Revised Essay

“Trouble on the Home Front”

When lined up sided by side, Ted Kerasote’s “What We Talk about When We Talk about Wilderness” and “Eco-Defense” by Edward Abbey, the two essays look like polar opposites. “…Wilderness” takes a very methodical approach; Kerasote goes back to the colonization of America and recaps the major events in our country’s environmental history in an effort to explain how our view towards the environment has been shaped. It is a calculated argument that articulates Mr. Kerastoe’s view on nature, with little emotion entering in, until towards the very end of the essay where you can almost hear the plea: to reconsider the “wilderness” that we now neglect. Mr. Abbey takes a completely different approach. In an almost militant manner, he relates the wilderness to our own homes, and it being invaded. That action is required, and it is required now. He is very passionate in his argument, and uses some inflammatory language: “jellyfish government” or encouraging us to spike trees, for example (91, 93). But how different are these two men’s opinions? Well for starters, it is evident that Kerasote is familiar with Abbey’s writings because he even quotes him with his saying “the essential ingredient for wilderness is the presence of big, dangerous animals that can kill you”. This quote not only served as a comic relief from Kerasote’s long recap of the United State’s environmental history, but was a great transition from that history to Kerasote’s own views. However, the big connection was revealed when “… Wilderness” was read another time; there is a deeper concept in Kerasotes’s essay that is discovered that ties directly in with Abbey’s theme. The idea is that nature, or wilderness, is home. Both authors reference it. It is subtle in “…Wilderness”, and is only openly mentioned in his last sentences; “Perhaps then we might have a kind of country that Columbus “discovered.” Not a wilderness- a wildly alive country. Home” (38). In “Eco-Defense” however, it is the core of the argument. The correlation of wilderness is home is the main part of Abbey’s argument. Even with his core idea, however, the message conveyed by this idea is very different. Kerasote presents a request to rethink how we view wilderness; while Abbey has a “defend our “home” or get out” approach. Even though, the message is different, both men want to protect something that is special to them, and important to our entire country.

Although the core of both men’s arguments is the same, the way they present their arguments is drastically different. One of the implications of the way that Abbey presents his version of wilderness is that we own it. If the wilderness is our home as he clearly states on page 92 “the American’s home is his favorite forest, river, fishing stream, her favorite mountain or desert canyon…” then that means we feel that we own our favorite things. Kerasote would seem to disagree with this. Even though he comments on how people feel that they control nature, either by controlling the growth of that area or by destroying it, control does not necessarily imply ownership. In the beginning of his essay, Kerasote talks about how wilderness did not even exist in America until the Europeans arrived. He points out that various indigenous cultures have coexisted with what we now refer to as the “American Wilderness”. They had their own civilization right alongside the wildlife. He even goes so far as to point out that the word “wilderness” is an Old English word meaning “the place of wild beasts”(33). By stating this, he proves that once, it was possible for people to live with nature and not just control it, but now control is the only thing that is important to society.

Abbey goes into great detail in describing the danger that the wilderness is in, but he does little to imply that it is an equal to us, like Kerasote did. Abbey wants us to get angry, he wants us to feel attacked and he accomplishes this perfectly with his home invasion metaphor. But he fails to reach the level of feeling towards nature that Kerasote achieves. He never goes deeper than the “wilderness is home” metaphor; never trying to go deeper then saying that “if wilderness is our true home, and if it’s being threatened with invasion, pillage, and destruction-as it certainly is- then we have a right to defend that home” (92). Abbey writes in a manner that assumes that you are on his side before you read the first word of his essay. He targets a very specific audience and basically neglects the rest. This can be a problem, because others who read his essay may not even take him seriously because of the stark and radical language he uses. Meanwhile, Kerasote’s message is meant for everyone. It is a well-crafted, but subtle, argument that builds towards the main idea instead of sticking it right in the face of the reader. He also takes the idea of wilderness being home to another level. Kerasote talks about wilderness on a spiritual level, making it into something that is almost sacred. This is well demonstrated in his comment: “Surely, much of the power of the wild lies in its unadvertised, numinous privacy. It is this very quality-sacredness- that is fast vanishing from the natural world” (37).He tries to make the reader relate to this sense of communion with nature; reminding them that humans were once part of nature, and by trying to tame it, we are only dulling the world around us. However, as much as Kerasote’s argument differs from Abbey’s, he does show respect towards him by actually quoting him in his essay.

