HEE

The purpose of this assignment is to apply, analyze, and synthesize some major course themes in the context of new information. Please place your paper as a single Word file.

The phrase “Relevant course resources” refers to the assigned book, articles, videos, lecture notes, and ICAs; citing them as footnotes or in-text parenthetical citations is fine (in other words, you need not include a separate bibliography for course resources). You need not consult any other sources beyond what is specified below, but if you do want to incorporate external sources, you must cite them fully.

Part 1: 150 points, 500-600 words:

Read the following two editorials on de-extinction by two longstanding leading players in the U.S. environmental movement, Stewart Brand and Paul Ehrlich (along with his partner, Anne Ehrlich).1 Describe your own personal response to this contentious issue, and include supporting evidence from these editorials as well as at least 2 other relevant course resources to make your case.

· Stewart Brand, “The Case for De-Extinction: Why We Should Bring Back the Woolly Mammoth,” Yale E360, Jan. 13, 2014, https://e360.yale.edu/features/the_case_for_de-extinction_why_we_should_bring_back_the_woolly_mammoth

· Paul Ehrlich and Anne H. Ehrlich, “The Case Against De-Extinction: It’s a Fascinating but Dumb Idea,” Yale E360, Jan. 13, 2014, https://e360.yale.edu/features/the_case_against_de-extinction_its_a_fascinating_but_dumb_idea

Some points to ponder that might help inform your response:

1. How does each editorial connect back to topics related to the history of ecological science and its predecessor, natural history?

2. Which aspects of each argument make the most sense to you, and the least?

3. Why do Brand and the Ehrlichs have such opposing views on the economic, ethical, and ecological feasibility of de-extinction? What are their shared values, and what kind of compromise agreement (if any) might they be able to develop?

4. How might some of the historical actors we’ve encountered, such as Aldo Leopold, William Hornaday, Charles Townsend, and Rachel Carson, react to today’s de-extinction debate?

5. How does the current de-extinction debate relate to the larger question of the appropriate role of scientists in environmental politics and policy-making?

Part 2: 100 points, 300-400 words:

Choose one of the following recent Yale Environment 360 articles, and drawing upon 2-3 relevant course resources, discuss how it links to historical events we have addressed and what you consider to be the most interesting points/issues/questions it raises, especially in relation to major themes of the course.

· John M. DeCicco, “After Years of Green Promises, Automakers Renege on Emissions Standards,” Yale E360, June 7, 2018, https://e360.yale.edu/features/after-years-of-green-promises-us-automakers-renege-on-emissions-standards

· Jessica Leber, “Species Sleuths: Amateur Naturalists Spark a New Wave of Discovery,” Yale E360, March 12, 2019, https://e360.yale.edu/features/field-sleuths-the-amateur-naturalists-who-are-discovering-new-species

· Jim Robins, “Native Knowledge: What Ecologists are Learning from Indigenous People,” Yale E360, April 26, 2018, https://e360.yale.edu/features/native-knowledge-what-ecologists-are-learning-from-indigenous-people

· Todd Stern, “How to Shift Public Attitudes and Win the Global Climate Battle,” Yale E360, Oct. 25, 2018, https://e360.yale.edu/features/the-essential-front-in-the-climate-battle-altering-public-attitudes

· Chloe Williams, “From Canadian Coal Mines, Toxic Pollution that Knows No Borders,” Yale E360, April 1, 2019, https://e360.yale.edu/features/from-canadian-coal-mines-toxic-pollution-that-knows-no-borders

NOTE:

1. I uploaded 9 chapters from our book “Nature’s Ghosts by Mark V. Barrow, JR” and articles we have addressed in this course.

2. Try to be SPECIFIC, because the instructor is really struct with this.

3. Citations are very important. Cite everything you use for this paper to avoid plagiarism.