History is a very important aspect of most disciples that study human behaviour. Ecology interestingly encompasses both the study of human behaviour on the societal level and on a personal level. Therefore history is integral to understanding not only the large-scale patterns of humankind’s impact on the environment, but also our personal virtues, actions, and opinions concerning what it means to be eco-friendly. Without history, we are forced to look at the status quo isolated from all the events that explain why the present is so. History illuminates dimensions of positions, injustices, and actions that would otherwise be lost. For example, studies show that discrimination against non-whites continues in the housing market. Examined in isolation, one can easily be led to think that this is not telling of a larger and deeper issue of discrimination in our society. However, given the context of slavery, Jim Crow laws, etc., discrimination in the housing market can be seen as a symptom of larger-scale racism in America. History allows us to overcome this myopia.
Specifically in relation to the environmental studies, history allows us to be aware of how certain opinions and positions concerning the environment have arisen. For example, when discussing corporations and lobbyists, Cox uses history to show how the emergence of “greenwashing” (misleading advertising that claims a product promotes environmental values) is actually another form of corporations masking their real environmental impact. Overall, the use of history in environmental studies will add more dimensions to our discussions on current injustices.
Cox, Robert, and Phaedra C. Pezullo. “Chapter 1 Studying/Practicing Environmental Communication.” Environmental Communication and the Public Sphere. Los Angeles: SAGE, 2016. Print.
Dewan, Shaila. “Discrimination in Housing Against Nonwhites Persists Quietly, U.S. Study Finds.” New York Times, 11 June 2013.
