come". But to me, the whole idea seems incredibly ill conceived. Who is supposed to move here? What were all of these new residents supposed to do for jobs? I am reminded of the images I have seen of <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/18/world/europe/18spain.html">ghost towns in Spain</a>, also built during the real estate boom that preceded the financial meltdown of 2008.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZF4CBA6zPouJZzOPjMygRHVohVfpd5lXxTeSu_1v8wPvqQqkKar92FL4Sh7TAKZP7FVMUm5LPPhDDAVb-1ocPI8FJgboIotV2zsiTd1ngdjVqq3F6Bw2cskPBT9fEuKrpni5nQNwka21/s1600/IMG_4149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZF4CBA6zPouJZzOPjMygRHVohVfpd5lXxTeSu_1v8wPvqQqkKar92FL4Sh7TAKZP7FVMUm5LPPhDDAVb-1ocPI8FJgboIotV2zsiTd1ngdjVqq3F6Bw2cskPBT9fEuKrpni5nQNwka21/s320/IMG_4149.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__hJn8nFOxiINGgPSSc-hz2Yq18vp8Ze4vG-ePEY4SRRVWb02xCKbCozaSbmhB5euqAPKX9E2iYgn3CzinNPpIZEX_fdyYgvWYfsVh_yButrSAyJ6e77YjdBTZQpaUXGbuscVb2Rkyqr3/s1600/IMG_4150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__hJn8nFOxiINGgPSSc-hz2Yq18vp8Ze4vG-ePEY4SRRVWb02xCKbCozaSbmhB5euqAPKX9E2iYgn3CzinNPpIZEX_fdyYgvWYfsVh_yButrSAyJ6e77YjdBTZQpaUXGbuscVb2Rkyqr3/s320/IMG_4150.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>In what some might regard as no small irony, the district of Ucluelet won a Provincial award for these developments in 2008. You can read all about their <a href="http://toolkit.bc.ca/success-story/ucluelet-s-approach-sustainable-development-planning">town "sustainability" plan</a>, and about the <a href="http://www.oceanwest.com/pages/press/awards/">Community Excellence award</a>.Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-14691670492635172552011-09-07T22:32:00.000-07:002011-10-03T21:23:33.892-07:00Hooksum (Part 4) Economic developmentI don't want to give the impression that our entire visit to Hooksum was consumed only with philosophical discussion. There were some excursions. We kayaked to Cougar Annie's Garden. We hiked to a waterfall. And hung out on the beach, taking it all in.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjingAddyfRhe4UqrIUdAw6duindSTj2LrpGmJunJrP1AJm9hvrmmlRIv_jHg-afVuL7z7KAAMYNa77vijAof_bcreJwHjrAZSvTEpY8VEZbAb8EBSYUa6uhp_FKonGJ6UDCoShvibh7cx2/s1600/IMG_4000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjingAddyfRhe4UqrIUdAw6duindSTj2LrpGmJunJrP1AJm9hvrmmlRIv_jHg-afVuL7z7KAAMYNa77vijAof_bcreJwHjrAZSvTEpY8VEZbAb8EBSYUa6uhp_FKonGJ6UDCoShvibh7cx2/s320/IMG_4000.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Britt and Curt kayaking.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">In the evening our group sat around the camp fire, admired the magnificent night sky, and resumed our discussion with Stehphen and Karen. A topic to which the conversation often returned is the meaning of economic development. The promise of economic development is often presented by government and industry as a silver bullet for solving the many social problems confronting First Nations people. Economic development brings jobs and money to these communities. It is in the name of economic development that logging, commercial fishing and aquaculture are introduced to this region. Given the extent of the social problems on some reservations, the development of these industries is generally seen as the only way to move forward. </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><a name='more'></a><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Stephen called this approach into question. His main argument against economic development was not the impact it can have on the environment, although this was perhaps implicit in the discussion. Instead he saw economic development as adding fuel to the fire, supplying young people with sudden wealth, and providing the means to self destruction. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I put it to Stephen that economic development provides First Nations people with more than just cash, it also provides an occupation. It provides a sense of purpose. My long standing assumption has been that unemployment and the absence of opportunity is a primary reason why people, both on reservations and more generally, sometimes resort to drugs, alcohol, or even suicide. Stephen argued that there is another way of looking at this picture. What needs to be in place prior to economic development is a reconnection with traditional values. He does not see economic development as inherently bad. The problem is that it alone is an inadequate solution. One of the projects that Karen and Stephen undertake at Hooksum is an attempt to instil the necessary values in First Nations youth, to prepare them for the future. Stephen mentioned that many late nights were spent among the elders of his community, discussing what those lessons should be.