Public Anthropology in Environmental Degradation Research Paper

Public Anthropology in Environmental Degradation - Research Paper Example The main concern of anthropologist is to find solution to major environmental problems by identifying the major and minor causes of environmental problems. In succint study of environmental degradation, both the ecological and environmental ecology are applied but environmental anthropology stands to be the one mostly applied in this study because it covers wide range of field. The environmental ecology encompasses such studies as political ecology, primate ecology, and evolutionary ecology. On the other hand, ecological ecology refers to a particular research concerning single ecosystem for instance environmental degradation. With this, the research paper provides an overview of contemporary anthropology in the area of environmental degradation. Environmental degradation is the destruction of the natural resources by intentional and or un-intentional activities by human beings of by natural phenomena. This encompasses the destruction of soil, trees and other natural scenes like rive rs and mountains. When the natural resources are polluted, the ecosystem is degraded. Hence, public anthropologists seek to find solutions to the adverse environmental degradation (Ervin 385). ... inally, public anthropology was concerned with cultural contexts in which human being relates to the environment and also appreciating different cultural differences. Public anthropology states that, environmental problems are as a result of cultural and historical configurations (Ervin 385). In addition, human beings are not only confronted by cultural differences and adaptation but also cultural commonalities in terms of resource scarcity and habitat loss as a result of environmental degradation. That is why public anthropology focuses on looking for possible solutions as a result of environmental degradation. Consumption rates in different countries affect the rate of environmental degradation. This is because the pollutants that lead to environmental degradation mostly come from the material goods that are consumed by human beings. Environmental degradation according environmental anthropologists does not only affect human race but also the living things in different habitats (Go ldschmidt 791). Thus, when human beings pollute the environment they affect other creatures in different habitats for instance sea creatures in the sea. Over time, public anthropologists focus on issues, which relate to environmental and social justice on issues concerning environmental degradation (Suhrke 475). They focus on environmental justice to solve issues on equitable distribution of resources and providing a clean environment for the human race and other species in a given environment. Environmental justice seeks to bring out issues concerning environmental degradation by ensuring that environmental problems are distributed equally in a given country. This is to reduce environmental burdens concerning the issues of preventing hazardous pollutants to the minority groups such as the