By Claire Svetkey:
Although, for most people, environmental ethics may not be a topic the word “diversity” immediately brings to mind, Professor Doug Zook explained that biodiversity includes human diversity, not only because “we all at any age and background can build a healthier, more livable future,” but also because an effective conversation about helping the planet and preserving it for future generations must include many individual voices and different perspectives.
What exactly is biodiversity? It can be defined as the variety of life in the world, but that isn’t the full story. In essence, biodiversity cannot be compartmentalized into science, politics, ethics or any other subject. Rather, it is everything necessary to sustain life on this planet.
Humans “and all the other life forms,” Professor Zook concluded in his presentation, “cannot survive in the coming decades without developing and practicing earth-centered ethics.”
Professor Zook, who teaches classes on global ecology and symbiosis and created the Global Ecology Education Education Initiative while he was at Boston University, has been teaching about biodiversity for nearly thirty years, as was evidenced by his engaging, practiced presentation. To emphasize the idea that young people can create change, when he presents to high schoolers, Professor Zook frequently collaborates with students and colleagues who have taken his Global Ecology course; at Diversity Day, his former student Yamileth Zarate gave part of the presentation, talking about grassroots movements fostering change and giving back to the planet.
Indeed, in keeping with the theme of Diversity Day, some of the best examples of people working for a sustainable lifestyle and future are these grassroots movements from around the world; some of the best role models are “young people, women, people… of color,” and people from other minority groups.
Change, Professor Zook said, is “not going to happen from the top. It’s going to happen when people who are usually left out of the equation are brought in.”