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The conversation moved quickly and I am unable to recall all of the details. But one of the lessons that remains with me concerns the idea of how to treat people when doing business. In Western society we have a saying, "It's just business". This saying is used to justify all sorts of behaviours that are offensive and sometimes harmful. It is as if there were two distinct categories of human relation: business and civility. One of the lessons that Stephen and Karen emphasize is that this distinction is artificial. "We need a better way of doing business, of treating each other with respect". </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Views from inside the long house building where our group stayed the night. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In designing this field course I felt it important to provide students with an exposure to First Nations' perspectives on environmental and social issues. Failing to do so would have neglected a very important dimension of the course. But one cannot simply approach one of these communities demanding answers to sensitive questions about how its members view themselves in the modern world. Without the generosity of Karen and Stephen, who invited us into their home and shared with us their insights, we would have missed out on a perspective that has enriched our lives. We are extremely grateful for their candor, their warmth and their generosity. I only hope that this humble blog reflects a fraction of what we took away from the experience, and does no injustice to the insights that were shared. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</span></div>Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-82302514952279329612011-09-06T19:59:00.000-07:002011-10-03T21:54:33.799-07:00Hooksum (Part 3): A place-based ethic<div class="MsoNormal">In the writings of some environmental philosophers one occasionally encounters the idea of a place-based ethic. My understanding of this idea is that it identifies as valuable the particular region as such. Two places might be identical in the species of plants and animals that they contain, in their ecological structure, and even perhaps in their beauty. For some, those regions would be of equivalent value. But from a place-based perspective, certain regions possess a value that is necessarily unique to it and which exists in addition to these general features. In Western culture we are somewhat familiar with this concept. Certain locations, such as the site of a historic battle, a famous cathedral, or the home of a famous scientist or artist are valued as what we might call sacred ground. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5wiPtQu7L_ju-Jj8hy86lT5ju-UjrIC-i7_Ajh4nvW_OJexPxVAaK1FDbPxARXn3t3cMElMlg7Wf5g_FByiaGBapbWmMCA6jU0pPWaOKcduUMN1xuVdJSig5LULpxNs_VkteHX4-5wce/s1600/IMG_3991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5wiPtQu7L_ju-Jj8hy86lT5ju-UjrIC-i7_Ajh4nvW_OJexPxVAaK1FDbPxARXn3t3cMElMlg7Wf5g_FByiaGBapbWmMCA6jU0pPWaOKcduUMN1xuVdJSig5LULpxNs_VkteHX4-5wce/s320/IMG_3991.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Here Stephen Charleson is reconstructing the system of fish traps that fed his ancestors. Unfortunately, the details about how this system functioned are lost to history.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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This idea of a place-based ethic came to mind several times in conversation with Stephen and Karen. I was impressed by the extent to which their very identities are rooted here in Hesquiaht harbour. The name of the Hesquiaht Nation derives from a particular method of harvesting herring roe for which this region became renowned well before European contact. Likewise, the name of beach on which we met translates, according to Stephen, as the place of many traps. This name refers to a network of fishing traps that were used to harvest the salmon that spawned in the stream behind their home. The traps were destroyed in the late 1800s, along with various other aspects of Nuu Chahl Nuth oral and physical culture. But the remnants of this system are still present and have been the subject of archaeological investigation.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwYC-CeVZ3oX1h1Lq-zN7RhVBbW5Bc4-bFD68RmbX__CUh1GwKGJ12e7zL1_Fjvb9IQP06YN1NqREi7RpHFsG3-YIlt7jWks7BQ761HTYZo_KTNg3tsmBdllZMQO51u7NJZHAe_A_-gBBn/s1600/IMG_3990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwYC-CeVZ3oX1h1Lq-zN7RhVBbW5Bc4-bFD68RmbX__CUh1GwKGJ12e7zL1_Fjvb9IQP06YN1NqREi7RpHFsG3-YIlt7jWks7BQ761HTYZo_KTNg3tsmBdllZMQO51u7NJZHAe_A_-gBBn/s320/IMG_3990.JPG" width="179" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">More evidence of the Place of Many Traps. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Getting back to the concept of place. In Nuu-Chah-Nuth culture, to introduce oneself as the member of a particular Nation is to convey distinctive features of one’s home territory. Stephen was keenly aware of the boundaries of his ancestral territory. He was able to point out exactly, from the pile of stones at one end of the harbour to a stretch of beach in the distance, was the area to which his people belong. All of the harvesting and hunting required to sustain his ancestors were supplied from within the boundaries of this region. It was not permissible for outsiders to harvest from this territory without permission. