Ecocentrism is the school of thought that takes the effects on both living and non-living elements into consideration when looking into environmental issues and policies. This is rooted in the belief that all parts of an ecosystem rely on each other to survive and thrive; The tree that grows there relies on the soil to hold it up, insects to pollinate, water to feed it, animals to keep harmful bugs and animals away, and bacteria to keep the soil clean. In ecocentrism, everything works together and nothing is more important than another. Without one piece of the system, everything could fall apart (Withgott & Laposata, 2014).
An example of ecocentrism is the Coral Reef Conservation Act. Under this act, the Coral Reef Task Force maps and monitors …show more content…
Anthropocentrists’ views center around people and how they are affected. In this case, an anthropocentrist would focus on what coral reefs do for humans. One case would be tourism. Corals in the Florida Keys bring millions of people to the area each year. The businesses in the area thrive on tourism which puts an estimated value on those reefs alone at over $7.6 billion (Corals, 2015). There are also medicines being developed from plants and animals that live in coral reefs that may cure viruses, infections, and even cancer (Corals, 2015). An anthropocentrist would even see value in the protection that the reefs give to shorelines because it means that they are also protecting properties close to the shore. Floods can cause serious damage to homes and businesses and could even result in loss of human lives if severe enough. Replenishing beaches that have suffered erosion can be costly and may affect tourism in some areas (How do coral reefs protect lives and property?, 2014). Losing coral reefs could have serious adverse effects on people, towns, and businesses located near them. While an anthropocentrist may argue that certain fishing methods are necessary in order to maintain that line of business, I don’t think it would be difficult to overcome such an objection due to the fact that coral reefs make up less than 1% of the Earth’s surface (Corals, 2015). I also believe that the monetary loss that would be felt from drops in tourism and the consequential loss of jobs would be much more
An example of ecocentrism is the Coral Reef Conservation Act. Under this act, the Coral Reef Task Force maps and monitors …show more content…
Anthropocentrists’ views center around people and how they are affected. In this case, an anthropocentrist would focus on what coral reefs do for humans. One case would be tourism. Corals in the Florida Keys bring millions of people to the area each year. The businesses in the area thrive on tourism which puts an estimated value on those reefs alone at over $7.6 billion (Corals, 2015). There are also medicines being developed from plants and animals that live in coral reefs that may cure viruses, infections, and even cancer (Corals, 2015). An anthropocentrist would even see value in the protection that the reefs give to shorelines because it means that they are also protecting properties close to the shore. Floods can cause serious damage to homes and businesses and could even result in loss of human lives if severe enough. Replenishing beaches that have suffered erosion can be costly and may affect tourism in some areas (How do coral reefs protect lives and property?, 2014). Losing coral reefs could have serious adverse effects on people, towns, and businesses located near them. While an anthropocentrist may argue that certain fishing methods are necessary in order to maintain that line of business, I don’t think it would be difficult to overcome such an objection due to the fact that coral reefs make up less than 1% of the Earth’s surface (Corals, 2015). I also believe that the monetary loss that would be felt from drops in tourism and the consequential loss of jobs would be much more