Lecture on Environmental Risks and Recklessness

Introduction

• Speaker spent a week at sea on a research vessel with a scientific team from the University of South Florida.
• The team is studying the impact of BP's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, focusing on the effects of oil and dispersants on small marine organisms.
• Even trace amounts of oil can be toxic to phytoplankton, indicating a continuing disaster affecting the food chain.

Historical Perspective

• Reference to Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring," highlighting the unforeseen consequences of using DDT.
• Comparison to current environmental issues, suggesting society has not fully grasped the implications of these disasters.

Current Environmental Disasters

• BP oil spill exemplifies the recklessness and lack of planning in handling environmental crises.
• The disaster reflects a broader willingness to gamble with irreplaceable elements without backup plans.

Societal Recklessness

• Society is prone to recklessness due to greed and overconfidence, often leading to disastrous outcomes.
• Examples include financial crises and wars driven by overconfidence and lack of exit strategies.

Climate Change

• Emphasis on the need to act on climate change based on the precautionary principle rather than cost-benefit analysis.
• Questioning the assumptions of controlling climate as if it had a thermostat.

Contributing Factors to Recklessness

• Greed and Hubris: Financial gain and overconfidence drive risky decisions.
• Gender Dynamics: Studies suggest women investors are less prone to reckless risks.
• Cultural Narratives: Stories about human supremacy and limitless nature encourage reckless behavior.
• Technological Faith: Overreliance on technology as a savior from environmental issues.

Case Study: Alberta Tar Sands

• Destruction of boreal forests to extract tar sands oil, causing environmental degradation and health issues.
• Tar sands oil production significantly increases greenhouse gas emissions.

The Role of Technology

• Geoengineering as a proposed solution to climate change, raising concerns about untested and potentially harmful effects.

Conclusion

• Need for new narratives and heroes that prioritize precaution and sustainable practices.
• Encouragement for activism and actions that challenge the status quo and promote environmental responsibility.

Calls to Action

• Advocacy for stories and actions that embrace the precautionary principle to protect the environment.
• Emphasis on the interconnectedness of the planet and the consequences of our actions.