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It is tempting to compare this relationship to a particular territory as akin to the relationship I have with my surroundings in the city. Like Stephen, I cherish particular locations in my neighbourhood. For example I enjoy proximity to interesting stores and restaurants. I am happy to live close to a good park and I look forward to observing how it changes over the seasons. But in my case there is no longstanding cultural connection to these features of the landscape. It doesn’t matter to me if my neighbours landscape their gardens or modify their homes – so long as it looks okay. Such features of my immediate landscape have no bearing on my personal identity. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In the Nuu-chahl-nuth case, particular features of the landscape are intertwined with their oral and physical culture. For example, one can look at a large cedar tree and see where strips of bark were removed when the tree was half its size. One thereby knows that this particular amenity –this tree- was valued by ancestors who relied on it over hundreds of years. Stephen did not refrain from describing just how painful it is for him to see such objects destroyed. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wF_AJnyLBAqMgUieYL4h2Baos9i6MQBpPQ6jLz0BZzy5QS2WZqoie8IcKXVd8mKYDgdg_ILkLe9JK0E_AdE1QInJyqUFRKxXww6hLzyE1OKsVku91ALL4SqnHBxNdxznQv4VJMRGpjqY/s1600/IMG_0377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wF_AJnyLBAqMgUieYL4h2Baos9i6MQBpPQ6jLz0BZzy5QS2WZqoie8IcKXVd8mKYDgdg_ILkLe9JK0E_AdE1QInJyqUFRKxXww6hLzyE1OKsVku91ALL4SqnHBxNdxznQv4VJMRGpjqY/s320/IMG_0377.JPG" width="179" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Here is an example of a culturally modified cedar tree (on Meares Island). The tree is approximately 600 years old. The fluted pattern around the tree is created from the removal of sections of bark. The size of each rounded section depicts the size of the tree when a given section was removed. Hence this particular tree has been in use for several hundred years. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It became clear during this conversation that Stephen views us Westerners as belonging to a transient culture, or, as lacking grounding in a particular place. Understandably, on his view, it is the practice of our culture to visit other places and claim them as our own. I have to say that this topic made me slightly uneasy, even ashamed. After all we were sitting directly beneath a mountainside that had been stripped bare of trees, and alongside a beach that now produces a fraction of the shellfish that it once bore. I took Stephen to be suggesting that such devastation could only be committed by people lacking a place-based ethic. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Ultimately, I find myself disagreeing with Stephen that a place-based ethic is necessary to motivate a sense of stewardship for a region. That is, I think it possible for people to make sacrifices and live moderately even without a personal and cultural connection to the place supplying their needs and wants. But I found this point impossible to adequately express. How is it that people like us, coming from a remote region, sometimes regard it as a duty to protect a place like this, even without such strong personal or cultural connections? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-2498722935115384692011-09-03T22:20:00.000-07:002011-10-03T21:39:36.266-07:00Hooksum (Part 2): The sustainability concept<div class="MsoNormal">Over the course of our conversations, Stephen Charleson often referred back to the concept of sustainability. As he proceeded to describe his involvement in a series of sustainability planning meetings for Clayoquot Sound, it became apparent how this term acquired a hollow meeting for the First Nations participants. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaLyFW1Iczbya1w1qkBP6REC9Ubl_wKBVYGXQOCTufLU40ecHB7aUTReqw3v_s1SgmUP91ZshDWKwtvoCPv6I-OIVlZTFmRbK3e8HJXcVAHVrpMewUlXUbeO8QwBAphJI99fNUAUjSYYB-/s1600/IMG_3947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaLyFW1Iczbya1w1qkBP6REC9Ubl_wKBVYGXQOCTufLU40ecHB7aUTReqw3v_s1SgmUP91ZshDWKwtvoCPv6I-OIVlZTFmRbK3e8HJXcVAHVrpMewUlXUbeO8QwBAphJI99fNUAUjSYYB-/s400/IMG_3947.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> Here is a picture of our group around the table at Hooksum, just up from the beach, talking philosophy with Stephen Charleson. The hillsides, devastated by clearcut logging, provided a sobering backdrop for our discussion.</span><br />
