Benefits:

Clear Cutting
– Efficient for harvesting and replanting trees
– Financially sound
– Increased water flow
– Increased farm land
Silviculture
– Less expensive
– Easy and efficient operations
– Avoided damage to regeneration
Selective Logging
– Allows ecosystems to support more wildlife than clear cutting
– Allows forests to retain resistance to disease and pests.
– Reduced ecological damage

Drawbacks:

Clear Cutting
– Negative impacts on nature, wildlife, habitats and plant loss.
– Loss of 1000 year old forests.

Silviculture
– Exposure to erosion
– Takes away habitats for many animals
Selective Logging
– Takes away strong trees in the forest leaving the weaker trees.
– Difficult regrowth
– Harmful to other trees

Clearcutting is financially efficient, giving consistent and high rates of return for companies, provides more farmland for it cuts down all trees in an area, giving farmers more job opportunities. Although this practice has a significant and harmful effect on plants and wildlife in a region. The most significant impact is the destruction of plant life and animal habitat. Impacts on the food chain can cause loss of species and threats to ecosystems. The forest sector has long been a cornerstone of economic activity and continues to be the foundation of B.C.′s economy. Although its significance has declined as the economy has matured and diversified over the past few decades, the forest remains important. In 2018, the forest sector was responsible for 32% ($14.9 billion) of B.C.’s total exports； the sector is the primary employer in many parts of the province. Forestry-related activities directly support over 7,000 businesses and employ more than 50,000 people. That data proves that the BC forestry industry is relatively sustainable. However, sustainability for the forestry industry would mean ‘balance’, to balance out the economy and the environment. If we try to maintain the environment and the economy, it will be difficult to balance. Economic sustainability can mean destroyed forests, but the sustainability of ecosystems will affect manufacturers and trade with different countries.

I think the forestry industry in BC is sustainable. The government is also deforesting and rebuilding trees. Although it takes time, it can ensure a certain balance. If we accelerate the deforestation, the reconstruction and regeneration of trees cannot keep up with the rate of deforestation, then it is likely that the forestry industry will become unsustainable.

https://www.bcfii.ca/bc-forests-and-markets/sustainable-forest-management

https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/ssintroworkbook/append2.htm

https://sciencing.com/advantages-disadvantages-clear-cutting-8481691.html

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Wall-E End Credits

On earth that is full of rubbish and abandoned by humans, the earth is devastated, empty and dead. When Wall E accidentally found the last living plant on earth and regarded it as a precious treasure, I felt the importance of protecting the earth from now on, otherwise we are like in the movie, because Unable to survive and be forced to leave the earth on which we depend. Finally, humans planted the plant again and told the children that we would plant farmland. Over time, a cluster of green plants was growing stubbornly, indicating the hope of humanity.

Bambi lived in a peaceful forest, but the appearance of humans disturbed the calm forest again and again. Many of Bambi’s friends died, and even his mother died in human hands. Because humanity’s yearning for resources and money has broken the tranquility of nature, forcing animals in the forest to leave their homes and lose their loved ones.

Key Question: What would an ethic of care towards the environment look like?

1. How do you personally define an ethic of care?

• A practise, value, disposition, or virtue.
• Practises and values.
• A species of activity, everything we do are maintain ,contain, repair the world around us.
• Attentiveness, aware of need.
• A willingness to respond and take care of need. 
• The skill of providing good and successful care
• Responsiveness 
• Personal interaction and dependency
• Opposition to justice, a kind of labour, a particular relationship.

 2. What would be needed to create an ethic of care?

• This requires people to be aware of what is happening and how our small actions affect the environment. Humans need to know  more about our consequences and how to solve it. In order to create an ethic of care, we need the knowledge to create a particular relationship, taking responsibilities and acting on it.

3. What would we have to believe about the environment to care for it? How should we see it?

• We need to stop disconnecting from nature and the environment. Human beings are part of nature, and we still need to take care of it, because it is humanity that needs nature to survive. But nature does not need to rely on us. There is an interdependent relationship between the environment and humans. People must keep the environment clean and ensure the sustainability of the environment. Since the environment is relevant to us, we should regard the environment as an important thing we should protect.

4. How would we act if we cared about the environment? – give scenarios

• Being more concerned about the environment will include stopping many things we do, such as littering, using too much plastic, wasting water, cutting trees a lot and destroying nature. Schools or companies can be educated to understand how our actions have a negative impact on nature and to make them realize that this is not something that is invisible, but it is something we should care about. Large institutions such as the government should also take action on this, such as stopping cheap mass production, which is causing serious air pollution in China and other countries. Destruction of nature is something we can’t simply ignore, but we can stop and protect nature from the little things around us.

5. What would be different about the world if everyone adopted this ethic of care towards the environment? Benefits and drawbacks?

• Global warming and climate change may be resolved so that we can live in a better place. The world will become greener and the food source will be fresher and healthier. If everyone follows a caring ethic, then the world may be a good place to live because everyone cares about each other. However, we may quickly deplete food such as meat, vegetables or fruits and cause famine. This will limit our activities.

6. Should we adopt an ethic of care towards the environment?

• Some extend, we should adopt an ethic of care so we can actually care the environment and co-exist without destruction. However，Humans would have to change our lifestyle, but certain ways of life will be hard to change.