The idea of biodiversity that Vandana Shiva explained, is one that I have never really thought of myself. At first this article did not make very much sense to me because the author made the point that man does not have the right to manipulate other species. I couldn't help think of Gen.1:26, which states"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth". This sums up how man has viewed his place in the environment since antiquity and what I have accepted as fact simply because of my ignorance. Shiva made excellent points by explaining how man has cultivated only what we have perceived as the most valuable species of crops and livestock and in doing so have made those species more susceptible to attacks by viruses, microorganisms, and insects. The biodiversity in an environment make it richer, filled with billions of different organisms that are all interconnected with each other, and that is why man's effect on the environment goes well beyond the few trees we destroy to plant a crop. The chemicals we use on crops like fertilizer and pesticides have far reaching effects. Birds lay eggs with thinner shells that break, and thereby reducing the population, which can lead to more rodents that the birds eat or less predators that depend on the birds for food. Developing more environmentally responsible ways to produce, and catch food is ultimately our only hope. The current methods are unsustainable and will undoubtedly lead to the collapse of entire ecosystems and our way of life.
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