PUZZLE
 

Symposium discusses if the world’s current course can be sustained

by emily luty
STAFF WRITER

     Sustainable growth and the global food crisis were discussed by Benedictine faculty at the second annual Faith and Reason Symposium on Nov. 7 titled “How much is enough: Sustainability, Environmental Ethics and the Global Food Crisis” and consisted of mainly two discussion panels.

The morning began with the topic of sufficiency and how to recognize sustainable moral development in the 21st century. The first panel was moderated by Vincent Gaddis Ph.D., the department chair of history, and consisted of John Mickus, Ph.D., Martin Tracey, Ph.D., Pat Flynn, Ph.D. and Preston Aldrich, Ph.D.

Mickus, professor of biology, discussed some problems with the environment. Mickus said that there are many serious threats to the environment. With more than half of the Amazon forests projected to be destroyed by 2030, deforestation is a serious problem. Other things such as soil loss, subsoil scarcity and the build up of greenhouse gases are major dilemmas as well. But possibly the biggest problem from environmental change is water scarcity and food shortage.

“By 2015 a significant amount of the population will be without water,” said Mickus.

Mickus then spoke about sustainability and sufficiency. The basic definition of sustainability is meeting the present needs of the world, but in doing so, not doing anything else that will negatively affect future generations and the earth’s possibility for supporting and reproducing life.

Mickus added that many people believe sufficiency is on the same grounds of efficiency and questioned if efficiency is the reason we are in a crisis today. Societies maximize efficiencies. In other words, they do everything in a way that is faster, but Mickus asked if this is necessarily better.

Aldrich, assistant professor of biology, spoke of sufficiency as well as disparity and equity from the biological perspective calling his discussion, “Is Nature Republican?” Aldrich spoke of network dynamics and how systems rely on one another and also distribute to other parts of the system. If the system loses its average component, then the entire system will collapse. Aldrich said that human organized systems are not an exception to this inherent distribution pattern. This can be seen in the collapse of mortgage lenders this past year.

Flynn, an associate professor of philosophy, spoke of the concept of sufficiency and Rawls Principles of Justice. He talked about how sufficiency would employ available resources so that everyone has enough, but the problem with sufficiency is that there is no ethical consequence when some people have more than others. Flynn then spoke of John Rawls’ Difference principle which is the idea that “inequalities are justified if they will work to everyone’s advantage.” For example, the rich get richer but they employ the poor and pay them for their work.

Tracey, a professor of philosophy, spoke of the Catholic perspectives on the environment. “Care for the environment is a serious moral imperative,” said Tracey. Tracey also spoke of how it is a sin to use the environment’s resources and not leave enough for future generations. According to Tracey, the earth and its resources are entrusted to humans so that humans can take care of them.

The second discussion panel, “The Global Food Crisis: Causes, Consequences and What our Community Can Do,” consisted of Isobel Lobo, Ph.D., Deepa Handu, Ph.D., Alan Gorr, Ph.D., Christine Fletcher, Ph.D. and Robin Rylaarsdam, Ph.D.

Lobo, associate professor of international business and economics, spoke of the economic causes of the food crisis. Until 2000, food prices were falling, she said, but since 2001 food has been on the rise—many products such as rice, beans and soy have risen over 100 percent in past few years.

The domino effect of supply and demand has forced costs to rise so much these past few years. Lobo said that 75 percent of corn production went for ethanol production because of the demand for biofuels. There may also be a demand for food “because of economic growth in countries,” said Lobo, as well as some countries restricting crop exports.

Rylaarsdam, an associate professor of biology, spoke about agricultural products for biofuels. She mentioned the process of ethanol fermentation and also spoke about vegetable oil and how it can be processed to be used in a diesel engine.

“I think that there are some really good things to biofuels,” said Rylaarsdam. There is no sulfur production in biofuels, she continued, not that much carbon dioxide and biofuels can be a stimulus to the farm economy. The negative aspect of biofuels though, is its effects on food that is already scarce in some parts of the world.

Gorr, dean of the college of education and health services, said, “We are in a period of reckoning.” Gore also emphasized the problem of disease in livestock that spreads to humans and how the use of nature can help people.

“There are several cities in the US … that are using nature to keep the cities healthy … New York City took advantage and built the most amazing aqueducts in history,” said Gorr.

Fletcher, assistant professor of theology, spoke about food consumption and how, instead of consuming too much, we need to give to others.

“We suffer from the gluttony of delicacy and we suffer from not realizing that gluttony is a sin,” said Fletcher. Handu, assistant professor of nutrition, spoke about the global food prices and its effects. Because of the price increase, “World Bank estimated 100 million more people added to the already 854 million hungry,” said Handu and she added that 35.5 million Americans live in food insecure homes, including 12.6 million children.

Handu said that many federal and state level programs, such as the food stamp programs and food recovery programs—the U.S. wastes 40 to 50 percent that is ready to harvest—can help to feed the poor. Community-level help such as community gardens and farmers market are also very beneficial.

After listening to the two panel discussions, listeners had different questions and ideas to help solve the food crisis and become more environmentally friendly. A Benedictine garden was suggested by a faculty member. One student suggested that the school give the vegetables from the garden to surrounding shelters.

“It’s going to require a revolution in our value structure in order to address these kinds of issues … This has been an exciting day, an informative day and a challenging one,” said Gaddis as he encouraged everyone to volunteer to make change and addressed next fall’s symposium which will be on the issue of water.