Biodiversity and Conservation Ethics: Multimedia Resources

Academies, The National. Genetically Engineered Crops: Experience and Prospects Release Briefing, 2016. https://vimeo.com/167020587.

• Genetically engineered (GE) crops were first introduced commercially in the 1990s. After two decades of production, some groups and individuals remain critical of the technology based on their concerns about possible adverse effects on human health, the environment, and ethical considerations. At the same time, others are concerned that the technology is not reaching its potential to improve human health and the environment because of stringent regulations and reduced public funding to develop products offering more benefits to society. While the debate about these and other questions related to the genetic engineering techniques of the first 20 years goes on, emerging genetic-engineering technologies are adding new complexities to the conversation.
• Genetically Engineered Crops builds on previous related Academies reports published between 1987 and 2010 by undertaking a retrospective examination of the purported positive and adverse effects of GE crops and to anticipate what emerging genetic-engineering technologies hold for the future. This report indicates where there are uncertainties about the economic, agronomic, health, safety, or other impacts of GE crops and food, and makes recommendations to fill gaps in safety assessments, increase regulatory clarity, and improve innovations in and access to GE technology.

The Aldo Leopold Foundation. "Voices of Green Fire: The Land Ethic Across Cultures." The Aldo Leopold Foundation. 2013. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80C9XENIvyk.

• Conservationists, authors, scientists, activists, and scholars from around the world discuss the meaning and importance of Aldo Leopold's Land Ethic for the future of all the cultures of this planet.

Archer, Michael. "How We’ll Resurrect the Gastric Brooding Frog, the Tasmanian Tiger." TEDTalk. 2013. https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_archer_how_we_ll_resurrect_the_gastric_brooding_frog_the_tasmanian_tiger.

• The gastric brooding frog lays its eggs just like any other frog -- then swallows them whole to incubate. That is, it did until it went extinct 30 years ago. Paleontologist Michael Archer makes a case to bring back the gastric brooding frog and the thylacine, commonly known as the Tasmanian tiger.

Barkham, Patrick. “Why It Is Ethical to Kill Deer but Let the Badgers Live." The Guardian.  December 4, 2013. http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/04/ethical-kill-deer-badgers-conservationists-wildlife.

• Conservationists like me can condemn one cull while supporting another – it all depends on what's best for wildlife diversity. Accompanied by an essay.

Boykoff, Maxwell, and Kanmani Venkateswaran. “Environmental Studies: Climate Change.” TEDTalk. ND. https://www.ted.com/read/ted-studies/environmental-studies.

• TED Studies, created in collaboration with Wiley, are curated video collections — supplemented by rich educational materials — for students, educators and self-guided learners. In Climate Change, speakers give talks that boldly illuminate the nature and scale of current-day climate science, policy and ethics. They explore the economics and psychology of individual and collective action — or inaction — on climate change in order to assess the costs of our choices and opportunities for change. Relevant areas of interest, study and coursework include: ecology, atmospheric science, oceanography, glaciology, energy development, environmental policy, science in the media, political science, ethics, sociology, behavioral psychology and cultural studies.

Brand, Stewart. "4 Environmental 'Heresies.'" TEDTalk. 2009. https://www.ted.com/talks/stewart_brand_4_environmental_heresies.

• The man who helped usher in the environmental movement in the 1960s and '70s has been rethinking his positions on cities, nuclear power, genetic modification and geo-engineering. This talk at the US State Department is a foretaste of his major new book, sure to provoke widespread debate.

———. "The Dawn of De-Extinction. Are You Ready?" TEDTalk. 2013. https://www.ted.com/talks/stewart_brand_the_dawn_of_de_extinction_are_you_ready.

• Throughout humankind's history, we've driven species after species extinct: the passenger pigeon, the Eastern cougar, the dodo ... But now, says Stewart Brand, we have the technology (and the biology) to bring back species that humanity wiped out. So -- should we? Which ones? He asks a big question whose answer is closer than you may think.