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The conversation with Stephen Charleson began with a discussion of the concept of sustainability. He recounted his involvement in a sustainability council in the early 1990s that was organized by the Provincial Government. The objective was to develop a sustainability plan for Clayoquot. Stakeholders from various industries (fish farms, forestry industry, tourism groups), the districts of Tofino and Uclulelet, as well as all all five First Nations sent representatives to the table. However, according to Stephen, The First Nations groups were given little say in the plan being developed. Meetings occurred on several occasions (I get the impression that they were monthly) over what I gather was a year or two. Stehphen’s impression during this time was that each of the industry groups were jockeying to to parcel up as much of the region for their respective interests. He also mentioned that no one seemed to be paying attention to the overall implications of their activities on the region. These shortcomings seemed contrary to the objective of the sustainability council. Even worse, First Nations representatives were rarely invited to participate in the conversation. Yet, when agreements would be reached, their presence at the table was regarded as tacit consent. So the First Natoions stopped attending. In November 1993 they bypassed the sustainability council, and travelled independently to Victoria and negotiated with the Provincial government for forty days to arrive at a plan for the region. This is perceived by Stephen and the other First Nations as an important political victory.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Something that became apparent to me over the course of this conversation is that the concept of sustainability consists of at least three dimensions. The first dimension is temporal: over what time period is a given practice being evaluated? Stephen mentioned that the sustainability council aimed for a five year plan. But from his cultural perspective, as a people whom have occupied the region for thousands of years, this time period is laughable. A five year plan is not a plan for sustainability. Instead, his group came up with a two thousand year time line. They based this idea on the model of the life cycle of a Cedar tree. Cedars are an immensely culturally important species for the people on this coast, who use for everything from housing to canoes to clothing. The cedar is regarded here as the tree of life. A cedar grows for a thousand years, is blown over by wind, and then serves as a nursery log for other species for another thousand years. Drawing on this iconic species is how Stephen's group arrived at their time line for sustainability.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The second dimension of the sustainability concept is spatial. This has been a recurring issue in our conversations with various stakeholders out here on the coast. Even if one develops a sustainability plan for Clayoquot Sound, this region is embedded within a global economy. Indeed, the vast majority of resources extracted from this region are exported abroad. The global demand for wood and fish is a threat to local sustainability. Hence, Stephen's group proposed that for the next 100 years Clayouquot sound should not "feed the world". By this, he meant that there should be a moratorium against international exports for a sufficient period of time to allow the forests and the fisheries to begin to heal. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">A third dimension of sustainability is the dimension or domain of interest. That is, the resource or product (both of those words are problematic) being assessed for sustainable management. For example, sustainable forestry is one dimension that is sometimes evaluated independently of sustainable fishing. A point that Stephen emphasized is that discussions about sustainability often consider a limited number of dimensions, focusing only on those with economic value. He was highly critical of this perspective. Within his culture there is a value assigned to all sorts of organisms that have no economic value and it troubled him that these were being left out of the political discussion. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Given that this concept consists of these three dimensions, one can understand why it takes on so many different meanings. People sometimes operate with very different ideas of the spatial,, temporal dimensions of sustainability, or, they occasionally limit to the discussion to certain domains. Unless these differences are made explicit there is a danger for people to talk past one another. We attempted to carry this insight forward during subsequent conversations. Whenever the discussion would turn to sustainability, we attempted to determine how each of these three dimensions were being understood. </div><div class="MsoNormal"></div>Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-77895378986735110412011-09-02T20:50:00.000-07:002011-10-03T21:11:55.249-07:00Hooksum Outdoor School (Part I)In organizing this field course I was concerned that students encounter First Nations' perspectives