Another difference in style between these two men is that Kerasote actually defines wilderness to the reader, while Abbey leaves it up their interpretation. Abbey is more concerned with what is happening to the wilderness. The “invasion” with “bulldozers, earth movers, chainsaws, and dynamite” “bashing their way into our forests” for the short term profits of the “three-piece-suited gangsters” (91). Kerasote on the other hand comments on how wilderness “isn’t merely size or remoteness: its wildlife” (36).When Kerasote talks about how we define and designate wilderness now, he comments on a remark that Abbey made; “the essential ingredient to wildness is the presence of big, dangerous animals that can kill you” (36).

Entering into this comparison, there were two very different men with two very different styles. On one side there is the structured, methodical argument used by Kerasote and on the other the personal attack by Abbey. Both are effective when trying to reach their intended audiences. Whether it is Abbey’s battle cry or Kerasote’s appeal for change, each send a powerful message: that we cannot continue as we are, that we need change. But no matter how the message is delivered, both men are trying to preserve the same thing, which is their wilderness, their home.

Works Cited

Abbey, Edward. "Eco-Defense." Saving Place. Ed. Sidney Dobrin. New York: McGraw Hill, 2005. 91-93. Print.

Kerastoe, Ted. "What we talk about when we talk About Wilderness." Saving Place. Ed. Sidney Dobrin. New York: McGraw Hill, 2005. 31-38. Print.

The Typical Pattern of Consumption

Durning and Williams both addressed the topic of our consumption as a culture, but I can't say that I enjoyed reading Williams. I felt like I was 12 again and getting lectured by my mom for leaving the light on overnight. Yes, people do need to be educated on the facts that these authors presented, but no one is going to take kindly to it if they feel they're being yelled at, no matter how true it is. Anyways, I digress.

To be honest the first thing I thought about when I read this was my electric bill (which was less than last month, but still rather high). How many resources am I using keeping myself warm and watching my tv? Am I really being that wasteful? I do eat where I want and as much as I want, without much regard for where it came from. I drive the short and easily walkable distance to pick up my girlfriend, which is using gasoline that is spent for convenience only. I own nice clothes, and I'll admit that I don't recycle as much as I should.

But how wrong is it that I indulge myself in these things? I'm in college, which makes life stressful with all the pressures that it has. What is so wrong with making my life a little easier? It isn't like I'm trying to consume anything and everything. I'm not trying to hurt the environment. I'm sorry I enjoy shrimp, or a good steak. Or that I like my room heated at night in the winter. I mean I'm not alone in all of this. The majority if America is like this. We live in a materialistic culture. Nowadays this country is all about the quality of the stuff that you own over the type of person you are. No matter how shocking the statistics that Durning and Williams present, people are too concerned with their own well being to worry about the environment. Yes there are those out there trying to make a difference, but that's part of the problem. there are so many of us who think that if it's just me changing, it's not going to change anything, one person can't make a difference. Which is sad because if those 202 billionaires and three million + millionaires contributed just 1% of what they had, they could make a huge impact.

Yes, these writing have made me feel guilty about my consumption habits. Yes, I'm going to try and recycle more. I'll not only make sure all my stuff is off, but encourage the other guys in my house to do the same. But along with the majority of my fellow Americans, I'm not going to give up my lifestyle. I'll do my best to make a few changes, but I'm sorry, I enjoy some of my comforts a little too much.