Brown, Gordon. Global Ethic vs. National Interest." TEDTalk. 2009. https://www.ted.com/talks/gordon_brown_global_ethic_vs_national_interest.

• Can the interests of an individual nation be reconciled with humanity's greater good? Can a patriotic, nationally elected politician really give people in other countries equal consideration? Following his TEDTalk calling for a global ethic, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown fields questions from TED Curator Chris Anderson.

Denison University. Environmental Ethics: Should We Use De-Extinction, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-8J3OfuehE.

• Ronald Sandler (Environmental Ethicist) ’95 returns to Denison University to discuss the pros and cons of bringing extinct animals back to life.

Evolution Films. Seeing the Forest, 2015. https://vimeo.com/125160364.

• This documentary tells the story of how a national forest evolved from seeing trees as its primary resource, to seeing the forest whole. There is more information and background at alanhonick.com/seeing-the-forest-2/

Forgacs, Andras. "Leather and Meat without Killing Animals." TEDTalk. 2013. https://www.ted.com/talks/andras_forgacs_leather_and_meat_without_killing_animals.

• By 2050, it will take 100 billion land animals to provide the world's population with meat, dairy, eggs and leather goods. Maintaining this herd will take a huge, potentially unsustainable toll on the planet. What if there were a different way? In this eye-opening talk, tissue engineering advocate Andras Forgacs argues that biofabricating meat and leather is a civilized way to move past killing animals for hamburgers and handbags.

Humans and Nature. "2014 Forum on Ethics and Nature: Panel 1." Humans and Nature. 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7TtXI1aHWk.

• Brooke Hecht moderates a discussion with some leading thinkers in environmental ethics. Themes include meaning of place, how we cultivate sense of place, the concept of the Anthropocene, personhood, the value of loss, grief vs. action, the meaning of hope, how do you science vs. sentiment, etc. There is a morning and afternoon session. Center for Humans and Nature's 2014 Forum on Ethics & Nature held at the Chicago Botanic Garden: A Cascade of Loss, An Ethics of Recovery.The Forum explored the topic of extinction, balancing information with ethical reflection about the possibilities of biodiversity and biocultural recovery. 

———. "2014 Forum on Ethics and Nature: Panel 2." Humans and Nature. 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CT2bo1RCq4.

• Brooke Hecht moderates a discussion with some leading thinkers in environmental ethics. Themes include meaning of place, how we cultivate sense of place, the concept of the Anthropocene, personhood, the value of loss, grief vs. action, the meaning of hope, how do you science vs. sentiment, etc. There is a morning and afternoon session. Center for Humans and Nature's 2014 Forum on Ethics & Nature held at the Chicago Botanic Garden: A Cascade of Loss, An Ethics of Recovery.The Forum explored the topic of extinction, balancing information with ethical reflection about the possibilities of biodiversity and biocultural recovery. 

Kaebnick, Gregory. "Dr. Gregory Kaebnick: De-Extinction, Biotechnology, and the Ethics of Conservation." The Hastings Center. 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKex4QhLcDg.

• Dr. Gregory Kaebnick, editor of the Hastings Center Report and a research scholar, delivers public remarks about the August 2017 special report: " De-extinction, biotechnology, and the ethics of conservation."

Kaebnick, Gregory, and Mildred Solomon. "Gene Drives: Using Our Newfound Power Over Nature Wisely." The Hastings Center. 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rS76agd9bX4.

• Kaebnick, a member of the committee of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine — the leading scientific advisory group for the federal government — has only recently been free to comment on their just-released report on the responsible use of “gene drives.” This revolutionary and rapidly developing technology holds promise for addressing large-scale and persistent problems such as eradicating mosquito-borne diseases and conserving endangered species, but also risks harming entire ecosystems.

Klein, Naomi. "Addicted to Risk." TEDTalk. 2010. https://www.ted.com/talks/naomi_klein_addicted_to_risk.

• Days before this talk, journalist Naomi Klein was on a boat in the Gulf of Mexico, looking at the catastrophic results of BP's risky pursuit of oil. Our societies have become addicted to extreme risk in finding new energy, new financial instruments and more ... and too often, we're left to clean up a mess afterward. Klein's question: What's the backup plan?