on sustainability issues. Prior to European contact the Nuu-Chah-Nulth inhabited Clayoquot sound in the tens of thousands. They lived sustainably in this region for over six thousand years. However, in the last century these communities have been severely reduced, aspects of their culture are lost, and their homeland has been radically transformed. Surely, the remaining members of this culture have acquired views about these changes, and it is these impressions that I hoped we might begin to understand. However, it is not easy for outsiders to gain access to this perspective. For decades, European Canadians representing governments, religious organizations and (more recently) industries have approached indigenous communities with "good intentions". Time and time again, the Nuu-Chah-Nulth have suffered the consequences of these interactions. It is entirely understandable that members of these communities have grown suspicious of outsiders, especially those who show up with lots of questions.<br />
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I am therefore extremely grateful for the generosity of Stephen and Karen Charleson who run the Hooksum Outdoor School in the Hesquiaht territory, at the northern end of Clayoquot Sound. Our discussions over this two day visit have informed by understanding not only of this territory, but of environmental issues more generally. I find it an intimidating prospect to document these insights here: I am unable to do them justice. But I will attempt to convey some of the main themes of our discussions. Perhaps it is best to start with an account of how we travelled to Hesquiaht.<br />
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It is approximately a 60 kilometre water-taxi ride to Hooksum outdoor school. The journey takes about 1.5 hours when the coast isn't blanketed in a thick curtain of fog, as it was this morning. The seas were not overly rough (about 1.5 meters at most). But the limited visibility (less than 5 meters) left several of us feeling uneasy. No one was sea sick. But it was close. The trip took over two hours and there wasn't much conversation.<br />
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Eventually the fog broke and we emerged in Hesquiaht bay. One of the first things that one notices are the scarred hillsides due to recent logging activity. Despite these, the area feels welcoming and naturally abundant. Our boat was received by Stephen Charleson who ferried us to shore by canoe.<br />
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We were welcomed on shore with a generous lunch. Stephen explained how much he appreciated our visit, knowing the distance involved in getting here. He proposed that we sit for a while, relax, and get accustomed to the area. So we spent some time taking in the surroundings. It was not long before the discussion took an interesting direction.Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-27718419227929449792011-08-30T17:46:00.000-07:002011-10-03T22:01:43.377-07:00Tofino Botanical Gardens Natural History Tour<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">On Thursday afternoon, following the meeting with Tim Rundle and a brief lunch, we walked over to the Tofino Botanical Gardens for our meeting with Josie Osborne. Josie is a biologist who has lived in this region for 13 years. She operates the Gardens with her husband George Patterson. In recent years she has worked as a liaison for the provincial government and local First Nations to develop a plan for fish farming. That is a topic to be discussed at a later meeting with Josie. This time, she provided an introduction to local natural history. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_vfGbLLysZATAYEOqr-Ayl-v1jwq6_NxzHn_H7FcCbH-P5hZR86NTnTEoCd-Rfz0_qW-LJNv8Bel6gr_NeMHhQTT9RKmveGrsc0JaQvV2d2p54U6lQBZRCWylBMH8EovIjNQkM13gRUO/s1600/IMG_0457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_vfGbLLysZATAYEOqr-Ayl-v1jwq6_NxzHn_H7FcCbH-P5hZR86NTnTEoCd-Rfz0_qW-LJNv8Bel6gr_NeMHhQTT9RKmveGrsc0JaQvV2d2p54U6lQBZRCWylBMH8EovIjNQkM13gRUO/s320/IMG_0457.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Josie led us down to the mudflats behind the gardens where one has a clear view of the mountains rising behind Clayoquot Sound. In the foreground you see the more rounded mountains that rise close to the coastline. Further away are the snow capped peaks of the mountain range running through the centre of Vancouver Island. Notice the difference in their shape. Nearby mountains look like rounded humps; while the taller ones in the distance are jagged peaks. This is evidence of the last glaciation a blanket of ice scoured the tops off of any peaks under a kilometer in height. When the glaciers retreated about 13,000 years ago this entire region must have been a barren strip of rock. Today, the soil quality remains extremely poor and this is an important factor determining local vegetation. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Here is a picture of Josie describing some geological features of Clayoquot Sound in our impromptu classroom at the edge of the mudflats. