Dear Ross,

The first question should be what ethics is or which behaviour can be ethical from point of view of Nature? The second: what can be a standard human lifestyle these days?

Note to question 2: What is more valuable to have one more beer or to make possible the surviving or existence of other living beings?

Please have a look at https://www.researchgate.net/post/Sustainable_development_and_the_Pirsigs_monkey_trap

Blaise Pascal said that “All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”...

There are members of society who are willing to change some aspects of their lifestyle to support nature, despite the traditional logic of rational self-interest undermining all such other-regarding commitments. For those who have such sentiments it would be valuable to clarify a set of behaviours. Do you think the following would qualify as components of a personal eco-ethics;

i) volunteering work for environmental restoration groups,

ii) regular financial contributions to reputable conservation foundations such as the World Wildlife Fund,

iii) eating less food in general, and a smaller percentage of meat

Dear Ross,

The three points are not only acceptable but also worth following. Certainly, personnel opportunities may limit them. However, I think that not only some members of society should change their lifestyle but the majority.

I think Ross is on the right track. The problem is more epistemological than ethical per se. No system of ethics built on a Cartesian epistemology will do much more than delay the inevitable. Utilitarianism is neurotic to say the least and Kantian "disinterestedness" is not far behind. Forget ethics and general theories generally and either learn traditional knowledge or go back to Vico.

Thanks Peter. I agree that major western philosophical traditions are not much help in pointing a way forward. I have simply equated an eco-ethical lifestyle with that which does least harm to biodiversity. I say 'least harm' rather than 'no harm' because living in a western society means an elevated personal carbon emission that we know with 95% confidence (IPCC) does harm biodiversity globally.

So, at the personal level where we can modify our decision-making processes, there are behaviours that could be regarded as having an eco-ethical sentiment.

I'm now just trying to form a list to guide my own behaviour. Some suggested additions to those above are;

1) avoid the use of pesticides and herbicides in the domestic environment, because of their potential effects on non-target biodiversity.

2) Use non-lethal techniques to remove unwanted non-human visitors to the domestic environment.

3) design house gardens in ways that support local biodiversity.

Any other suggestions, please?

I think we have a responsibility to get past the ideology of atomism. I read something the other day citing research that concluded half of U.S. children are reading impaired to one degree or another due to the lead and other toxins in their bodies. In fact, the identities we construct, including the effect of the toxins we ingest, reflect the landscapes we inhabit, including the languages and conventional wisdoms found there. Unfortunately, market liberalism haas become the weapon of choice in constructing ecologically psychopathic identities. It is certainly unethical for our story-tellers, (media, politicians, and educators) to frame every issue and every story in such unscientific and mythical terms as market liberalism. How for example can people make decisions about what is good for them without considering what is good for the landscape they inhabit? The utilitarianism on which classical economics is built is the just latest brand of collective insanity. Our dominant ideology is really no more "rational" than owning slaves or burning witches.

To quote Gandhi, "Be the change you want to see in the world".

When environmental insanity underpins our society then individuals can still make the decision to live in a more environmentally sane way. Which is why its important to define such ways of living.

Totally agree, Ross, that big changes are always driven by individual, often small, actions. I also try to follow my own list of eco-ethical principles, although many of them are often difficult to follow in some places. Here are some ideas, I hope the kind you were asking for:

- Think twice (or as many times as you need) before buying things. I'm talking mostly of things other than food, which we often buy and don't need. Maybe you need a new pair of socks, but before buying them you could consider repairing the old ones. Or asking somebody else if you don't have the skills.

- Look for things you need in thrift stores and second-hand markets (such as Craigslist, garage sales...) before buying something brand new. This saves energy, resources, and sometimes helps you realize you don't need so much stuff.

- Reduce the packaging you consume. This means not buying overpackaged things, for example. Or looking for other ways of getting them. For example, instead of buying prepared broth in bricks you can prepare it yourself with your own food leftovers (e.g. chicken bones).

- Prioritize brands that are local, fairtrade and/or organic certified when shopping. And be prepared to spend more money than usual, but that's probably because other production ways reduce economic costs at the expense of ecological and social wellness.

- Insulate your house, substitute the AC by fans, design your garden so it helps thermo-regulate the house.

And there's a long etcetera, as you know, but I don't want to be boring. Personally, right now I'm focusing on trying to understand the roots of our current environmental ethics, as I think this is the driver of our collective actions. And understanding that is helping me to see what I have been doing wrong and how I should change it. And I find Peter's insights very useful in this sense.

Dear Ana

Your thoughts are really good and I guess represent another domain of an eco-ethical lifestyle, from the ones above; maybe it could be called 'personal resource management'?

It may ultimately be possible to describe the various domains of an 'eco-ethical reference person' who could point the way to how to live eco-ethically, within the constraints we all have.

ok