Return to the "Wild"

"The essential ingredient of wilderness is the presence of big, dangerous animals that can kill you"(36) - Edward Abbey. This was one of the more interesting quote I found in Ted Kerasote's What We Talk About When We Talk About Wilderness. In this writing, Mr. Kerasote explores how the way we view "wilderness" has evolved over time.

The basic difference that is explored is the old European view that "wilderness", which when you trace the roots of the word means "place of wild beasts", is that it is a place that is separate from civilization. A place that is on the other side of the metaphorical or literal fence. The opposing view was that of the Native Americans view that we are apart of the wilderness, that we have always been coexisting with it. They did for hundreds of years, so it can be done. But instead of living with it, the current philosophy is to try and control it, to set ourselves as separate from it. Look where that has gotten us. We are running out of natural resources, species of animals are dying, and several environments are deteriorating or even vanishing.

Are we going to keep this trend up? Are we going to try and set things back to how they were? Neither seem like a logical solution. If we keep going, we are going to run out of resources eventually and wildlife will continue to dwindle, but we can't go back to how things were 500 years ago. I can't imagine that most people would like large predators roaming the streets along with our cars. We need to find a balance, a way to live with nature with what we have now. The tiny, postage stamp-sized land that we are setting aside as "wilderness" is a joke. As humans, we may be the dominant species, but that doesn't give us the right to claim everything as ours. But as a start, we should at least try and live in a sustainable manner. Use energy saving light bulbs, turn all your appliances off when you leave, recycle, just little things that make more of a difference than you would think. So let's try and be a little less selfish and help the "wilderness" that we are apart of out.

Kerasote, Ted "What We Talk About When We Talk About Wilderness" Saving Place Ed. Sidney Dobrin. New York: McGraw Hill, 2005. 397-400. Print.

La Pizza che ha Salvato il Mondo (The Pizza that Saved the World)

Unless you have been living under the metaphorical rock for the past 20 or so years, you have heard the reports about our deteriorating environment. From global warming to the disappearing of natural resources, our world is not the same as it used to be. The EPA says that “The traditional definition of sustainability calls for policies and strategies that meet society’s present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. “ (Sustainability…). What the EPA is trying to encourage is that we not do a give and take with our environment, but work with it as to promote growth in all areas (Sustainability…). We now transition to a quiet little restaurant sits at 270 East State Street. An unassuming looking place with a modest exterior, the only thing that catches your attention is the bold sign that is visibly handmade. It reads “Della Zona”, which is “From the Region” in Italian. I don’t know how many times that I had passed by this place my freshman year here at Ohio University, but one day in the spring of that year, my curiosity got the best of me and I ventured into this rustic looking venue and was blown away by the quality of the food. But what impressed me even more was their commitment of those who ran it to work in an environmentally sustainable way and also in such a manner that benefited the community of Athens as much as it possibly could.

The idea for a community and environmentally friendly restaurant in Athens was started by Casa Nueva back in 1985 (History) and this is where the future owners of Della Zona first cut their teeth In 2002, Christine Hughes embarked on her own adventure and established The Village Bakery. She said that she had always worked in restaurants that had worked to promote the environment, but it was Casa Nueva that made her want to go out on her own and make a larger impact on the community (Christine). She based her business on the idea that “the revolutionary idea of eating locally grown foods is really not new; a century ago it was known as “dinner”.” (Locations…) In 2007, along with Co-owner Bob O’Neil, decided to expand beyond just Village Bakery and Della Zona was born.

This lovely restaurant not only features a unique selection of wood fired pizzas (locally acquired wood at that (Christine)), but they make their own pasta and gelato (Italian style ice cream) as well. The pizzas vary across the board. From anything as simple as cheese to their Giovanni, which has sautéed greens, bacon, pine nuts, and their special Bianca sauce, to my personal favorite; the margherita: basil, garlic, roma tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella (Menu). You also have the option of mixing and matching any of the multitudes of toppings that they offer at Della Zona. If you aren’t in a pizza mood, then they feature a house-made Tagliatelle (a type of fettuccini) as well as a chef’s special that you’ll actually have to go there to find out about (Menu). If you’ve saved any room for desert, then head for either their gelato or sorbet, both made in-house (Menu). But as wonderful as the food is, however, it’s not what sets Della Zona apart.