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Aside of the lack of soil, two other factors determining local plant diversity are the moderate temperature (rarely dipping below freezing or rising above 20 degrees) and the immense amount of rainfall. Clayoquot Sound is reportedly the rainiest place in continental North America, receiving over 3 meters per year. These factors make for extremely dense forests dominated by three species of tree, abundant ferns and enormous carpets of thick, shaggy moss. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Josie's introduction provided our group with an excellent grounding in some of the basic biological and geological processes shaping this region. Although our discussion focussed primarily on the region's unique natural history, the conversation also touched on how it impacts visitors on an emotional level. Some describe the these rainforests as having a restorative effect. Providing visitors with this emotional connection to nature is one of the primary objectives of the Tofino Botanical Gardens. Undoubtedly, the emotional connection to this place is a large part of the motivation for environmentalists who argue that it should remain in a pristine condition. However, this raises a question of how, exactly, can this area remain preserved while allowing for residents of this region to earn a living and support their families. Perhaps it is an unrealistic expectation that economic development and conservation can coexist in this area. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span></div>Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-90395487539326483242011-08-26T01:00:00.000-07:002011-10-03T21:15:36.537-07:00Creative Salmon<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px;">The controversy over wild vs. farmed salmon is familiar to anyone who has spent time in western Canada. For decades, environmental groups have waged a campaign against farmed fish. Due to these efforts the general public has become highly suspicious of farmed fish. It is generally believed that fish farms are responsible for the release of antibiotics into the ecosystem, the spread of disease to wild stocks, the genetic contamination of local (pacific) salmon, the killing of marine mammals, the destruction of the sea floor, and a variety of other environmental harms. It has reached the point where anyone serving salmon at a dinner party is expected to answer (and justify) whether the fish on the table is wild or farmed.</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.creativesalmon.com/">Creative Salmon</a><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> is a local Tofino-based company that advertises itself as a “sustainable” alternative to wild salmon. Unlike most Canadian fish farms, they raise a species of Pacific salmon. They strive to reduce the ecological impacts of farming in a variety of ways including fewer antibiotics and low densities of animals in their pens. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Today we rose bright and early for our meeting with Tim Rundle, one of the chief operators at Creative Salmon. We spent a few hours discussing with Tim what his company means by “sustainability”, how they strive to achieve it, and how they regard environmental groups who oppose their operation. After the meeting we chartered a water taxi to visit one of their farm sites in Clayoquot sound. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh12EjgM-wUPZBZ4MLwtZHlH8ybnZZayl5cfoE0xJXdZXrYYIZ5IqYjOi0fm7t2Lw134MgYu8dR-0bSKb-L2VBLR99Ubr8WWs9BERUp0xAznGog2xpCBBXB0UYrDj-A5vF0gL-T-7It-ksn/s1600/IMG_0412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh12EjgM-wUPZBZ4MLwtZHlH8ybnZZayl5cfoE0xJXdZXrYYIZ5IqYjOi0fm7t2Lw134MgYu8dR-0bSKb-L2VBLR99Ubr8WWs9BERUp0xAznGog2xpCBBXB0UYrDj-A5vF0gL-T-7It-ksn/s320/IMG_0412.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">None of us have previously visited a fish farm. I don’t think that any of us were familiar with the complexity of the issues, and how they are viewed by someone who has been working for years to battle the public perception of salmon farming. What we expected, I think, was to meet an industry representative bent on putting a positive gloss on company practices while downplaying negative effects. Instead, we encountered an extremely candid, very informed individual who was interested in engaging with any question we threw in his direction. