The word “nature” carries some very distinct visuals along with its definition. One might connote trees, grass, flowers, birds, and wild animals with the concept of nature. Though, for the most part, all of these things exist in everyday life, there is a common understanding of the separation of nature from civilization, or, the rest of the world. What many people do not realize is that, as time goes on, the nature portion of the world constantly decreases in size. Sooner or later, the distinction of nature will cease to exist, along with nature itself. When that day comes, humans will be solely responsible for its demise, through industrialization, civilization, destruction, and pollution. The lack of appreciation that humans have toward nature’s raw beauty and resources has consequently destroyed the environment to the point of no return, through the trivialization of wilderness, insensibility toward other species, and careless slaughter of bountiful terrain.
As a result of downplaying the importance of the wilderness, humankind therefore contributes to the ultimate downfall of the planet’s natural resources. The concept of wilderness first came to be in response to the separation of civilization and nature, during the rise of industrialization. According to William Cronon in his essay “The Trouble with Wilderness”, “For many Americans wilderness stands as the last remaining place where civilization, that all too human disease, has not fully infected the earth” (1). In this statement, Cronon refers to how the “human disease,” also known as civilization, “infected” the planet over centuries. It is no surprise that human existence negatively impacts the environment, however this is mainly due to the manmade separation between civilization and wilderness. The major flaw that exists within this separation is that it never had to exist, and came about as humankind’s response to the inability to coexist with nature. If man had never distinguished what is now known as wilderness from what is now known as civilization, humans would have learned to coexist efficiently within nature harmoniously, as so many species managed to do for thousands of years. This would have led to humans having a greater appreciation for the world’s natural resources and a greater sense of unity with the wilderness. Instead, the distinction between wilderness and civilization creates a problem that occurs whenever civilized humans try taking from nature, which they purposely separated themselves from. Cronon proposes a solution to this problem, stating that, “if it [wilderness] can help us perceive and respect a nature we had forgotten to recognize as natural—then it will become part of the solution to our environmental dilemmas rather than part of the problem” (19). Cronon emphasizes the importance of humankind restituting itself with nature in order to solve the problem of unrightfully taking advantage of the environment. However, given that society and civilizations are so distinct and set in their ways, this is an irreversible dilemma that can only bring awareness to humans about their mistake.
By destroying and contaminating resourceful land, humankind aids in the deterioration of nature. In recent generations, the discovery of countless, extremely dangerous new chemicals which negatively affect humans as well as the earth. In Rachel Carson’s The Obligation to Endure, she elaborates on these newfound toxic hazards, stating that, “”The most alarming of all man’s assaults upon the environment is the contamination of air, earth, rivers, and sea with dangerous and even lethal materials” (1). What is also very alarming is how a vast population of people are ignorant to the “assaults upon the environment”, and how they contribute toward them. These people are also unaware to just how harmful everyday household products, such as cleaning solutions, are to the environment. This distribution of toxic chemicals amongst the air and the earth, combined with extreme population from industrialization, is incredibly detrimental to the environment. The most crucial takeaway, however, is that humankind is responsible for this mass destruction of the environment. While their intentions with chemicals such as these are to prevent negative impacts on the world, the result is really the opposite, in that they reek unnecessary harm on the environment. One example of this destruction is through pesticide control, which Carson comments on, saying, “The crusade to create a chemically sterile, insect-free world seems to have engendered a fanatic zeal on the part of many specialists and most of the so-called control agencies” (4). Operations such as pesticide control are examples of humankind’s lack of appreciation for the natural world and desire to alter it, which in part leads to the destruction of all natural resources that exist on the planet.
As a result of taking control over nature through industrialization and civilization, humans express their selfish desires to change the natural world, which they lack appreciation for. A common human incentive is to alter something based on its appearance. Aldo Leopold relates this concept to nature in his essay “Marshland Elegy,” stating that, “Our ability to perceive quality in nature begins, as in art, with the pretty” (1). The example that Leopold implores to justify this concept is a marsh in danger of domination by humans. This story exposes the deep selfishness within humans and their lack of ability to consider other beings within nature. Leopold sarcastically comments on mankind’s desire to civilize the marshland, writing that, “A roadless marsh is seemingly as worthless to the alphabetical conservationist as an undrained one was to the empire-builders” (4). Humans, being as selfish as they are, lack the appreciation and understanding of nature in order to realize that destroying a marsh such as this also destroys the home of at least one animal, in this case the crane. This carelessness directly causes the destruction of the environment of its state from before humankind existed. If humans were more cautious of what resources and habitats they tap into, the demolition of many animal homes could easily be avoided. However, this destruction has gone too far for its effects to be reversed. Countless animal species are now endangered or extinct due to habitat destruction. As proven by their carelessness toward other species, humans are directly responsible for mutilating nature.
Overall, human existence severely negatively impacts nature and all that it has to offer. Without the distinction of wilderness from separation, society would not have to face the issue of tapping into natural resources. Had civilization been established thoughtfully, humans could live harmoniously among other species as one within nature. Instead, people lack an understanding and appreciation for the natural world around them. This results in severe abuse of nature through chemical pollution and demolition of animal-inhabited land. The carelessness and selfishness that drive humans to act upon the environment the way in which they do are extremely preventive from making advances in the rebuilding of nature. It is not until mankind owns up to its flaws and mistakes that environmental annihilation can come to an end, which, as many believe, is past the point of no return.