How does society impact upon animal’s habitat loss, and does the nature of environmental campaigns affect our response to such issues?
Loss of animal life and habitat destruction is considered to be one of the most detrimental environmental issues today. This essay discusses society’s impacts on the environment by exploring multiple factors that lead to habit loss, such as agricultural practice and urbanisation. It will discuss how organisations working for environmental change use campaigns focusing on preventing and preserving animal life. Thus raising the question, do campaign tactics lead to a positive change in the attitudes of our modern day society, or do they simply shock the viewer who in turn takes no action.
One of the greatest worldwide problems faced by species today is habitat loss (Johnson & Vagg, 2010, p.128). The destruction of habitat is the action in which a natural habitat is no longer able to occupy the residing species. According to the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) current website (no date) habitat loss ‘is identified as a main threat to 85% of all species described in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) ‘Red List’. The Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN, 2014) evaluates the conservation status of animal and plant species, and is confirmed to be the most comprehensive method of determining their preservation. It continues to play a prominent aspect in advising governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and scientific institutions on how to tackle the increase of endangered species.
Humans are thought to be the most significant cause of habitat destruction due to the ever-growing infrastructure caused by increasing populations. It is recognised that humanity has “caused 322 animal extinctions in the past 500 years” Viegas (2014). Habitat loss is caused by a number of direct contributors including agriculture and urbanisation (Johnson & Vagg, 2010), each illustrating society’s destructive behaviour.
The continuous development of agricultural practice has led to the deterioration of animal habitats, particularly in the US, where deforestation is commonplace, and the use of pesticide, pollution, fragmentation (Johnson & Vagg, 2010) are problematic. The National Esturine Research Reserve System website (no date) refers to the Pimental et al. (1992) study, stating that an estimated ‘50% of the world’s land is used for agriculture and animal production while only 5% is unmanaged lands, parks and preserves.’ According to the WWF’s current website (no date) ‘the net loss in global forest area during the 1990s was about 94 million/ha (equivalent to 2.4% of total forests).’ The website goes on to state that in the 1990s it was estimated that almost 70% of deforested areas were transformed to agricultural land.
As well as this, the frequent use of pesticides within agricultural practices, can lead to the destruction of entire ecosystems, though developing consequential effects can remain unnoticed due to an obscured view of the surrounding environment:
‘ponds or fields heavily contaminated by industrial chemicals or agricultural pesticides might superficially appear fine, even though original species, composition and ecosystem function have been completely eliminated’
(Kenneth, Dodd and Smith, 2012).
Society’s rising demand for food/produce has led to extensive destruction of natural habitats to make allowance for intensive monocultures. Recent cases have introduced the conversion of lowland rainforests in Indonesia to palm oil plantations. The effects of palm oil pose the most extreme threats to large endangered animals, (Weston, 2009). In 2010 it was predicted that tigers could become extinct within the next 12 years (Titova, 2010). The Living Planet Report (2006) declared that:
‘populations of terrestrial species had declined by about a third since 1970, and according to the World Conservation Union of 10,000 scientists and experts from 181 countries, animal and plant species are being lost at an unprecedented rate’
(McDougall , 2007).
This message is reiterated by Image 1, the poster campaign devised by Friends of the Earth (BUND) which depicts how quickly time is running out for species existence.
Deforestation is the act in which natural forests are lost through logging and/or burning, for either timber, or to replace the land for alternative uses. It’s often heard of that ‘an area of pristine forest the size of hundreds of sports fields or a small country has been destroyed by or felling’ (Johnson & Vagg, 2010, p.128). Many rare species are lost before scientists have the chance to record them. The WWF website (no date) states only approximately half of the planets original forests still exist, they face destruction at an alarming rate, estimated to be ten times higher than any possibility of regrowth., The yearly removal of 17 million hectares is a substantial loss to at least half the Earth's species which reside in these tropical forests.
Fragmentation is the division of large intact areas of single vegetation type into smaller intact units. According to Didham:
‘A dominant effect of increasing habitat loss is a reduction in patch area, with resulting declines in population density and species richness’
(2010).