Meine, Curt. "2014 Forum on Ethics and Nature." Humans and Nature. 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6_z1_nG7Vg.

• Dr. Meine reflects on each of the talks given at this event weaving together to broader themes. What does at ethic of recovery look like? What can be learned from the day's discussion? Center for Humans and Nature's 2014 Forum on Ethics & Nature held at the Chicago Botanic Garden: A Cascade of Loss, An Ethics of Recovery.The Forum explored the topic of extinction, balancing information with ethical reflection about the possibilities of biodiversity and biocultural recovery.

Minteer, Ben. "2014 Forum on Ethics and Nature." Humans and Nature. 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiNfJXFftaY.

• This talk deals with questions of why we should care about animals who are threatened by extinction. But further, is it possible to care too much? What are the challenges of intervention in a rapidly changing world? Minteer explores the continuum of interventions and the tradeoffs and values in drawing the line for intervention. Center for Humans and Nature's 2014 Forum on Ethics & Nature held at the Chicago Botanic Garden: A Cascade of Loss, An Ethics of Recovery.The Forum explored the topic of extinction, balancing information with ethical reflection about the possibilities of biodiversity and biocultural recovery.

Plotnik, Joshua. "Ethics, Economics, Conservation & the Thai Elephant Trade: A Discussion with Dr. Joshua Plotnik." THINK Global School. 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQacHjm-mLQ.

• While visiting the Golden Triangle in Thailand, THINK Global School made a visit to Think Elephants International where Dr. Joshua Plotnik and Dr. John Roberts addressed many of the students' questions. "Is buying elephants the 'key' to protecting this endangered species?" "Why do the Mahouts use hooks on the elephants?" These issues and many more give TGS students a well-rounded view of the complexity of the wild and captive elephant situation in Thailand.

Temple, Stan. "2014 Forum on Ethics and Nature: Stan Temple." Humans and Nature. 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WD7VZScdB4.

• Dr. Temple explores the intersection of biotechnology and conservation. Is biotech a game changer for the practice of conservation? Does biotech offer wicked solutions to wicked problems? How can we maintain the mission of conservation while implementing biotech? Where are the risks? Where are the potential gains? Who decides? Center for Humans and Nature's 2014 Forum on Ethics & Nature held at the Chicago Botanic Garden: A Cascade of Loss, An Ethics of Recovery.The Forum explored the topic of extinction, balancing information with ethical reflection about the possibilities of biodiversity and biocultural recovery.

Tyson, Neil deGrasse, Church, George, Greely, Hank, Kaebnick, Gregory, MacPhee, Ross, and Beth Shapiro. "2017 Isaac Asimov Memorial Debate: De-Extinction." American Museum of Natural History. 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LnAtMeSVeY.

• Neil deGrasse Tyson and panelists discuss de-extinction in the 2017 Isaac Asimov Memorial Debate at the American Museum of Natural History. Biologists today have the knowledge, the tools, and the ability to influence the evolution of life on Earth. Do we have an obligation to bring back species that human activities may have rendered extinct? Does the technology exist to do so? Join Tyson and the panel for a lively debate about the merits and shortcomings of this provocative idea.

West, Peyton, and Karen Lips. “Biodiversity, Scientists, and Religious Communities: Conservation Through Collaboration." American Association for the Advancement of Science. 2016. https://www.aaas.org/news/biodiversity-scientists-and-religious-communities-conservation-through-collaboration.

• Religious communities are too often an underutilized resource in protecting Earth’s most vulnerable ecosystems, speakers said at a DoSER-sponsored AAAS Annual Meeting symposium on February 13. Conservation biologist Karen Lips and wildlife ecologist Peyton West outlined the extent of the worldwide ecological crisis and the potential for collaboration between conservationists and religious communities, while theologian William Brown made a scriptural case for such efforts and environmental journalist Daniel Grossman moderated the discussion.