Environmental Ethics

ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
with Will Dvorak

What is your ethical outlook? Let’s have a look at common ethical stances. There’s environmental ethics (i.e, saving the planet’s ecosystems) versus personal ethics (i.e., taking care of one’s self, physical well being, mental health without guilt or blame, happiness, etc.) Is it possible to reconcile the two? Will Dvorak considers this to be the most relevant question we face: the environmental impact of our personal ethical behavior. As addicts to the obvious benefits of carbon pollution, ocean acidification, soil loss, forest clear cutting, chemical uses, how much responsibility do we personally bear to avoid our addictions and deprive ourselves of the easy, affluent, and good life of contemporary California? What is our polluting footprint and should we feel guilty about it or just relax for the sake of mental sanity and enjoy the good life? We could live like Jain monks and do minimal harm or continue producing X tons of carbon and pollution per person. Because of science at this unique point in human history, we know approximately our pollution footprints. Previous generations did not have this awareness. What do we do with it? Will Dvorak will be using these books as references for his presentation: "Nature and Madness" by Paul Shepard, "Suicidal Planet" by Mayer Hillman, and "A Short history of Progress" by Ronald Wright.

Humanist Hall is wheelchair accessible around the corner at 411 28th Street

$5 donations are expected