Didham goes on to state that if society continues to make substantial alterations to the way in which habitats are composed, this impacts on the wildlife community in terms of its composition and how the species are able to interact, thereby affecting how the ecosystem functions. Habitat fragmentation coincides with other factors of global environmental change, including climate change.
Additionally, pollution can lead to the loss of wildlife environments, with humans being the primary contributors. TutorVista (2014) website states that agriculture created pollutants from processes such as clear felling, burning and spraying of pesticides and herbicides. Water pollution is caused by the contamination of water through the distribution of sewage, oil production and often the act of littering. This process disrupts the natural food chain with harmful microorganisms, thus leading to the destruction of larger wildlife.
Air pollution is another recurring cause of destruction, particularly for bees and other pollinators. Air pollution is formed through man-made pollutants by actions such as combustion, construction, mining, agriculture and warfare. Beekeeping Times (2011) states that diesel fumes that emit from the use of transport and agricultural equipment are thought to prevent honeybees from finding food sources.
Humans are the primary cause of global warming since 1950s (TutorVista, 2014). Vehicles emit harmful chemicals leading to a climate change; a large-scale, long-term shift in the statistical distribution of global or regional climate patterns or average temperatures, resulting in extreme and unpredictable weather across the world. Climate change is happening too rapidly for many species to adapt. Research by Root et al., (2002) has stated that ‘over the past 100 years, the global average temperature has increased by approximately 0.6 °C’. Evidence collated from previous studies depicts the impact in which global warming is discernible within plant and animal populations. Bowermaster (2013) stated that penguin ecologist, Bill Fraser, studied the planet’s melting polar ice caps and the effects of climate change. Since 1974 Fraser visits and investes the same Adelie penguins on the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) and has witnessed ‘the number of breeding pairs decline from 32,000 to less than 10,000’. The WWF, (b: no date) suggests that experts estimate the Arctic sea ice is melting at a fast rate, 9% per decade, which is endangering the polar bear’s habitat and existence.
Loss of animal habitat is also caused by urbanisation due to society’s ever expanding population. The world population increased during the twentieth century due to cheap energy making industrialisation possible. The 1700’s marked the beginning of The Industrial Revolution which saw the growth of factories and mass production. This ongoing industrialization is a factor impacting on many natural resources and their depletion, thereby leaving the environment damaged irreparably. According to the Living Planet Report (2014) by the WWF, the world’s total population is in excess of 7.2 billion and is increasing at a rate much faster than it was estimated. The report goes on to say that a new estimate suggests that the pollution is expected to reach a huge 9.6 billion by 2050.
Urbanisation refers to the increase in the number of people living within an urban area. McDougall (2007) claims that ‘Continuous urbanisation of the planet, fuelled by expected population growth of 2.5 billion by 2050, will be ecologically unsustainable’. According to McKinney (2008) rural to urban migration is happening on such a vast scale due to population pressure and lack of resources in rural areas. McKinney (2008) stated that ‘as urbanisation spreads rapidly, it grows challenging for conservation to understand how it affects biodiversity’. Urbanisation is both the cause of native species extinction and local habitat loss.
Due to overgrowing population, the UK landscape is subject to numerous uses and as a result is highly fragmented. The measure of woodland in the UK has been severely declining for centuries and the remaining woods are often small and isolated from other woodland. It’s been said that ancient woodland cannot be replicated once lost. Ryan (2012) stated that there were twelve development types identified in The Woodland Trust 2008 report (Corney et al. 2008): housing, transport, commercial and industrial development to name a few. Thes factors identified by The Woodland Trust’s report lead to the potential effects such as disturbance, fragmentation, invasion by non-native plant species cumulative effects and chemical effects, as illustrated by Ryan (2012):
‘Cumulative effects from roads and urban development include a combination of noise, light, increased mortality due to car collisions and barrier effects preventing normal movement of species’
(Ryan, 2012 p.14).
