Anders Peterson

Honors 100
11/7/2015

Global Challenges, Interdisciplinary Actions

In my geography class this quarter we have looked at different
theories on population growth, and its impact on the world. While two
well known theories, the (Neo)Malthusian and the Demographic
Transition Theory both place the blame for population growth and
potential negatives from it, such as environmental degradation onto
the Global South, especially women. These views, however, ignore a
major component of the causes of environmental degradation across
the world consumption in the global north. This theory promotes the
idea that many of the main causes of environmental issues across the
globe is the over consumption of resources by the Global North. Unlike
the other approaches, this idea does not place the majority of the
blame on some of the most marginalized people in the world, but
refocuses on those who hold the power, economically and politically. In
order to solve the issues of stopping environmental degradation,
reframing the issue to focus more on consumption is an important
step. This is a necessary step in having those in power acknowledge
their complicity in these issues. The imagined future is where the world
is more equal in terms of consumption (which would require a lowering
of ours) and this results in our environment being protected.
This is a very multilayered issue. Thinking fractally is going to
be crucial in finding a solution that can create the necessary rhyme. To
work on this issue, you must examine the historical context that
brought us to our current place especially colonialism and its
importance in the rise of Europe as the dominant and how these
have interacted to create current systems of power. This way of
thinking also entails work between many people and institutions. Part
of this is because the issue itself is so widespread, but also because
the issue itself is directly related to and a result of these past actions.
This also connects to a necessary part of this solution those in
positions of power will have to relinquish or change their current
standard of living. This is both a very difficult conversation and a very
difficult change to enact. But, facing global challenges will not be a
walk in the park. It will require all of us to question our habits, ideas,
and lives in order to make a collective change that will help shape the
world. Those in positions of power especially politically will have to
move past the current gridlock and work collaboratively, because there
are bigger problems than scoring political points at various
congressional hearings. This effort will have to be international in

scale. Some global challenges transcend international issues and

rivalries.
Aligning hope and history is not something that will happen
overnight. To accomplish these goals, years of work and collaboration
will be necessary. Egos will likely be bruised and personal interests will
need to be set aside, but I believe they can be. Some view hope
idealism, but I view it as a necessity.