One of the things that Della Zona prides itself on is the quality of the ingredients that they use. When I use the word quality, however, it may not mean what you think. Della Zona believes is using only organically grown vegetables that are purchased from local farms or the Athens Farmer’s Market, meat from pastured or sustainably raised animals (Locations…), and coffee that is only grown through fair trade practices. What fair trade means is that the exporters of the coffee must meet stringent price regulations that give most of the credit and profit to the grower instead of short-changing them (Fair…). Aside from the fact that organically grown food tasting fresher, there is a scientific reason that Della Zona only uses ingredients grown this way. They site that, according to scientists, sustainably grown ingredients are much better for you than the ones from the big, commercially run farms. Not only do they taste better, but sustainably grown foods contain 20%-80% higher levels of antioxidants, which help build up the body’s natural defenses (Locations…). So not only do you benefit from the delicious flavor, but your immune system gets a boost as well.

The community of Athens benefits greatly from this locally run eatery. Della Zona has made a commitment to do business with only companies located of their area, hence the meaning of their name. They try to make everything that they can in-house; the dough for their crust, their marinara, their pasta is made in-house, even their mozzarella is made at the local Snowville Creamery(Locations…). All of the ingredients that they use to make their food are bought at local farms such as The Big Ruben Farm or the King’s Family Farm just to name a few of the many (Who…). This admirable support of local business strongly supports Athens’ economy. Not to mention that everything they use is incredibly fresh because it doesn’t have to travel very far from start to finish.

Buying from exclusively local businesses is not just good for the community, but it is very friendly for the environment. With the average semi truck getting around six miles per gallon (Wiki…), reducing the distance necessary for travel down to about 20 miles drastically reduces Della Zona’s impact on the environment. Buying locally also helps the environment because it can cut down on the packaging that is required to take products across larger distances. There is a slight downside to buying locally however. Ohio’s climate is not very conducive to growing at least five months out of the year, so the menu is limited at times to what’s available. So you may not be able to get your exact favorite pizza if you choose to go in the colder months, but you shouldn’t look at this as a downside, but you should look at it as a reason to try one of their many other pizzas, expand your horizons, get a little creative. It’s part of the experience.

Another thing that Della Zona does to help the environment, as well as add a little fun to the experience, is they actually encourage you to bring your own bottle of wine or six pack in with you. This little process allows them to not have to worry about getting wine from all over the country, especially when grapes aren’t in season in Ohio. True, there is the small impact of the customer having to buy their own bottle, but with multiple locations in Athens where someone could buy themselves quality wine, it more than offsets the damage that the environment would receive from the cross country travel the wine would normally travel. Not to mention that the consumer would be buying locally, which again is supporting the Athens community. Happily they still will offer you freshly washed glasses for your beverages and will willingly uncork your wine for you free of charge (but you should tip your waiter /waitress a little extra just to be nice).

Della Zona is very big into the recycling movement. They also work closely with the Community Food Initiatives and the Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association (Who…), among many others to help promote a greener community. The biggest thing that this restaurant does is that it takes every bit of leftover food from the day and uses it in their compost heap. They then use that compost on the fields that they grow their ingredients in. This is a perfect example of Della Zona’s commitment to being an environmentally sustainable business.

The owners have been working to make the restaurant itself more sustainable as well. They recently installed solar panels which can provide up to 15% of the location’s energy (Christine). Another method they used to improve Della Zona was to switch from a gas oven to a wood oven, which reduces the amount of emissions that it produces (Christine). Christine and Bob are still working on improving the energy efficiency, but they have a more important long-term goal. Christine said that they wish to educate employees and customers on the benefits of working and living in a sustainable way in the hopes that those people will also pass that information on.