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Tim prepared a very good presentation outlining the steps that his company takes to minimize the ecological impacts of fish farming. A key argument in favour of farming Pacific (Chinook) Salmon is that they are “naturally” resistant to local diseases, in particular to sea lice, compared to Atlantic species. He also claimed that these fish are fed a natural diet sourced from a local company. A key objective of this company has been the acquisition of organic certification. Their impression is that by doing so, they will be able to avoid some of the negative public perceptions associated with fish farming. My sense is that a substantial amount of effort has been invested into obtaining this designation. Currently, Canada lacks regulations outlining what is required for a fish to qualify as organically raised (unlike, say, the beef industry). And Creative Salmon has worked hard, both to establish this legislation and to meet this standard. I can’t help but wonder whether these efforts will pay off. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPb3A7uviLPyaPfCfNPAcwJFnoUvndjSFm9B70VubnGYNwVU-Ti-EehdBZ-DsWww9HZJanw_MiRMn61eZmwkpWn3gZaGpNaZA-BsitWSEDuCNdvtARu0tHlzKKxC3W484sduA8nox3Jwde/s1600/IMG_0444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPb3A7uviLPyaPfCfNPAcwJFnoUvndjSFm9B70VubnGYNwVU-Ti-EehdBZ-DsWww9HZJanw_MiRMn61eZmwkpWn3gZaGpNaZA-BsitWSEDuCNdvtARu0tHlzKKxC3W484sduA8nox3Jwde/s320/IMG_0444.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">This company faces significant economic obstacles in their attempt to become organically certified. The fish they raise grow much more slowly than Atlantic Species. The feed that they use is more specialized than most. All sorts of technologies have been developed to prevent sea lions from entering pens and releasing fish into the wild. In order to make these operations pay off, they need to reach a market willing to pay a premium for this product.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Meanwhile, the environmental campaign against farmed salmon continues. The official policy of local environmental groups is that the only sustainable way to famr salmon requires the use of fully enclosed pens. I do not understand the details, but basically this would require raising fish in large bags rather than in nets, so that no waste is released into the ocean, and all of the water is treated before being released. I am no fish farm expert, but I believe Tim when he says that these measures are economically unfeasible – the use of contained farms is equivalent, he argues, to the end of the fish farming industry on our coast. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">In addition, one needs to consider the ecological implications of contained farming. Fish raised in higher density. The energetic demand of the system. The increased potential for spread of disease. An impression that I came away with, as a result of these discussions, was that environmental groups have focussed somewhat narrowly on a subset of the relevant issues (e.g. the spread of disease to wild stocks), and that this has sidetracked the industry from a broader social and ecological assessment of the issue. That said, we will be meeting with a local environmental group next week and I expect to hear a very different set of arguments. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMF0RbaMDESzHrLf5hwvCaArE2rqxY68J-pISQ7JD9n_tVEwmBPZt1slDGdsvmTB5prH-eO6xoRco50nPFphP0xv2vyDKrIWtzPjPlXd9AnigscnpRJL7Elyd-d-adGhKJ8ez-86U8xhKa/s1600/IMG_0439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMF0RbaMDESzHrLf5hwvCaArE2rqxY68J-pISQ7JD9n_tVEwmBPZt1slDGdsvmTB5prH-eO6xoRco50nPFphP0xv2vyDKrIWtzPjPlXd9AnigscnpRJL7Elyd-d-adGhKJ8ez-86U8xhKa/s320/IMG_0439.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Most of the students were surprised by their visit to the fish farm. What they expected was the ocean equivalent of an industrial chicken or beef farm, with animals tightly packed together. What we saw, however, seemed fairly benign from our perspective. The whole operation is white small. Fish are stocked in low density. Considerable attention is even paid to humane ways of killing fish to reduce the amount of suffering. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
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There is still a lot of information to process after this very insightful visit. However, one of my lasting impressions is that the public is not fully aware of the many recent changes that the fish farming industry has undertaken (undoubtedly at great cost) in recent years. What people who oppose farmed salmon are resisting are a set of practices that are no longer in effect. Interestingly, the fish farming industry seems to have been relatively unsuccessful at communicating these changes to the public, compared to the environmental groups who oppose them. On the other hand, Tim admits that environmentalists have played a key role in motivating these changes. I see an interesting philosophical issue here. Environmental groups, through their anti-fish-farming campaign, have caused this industry to improve its practices. They have done so (arguably) by over-stating the negative ecological impacts of fish farming. Or, at the very least, they have failed to acknowledge improvements that some companies like creative are undertaking. To what extent is it necessary, I wonder, for environmentalists to adopt this approach in order to effect positive change?