In addition, the need for new houses due to economic growth is also allowing the government to build properties on floodplain areas. A floodplain is the area that is naturally prone to flooding. Waite (2014) stated that ‘between 2001 and 2011, it is thought around 200,000 homes have been built on floodplains’. Floodplains are home to a diversity of wildlife and provide corridors that allow them to travel from one habitat to another. However, floodplains are popular areas for development due to their proximity to river systems, and are ploughed under for agriculture due to their rich and productive soils. The human development on to floodplains is permanently eliminating habitats (NH Fish & Game) and building along river corridors has significantly modified floodplain functions, leading to considerable loss of fish and wildlife habitat.
WWF suggest that society’s impact on natural resources on both land and in the sea lead to coastal and marine dilapidation. Urbanization, population growth industrialization and tourism are all causes. According to the WWF (a: no date) ‘in 1994, it was estimated that 37% of the global population lived within 60 km of the coast’. Poverty, consumption and land-use patterns are all contributors to the degradation of marine habitats and to the loss of species that rely on them to survive.
Society is taking more from the ecosystems and natural processes than it can possibly replenish which leaves the future of humans and animals in jeopardy. Nature conservation and sustainable development combine, they are not only about preserving biodiversity and wild habitats, but also just as much about protecting the future of humanity (WWF, 2014).
Campaigns have been used to highlight issues of this nature and they can take several forms, either using shock tactics or a more toned down, viewer-friendly approach. There are multiple campaigns that are set out to encourage and inform society how they can reduce pollution and its impact on the environment. Although humans are essentially creating the polluted world in which they live, campaigners such as Greenpeace and Oceana are trying to change the actions of those causing the destruction. They promote a number of methods society can practice to reduce pollution both in the home, on the road and by teaching the consumer how to buy smart and responsibly. However, as society is growing, the need to support the population is leading to industrialisation of the planet, making it difficult to get the message of sustainability across.
Fearn (2013) questioned whether the uses of shock tactics work or whether they are too harrowing for the audience. St John's Ambulance Service (2013) argues that it’s essential to use shock tactics in order to deliver an effective campaign and ensure that a ‘powerful message is proven to get people to take action’. Fearn (2013) states that The St John's Ambulance Service (2013) suggested that the chance to make a change through the use of shock tactics ‘vastly outweighs the potential risk of offending a few’.
Fearn (2013) comments on how in 2011 Action Aid attempted to tone down its direct and hard-hitting message by using a more positive campaign which gave details of the projects and outcomes which donations funded. This resulted in a fundraising income decline, however, also improved supporter engagement. It’s stated that the year before the article was published in 2013, voluntary giving to UK charities as a whole had dropped by 20%, and therefore this may also help explain the decline in Action Aids fundraising, which occurred at a parallel time to their change in tactics. Fearn (2013) also states the Advertising Standards Authority is considering a change from the traditional, tougher approach to the content of charity adverts due to research regarding how some members of society think charities may go too far with their use of distressing imagery. According to Pudelek (2013) during a survey of 1,200 people, including 540 parents of children under 16, it was found that ‘many felt some charity adverts contained offensive content that went too far in making people feel uncomfortable or guilty.’
Different types of information are better received if approached in a specific manner. According to Kronrod, Grinstein, and Wathieu (2012) environmental communications are commonly known for using assertive commands such as ‘go’ and ‘do’(2012, p.95) which are intended to create actions with the viewer. However, the authors then state that similarly to other charities, research has shown that in consumer behavior, psycholinguistics, and communications that ‘gentler phrasing is more effective when seeking consumer compliance’. Kronrod, Grinstein, and Wathieu (2012) go on to say that:
‘recipients respond better to pushy requests in domains that they view as important, but they need more suggestive appeals when they lack initial conviction’
(2012, p.95).
The authors found a difference of approach between language used by consumer goods product slogans and environmental ones, the former being assertive in 19% of instances, the latter being assertive 57% of the time. According to You Can Now website in regard to the story of Animal rights charity Peta (2015) have made use of the 24-hour news-cycle worlds and have found that their ‘racier actions are sometimes a fast-track way to get people to sit up and pay attention to the plight of animals’, illustrating their point by the use of more direct campaigning.
