The Need for a Culture of Sustainable Agricultural Ethics as a Response to Biocultural Homogenization, Food Shortages, and Environmental Degradation

Oral Presentations - Hoover 213

This project explores the ways that permaculture, agroforestry, silvopasture, and other sustainable agricultural practices and approaches can positively contribute to solving issues related to global climate change and the environment. It specifically focuses on the benefits produced in regard to resolving environmental degradation, mitigating food shortage issues, and decreasing the loss of biocultural, linguistic, and cultural diversity (biocultural homogenization). Environmental health has the potential to be drastically improved with the use of these methods, exemplified by increased carbon sequestering capabilities, higher soil water retention rates, greater biodiversity and support for wildlife, and many other factors relating to ecological well-being. Food availability could be expanded through access to local foods and a greater knowledge base of edible native species. The deep connection to one’s local environment as well as the environmentally-conscious values and lifestyle habits embedded within permaculture and the like provide crucial tools that encourage a transition to a more sustainable society. Exploration of how tending the land holistically in ways more aligned with Earth’s natural systems can shift the human-nature relationship into one built out of care and reciprocity could offer the paradigm shift necessary to combat anthropogenic effects on climate change.