🚀 go-pugleaf

     I agree with Yensen's theme (see below).   I have worked on many env=
ironemental issues from fisheries, coastal eutrophication, urban sprawl, =
alpine grazing, and watershed nutrient dynamics.  In all cases there is =
a strong belief that anthropogenic alteration of native ecosystems is occ=
urring with perhaps grave consequences in the near future.  Yet, little =
legislative or nonprofit agency action has resulted in the cessation or =
lessening of ecosystem alteration.
     I am a graduate student in the field of aquatic biogeochemistry and =
I find I am pretty frequently asked questions by family members and frien=
ds about large scale problems such as ENSO and sea level change.  They =
pretty much accept my understanding (althought incomplete) of these proce=
sses.  I think the peer recognized experts (and those fortunate enough =
to study ecology) should succinctly and more frequently share their under=
standing of ecosystem processes with the general public.   As a result =
our populace who "likes the environment" will become an ecologically educ=
ated populace who "likes the environment" much as the "environmentalists"=
 such as myself who study ecology.  Then perhaps we could create a societ=
y where aquatic biogeochemists were in high demand. :-)

Regards,
John C. Lehrter
Aquatic Biology Program
University of Alabama
john.lehrter@mail.ua.edu
----------
>
> I have enjoyed reading ECOLOG and have made only one contribution, "Eco=
logists
> Vs. Environmentalist" which had an interesting result.
>
> I had no intention of touching an "environmental nerve," or appearing =
"greener
> than thou."  But, virtually every fishery on this planet has been destr=
oyed,
> the Brazilian rainforest is becoming "farmland", desertification  is =
gaining
> and the human population, for the most part, is out of control with mos=
t men
> and women spending 90% of thier waking hours trying to survive.  My wor=
k
> typically brings me into mud up to my knees or into sweltering heat in =
some
> dusty patch of the  desert where poor people are dying  or in central =
Africa,
> trying to stop the deforestation.  Above all else, I too, am an
> Environmentalist.  But, I am sad to say that I have seen terrible
> environmental disasters of such a grand scale that my heart aches.   =
Some 30+
> trips around the world to some 50 countries has given me a different =
view
> point (I sincerely hope this statement doesn't sound arrogant) and perh=
aps it
> is true that I don't "fit in" anymore to so called "environmental cause=
s" such
> as spending 30M to "save" a subsp. of rodent that has adapted to human =
habitat
> and would go extinct in the wild.   To be an environmentalist you need =
only
> one fact - that you like the environment, but to be a "good" environmen=
talist
> .. well that's another question.  Perhaps we need environmental ecologi=
sts
> and ecological environmentalists.  It is not difficult to find someone =
who
> "likes the environment"  (from hair dressers to auto workers).  It is =
more
> difficult to find people who do not like the environment.  But, with =
what is
> happening to the global environment, it may one day be that most people=
 will
> not like our environment, at that point we will only have bad ecologist=
s who
> did not communicate well.  If there is any message here, it is that we =
must
> communicate.
>
> Cheers  :-[
>
> ps:  If this is not the right forum for this, my apologies for the
> communication.