Adverts can adopt range of appeals. The most common for animal rights campaigns is emotion. ‘The emotion-arousing stimuli draw the viewers in to the action and distract them from the advertiser’s intention to persuade’ (Tellis, 2004, p.150). The use of emotional appeal also demands less effort from the audience, as they do not have to carefully watch and evaluate the argument like they would when following logic. Pictures or films that trigger emotion require far less cognitive effort from the viewer. As well as this, emotion-arousing stimuli such as pictures and music are easier to memorise than factual evidence, Tellis (2004) goes on to say that ‘emotions themselves may endure in memory far longer than arguments’. Additionally, it has been researched that emotion leads to a change in the audiences behavior more immediately than logic would (Tellis, 2004). By promoting horrible imagery that depicts much-loved animals that have been subjected to the loss of their homes and possibly their lives, it immediately prompts its audience to help urgently.
Image 1 depicts a seal trapped in a clock, illustrating how time is running out on species. It gives a statistic to bring home the fact that a ‘every 60 seconds a species dies out’, but no more text is needed as the shocking nature of image speaks volumes. The seal looks to be in acute pain and the viewer gets a real sense of how this suffering will increase as time runs out as we are familiar with the function and workings of a clock face. Every second counts in terms of the damage that occurs in that time. When shown so visually it is hard not to stop and think about the message. Fearn (2013) writes that the Advertising Standards Agency and Pudelek (2013) are disapproving of such tactics. Peta also use this method to engage an audience and shock them in to action.
Image 2 is similar in approach, however uses a cut out shape of a rhino on a featureless landscape with humans looking at the species from a safari vehicle. This shows how humans have the desire to see animals but also how their behaviors impacts on the survival of the animal, and that our presence in their habitat has a negative influence. It also shows the humans may be oblivious to what is happening as a result of our actions, do they know it is a cut out of an animal they are viewing from afar? It poses the question why should our desire to view an animal impact upon it so negatively to result in extinction. Again, limited factual text is given regarding the rate at which the rhino will become extinct, but still people insist on partaking in activities such as safaris, which create pollution, environmental damage and endanger the species. The statement on the poster ‘The future in manmade’ reiterates that it’s up to humans to take action on this issue. Both images use emotional appeal, as stated to be an effective approach by Tellis, (2004), but Image 2 does not use a shocking image of a dead or dying creature. The less hard hitting visuals link to Fearn’s (2013) stance on advertising content, though the image being shown is not positive. Campaigns such as the RSPB’s recent initiative ‘giving nature a home’ (no date) (Image 3) entice the public to take small steps tomake a difference in their own environment; this may be a more educational driven and positive approach to encourage localized change on a small scale.
An ever increasing population leads to inevitable industrialisation and therefore increasing issues regarding environmental resources and impacts. It is ever more important that society is aware of these issues and the impact they have upon the environment in terms of land use and its consequences, and importantly, how it’s vital that humans play a positive role in redressing the balance. Campaigns are effective in terms of raising awareness of what is happening globally, informing us of issues which we may be directly and indirectly contributing to. An effective campaign needs to use the right imagery and language in order to gain an active and relevant response from the targeted viewer. Effective campaigns, such as those shown in Images 1 and 2, will make people more aware of issues and hopefully encourage them to actively engage and make a change. Peoples responses to environmental issues vary, some react positively to distressing imagery, for example by donation or taking action to help the cause; they may need to be shocked in order to initiate an action. However, Pudelek (2013), Kronrod, Grinstein, and Wathieu (2012), and Tellis (2004) all believe others will be further dissuaded to take action if the message is too distressing for them to contemplate, possibly even making them feel hopeless and without the power to create such change. Therefore, in order to lead to positive changes in the attitudes of the public, campaigns needs to be considered in terms of their audience, content, visual and text based message and also the action the campaigners wish the viewers to take after seeing the campaign materials. However, campaigns on such distressing and emotive issues will always shock some viewers, no matter what tactic are used by the campaigners.
Word
count - 3, 287
List
of Images
Image
1: Friends of the Earth (BUND) – Seal campaign poster
Image
2: WWF 'The future is man made- poster campaign
Image
3: RSPB. (No date) Giving nature a home.
Leaflet giving tips and advice on creating suitable habitats
for nature in urban gardens
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