</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">After our fish farm visit, we grabbed lunch in town and ate in the park overlooking the harbour. Then we visited with Josie Osborne at the Tofino Botanical Gardens for an amazing introduction to the local geography and natural history - but those details with have to wait until my next post. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Tomorrow we are headed to Hesquiat harbour, at the northern end of Clayoquot Sound, to spend the night at Hooksum Outdoor School. Looking forward to it!! </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">-S</span></span>Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-9042027450237229422011-08-24T23:32:00.000-07:002011-10-03T21:58:44.639-07:00Cathedral Grove<div class="MsoNormal">Driving west towards Tofino there is a small section of highway that winds through a patch of old growth forest. The park is aptly named Cathedral Grove. Trees shoot up hundreds of feet from the roadside. They resemble the vaulting arches of a cathedral. Walking through this area one gets a sense of how the Island once looked. The ground is littered with overlapping logs undergoing various stages of decay. Most are covered in moss and ferns. Some older logs, more decayed, are the nutrient systems for younger trees. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">When an old tree arrives at the end of its natural life it is eventually pushed over by wind. A clearing then appears in the canopy. Suddenly a shaft of light reaches a patch of forest floor that might have been shadowed for a thousand years. This microclimate creates not only an incredible visual effect, it is also a growing opportunity for sapling trees that cannot tolerate shade. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Passing through this section of forest on the highway to Tofino, one might think that the Island is covered in untouched forests just like this. But in fact this small patch (only a few square km) is now a rare example of its kind. Almost all of the original growth has been logged. Those replanted forests replacing them contain trees uniform in age. There are no dead trees on the floor. No open clearings allowing sunlight. No new growth. There is an unmistakable difference between old and second growth forests, which partly explains why some people are so motivated to protect those few that remain unlogged.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>Philosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304356394025068886.post-76425022304578182011-08-14T00:56:00.000-07:002011-08-15T11:28:20.959-07:00Things to BringI am leaving for Vancouver in the morning (in a few hours, actually) and I am just going over the packing. A rain jacket and fleece (or a warm sweatshirt or two) are important because we'll be on the ocean for hours at a time and it can be rainy and windy. In fact I might bring a toque. I have a light pair of pants that dry quickly and some jeans. I'm packing hiking boots and shoes and sandals (possibly overkill). Many socks & underwear. Sunglasses. Shorts. Beach towel. A few T shirts. A decent shirt to wear out. Swimming stuff. If I had a light wetsuit to surf in I would bring it, but I'll rent one there. I'm packing a small stove, pot (for cooking), knife, tent and sleeping mat because I plan to camp on this trip. Everyone will need a sleeping bag. I like to use a pillow and sheet as well. I have a small first aid kit and the pills I take for a bee sting. Toiletry bag with basic stuff. Head lamp. A set of bedtime clothes. That is about it for the main bag.<br />
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My carry on is a day pack that will come in handy on site. I am packing a few of the small notebooks that I like to write in, a sketchbook, a computer, my ipod. I would bring binoculars but I left them on my boat - damn, too late now. Camera. One novel. Since I have bad luck with airlines losing my luggage a change of clothes will get stuffed into this bag.<br />
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On my person I have my wallet with ID (drivers license), credit card, and about $300 in cash. I have a printout of my itinerary. I know exactly where I am going when I land, but if I didn't I would print out a map and possibly bus and ferry schedules. I like to have that stuff in print so that I can read it on the plane.<br />
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Okay that about covers it. For the next week I will be visiting some friends and camping on the Island. Then meeting with the field course participants at Whalers Guest House on August 24th. I will be in contact with the group regarding assignments (or anything else -just email or call) over the next few days, so expect to hear from me. I am really looking forward to this! Can't wait.<br />
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-StefanPhilosophy Field Coursehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03689694800524747431noreply@blogger.com0