Nisha Kishore - Earth-centered Ethics

Earth-centered Ethics

Have you considered the focus of our ethics system? I did, or at least I thought so, during my ethics course junior year of high school. I was surprised by today’s seminar because it challenged my beliefs and allowed me to view the Earth from a fresh perspective.

Dr. Douglas Zook, a professor at the Boston University School of Education, spoke about how our ethics system is human-focused, not Earth-focused. At first, I didn’t think this was a big deal. After all, we are humans and history reveals that we do whatever we want with the Earth. Then, he presented a very humbling statistic: humans have only been on earth for 0.005% of the Earth’s existence. What a short amount of time! My existence is barely a speck of dust compared to the time the Earth has been around! What kind of fool would I be to not take care of this beautiful planet that has let me live?

I think the first step to taking care of the Earth is falling in love with the Earth. Most people know basic ways to help the Earth, such as recycling or using a reusable water bottle. Yet, few people really love the Earth and take care of it with a passion. The only way to fall in love with the Earth is to spend time with it. So…spend some time outside! Take a walk during your lunch break, ride your bike after class, or read a book outside. Any time spent outside is worthwhile and a chance for you to connect with nature.

Everyone affects the Earth everyday with their actions, regardless of whether or not they realize it. Perhaps if more people truly loved the Earth, more people would actively do their part to help the environment. After all, in the words of Dr. Zook, “It’s hard to fall in love with something if you’re not close to it.” 

--Nisha Kishore