This little pizzeria does wonders for the community of Athens as well as doing its best to help the environment. The sad fact of the matter is that Della Zona is that you can only enjoy their food on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. So if you’re looking for a place to take family or friends for good food and good times, come to 270 East State Street. You’ll be contributing to the Athens community and eating a delicious, environmentally sustainable meal, not to mention contributing to your own stomach (who will thank you). Buon Divertimento!

Sources

“History”, Our Story, Casa Nueva, 2011 http://www.casanueva.com/ourstory/index.html 17 Jan 2011

“Who We Work With”, Della Zona, Della Zona, 2011 http://dellazona.com/who-we-work-with.html 17 Jan 2011

“Our Locations”, Della Zona, Della Zona, 2011, http://dellazona.com/locations.html 17 Jan 2011

“Main Menu”, Della Zona, 2011 http://dellazona.com/della-zona-graphics/della-zona-menu_100606.pdf, 17 Jan 2011

“Fair Trade Coffee”, Fair Trade, Global Exchange, 2007, http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/fairtrade/coffee/. 19 Jan 2011

“Average MPG of a Semi Truck”, WikiAnswers, fairtran.com, 2011 http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Average_mpg_of_a_semi_truck, 17 Jan 2011

“What is Sustainability?”, Basic Info , EPA, 11/17/2010, http://epa.gov/sustainability/basicinfo.htm, 17 Jan 2011

Christina Hughes, Co-owner Village Bakery/ Della Zona/ Catalyst Café, 18 Jan 2011

Photo courtesy of http://dellazona.com

My Reaction to Cronon’s “The Trouble with Wilderness”

Prompt: How has reading about the history of our concept of ‘wilderness’ altered (or not) your sense of what it is and how we should think about it?

When I hear the word “wilderness”, images of densely populated forests full of animals, or maybe the vastness of the Antarctic, the forbidding landscapes of this planet come to my head. Areas that, if one visited, they might be the first one making a path through that area. Somewhere that I’d love to hike through, but never live because I’m a bit too attached to my warm bed and my daily dose of SportsCenter, but I digress.

According to Cronon, my idea of the word “wilderness” is a myth created by the culture I was raised in. i.e. Movies, television, books etc. where wilderness is that dark expanse where the bad guys’ fortress is in the deepest darkest part of and lions, tigers, and bears are lurking. Oh my. But Cronon’s idea that the only way for wilderness to exist is for us not to is a depressing one. For it means that what is left of this true wilderness won’t exist much longer. We as human beings are selfish and adventurous by nature; these two aspects make it impossible for us to leave the untouched alone. We will either want to explore it or use it. Not to mention that most of the population wouldn’t sacrifice their well-being for the idea of a wild, untouched land anyways. Look at what we did by damming the Tuolumne River in Hetch Hetchy valley; we destroyed a landscape that was supposedly as beautiful as Yosemite to promote the growth of San Francisco.

The more I thought about Cronon’s idea of “wilderness” the more I realized that even the taming of the wilderness that was America by the colonists was also a myth. What was so wild about an area that already had hundreds of thousands of people there? The Native Americans had been there for thousands of years making the land less “wild”. Even though they weren’t the Anglo-Saxon, Christian people that we considered “civilized”, they were still disrupting the virginity of the land long before any colonists did.

It seems that if we want to keep wilderness truly wild instead of the facade that is our hiking trails and campsites, we need to respect it and admire it from afar instead sticking our nose into every corner of this planet. As much as some people won’t admit it, we need wilderness as Cronon describes it, both to preserve our ecosystem and for our imaginations. We are part of this planet too and need to act accordingly. Also, if there were no deep, dark, scary places left in this world, where is Disney going to base their next villain? Let's at least try to keep what's left of wilderness wild.

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Cronon, William. "The Trouble with Wilderness." Saving Place. Ed. Sidney Dobrin. New York: McGraw Hill, 2005. 11-30. Print.