Damnation/Planet Visionaries
August 17, 2023 By: Robin Arens
Media Item 1: Damnation by Patagonia Films
- URL: https://youtu.be/laTIbNVDQN8
- Damnation discusses the negative effects of river damming on local ecology. While the influence of (hydroelectric) dams on the development of North American society cannot be understated, neither can its impact on North American ecology. This film is heavily biased towards preservation, but does an effective job of visualizing the negative consequences of disturbed river flows on not just the direct surroundings of the river, but the local environment as a whole.
Media Item 2: Planet Visionaries: Revolutionizing How We Preserve the World Underwater
- URL: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-episode-revolutionizing-how-we-preserve-the/id1572495128?i=1000623128310
- This podcast episode interviews three conservationists whose work is focussed on marine life, and in particular coral reefs and their ecosystems. Blue Latitudes forms an interesting connection between the conservation movement and offshore oil and gas platforms, which can be seen as pillars of the mineral energy regime and industrialization. Blue Latitudes assesses the ecological value of offshore rigs, which have potential to form the foundation of coral reefs and other marine life on its underwater parts. These ecosystems are highly productive and valuable for marine life as a whole, and therefore removal of oil rigs can actually have a negative impact on the marine environment.
Thanks for this post, Robin. Very interesting materials. I can see a connection between “Damnation” and the broader topic of conservation and environmentalism, which is discussed in “Principles of Conservation” by Gifford Pinchot in unit 3. The video highlights the environmental impacts of hydropower and the need for more sustainable energy sources, which aligns with the principles of conservation advocated by Pinchot.
Well summarized articles Saman, I find the article about “Revolutionizing How We Preserve the World Underwater” to do well in illuminating how not all human impacts are necessarily negative, such as these oil rigs creating areas for coral reefs to begin and get a foothold. This is important to remember as these human needs will still be pursued regardless of their potential environmental advantages. In terms of leaving the structures after production has ceased, it should be considered in another category than that of active operations as the potential cataclysmic environmental risks from oil spills outweigh these benefits.