The Ecological Question

Human beings are the only creatures that have an extensive knowledge of nature´s chain on a global basis. Precisely for this reason we should not – indeed, we cannot – ignore our own link in this chain.

Our almost complete understanding of the natural order definitely does not excuse us from playing our essential role in it. It is our duty not only to observe all of nature´s elements and functions, but to utilize fully opportunities it offers us.

Giving preference to one type of being, at the expense of others, shows surprising contempt as well as incomprehension. To think that the red blood of animals is more important than the white blood of plants is a terrible misjudgment. All life has rights and obligations, and these should be respected. Existence on this planet depends not only on our living together, but on our living from and off each other. And those who claim that whales and seals are sacred, holier than other living things, simply are wrong – just as those who still think that black cars are finer than other cars are wrong.

We all know of individuals who have organized campaigns in a systematic way, using the various media to disburse their heartfelt but negative messages. The sound of money has rung in many ears, and the unscrupulous have joined the ignorant in building associations and fund-raising machinery to support themselves and their activities. And the result is a situation dominated by very successful propaganda which is nearly impossible to fight with sensible arguments – at least not by a divided few opponents.

It is no longer possible for furriers and related tradesmen to defend their professions using, say job development and the maintenance of the hunter´s society as justification. The counter response is that we are exploiting nature only for selfish financial gain and even that some of us are simply satisfying our killer´s instinct.

Our strategy should be to organize all our recources and to present our facts, our believes, and our opinions in such a way that they can benefit both our natural environment and ourselves. We must not forget that the hunter, the fisherman, the farmer, the meat processors, the tanner, and the furrier play important roles in maintaining the balance and the stability of nature.

Consider, for instance, the dangerously shrinking white wolf population in the United States. The reason for this decline could very well be the fact that the fur industry has failed to generate a high enough demand for the coyote – the wolf´s natural enemy. Therefore the white wolf that used to live in 26 states, now can be found on only two or three. The American white wolf is not disappearing as a result of overhunting, but rather because the coyote population is steadily increasing. And this is a case where human beings could have played an important role in preserving nature´s balance.

As a related example, there are far, far fewer Icelandic seals today than there were before the sealskin market crashed some years ago. While there was a great demand for pelts, the hunters protected the breeding grounds. However, when the skins became almost worthless, it no longer mattered to the farmers and the hunters if the bigger North Atlantic seals spoiled the breeding grounds of the smaller, more delicate, relatively defenseless Icelandic seals and ate their young.

At times we are our own natural enemies, and it´s time we did something about this. I find it very disappointing that the fur industry has not met its opposition with a single unified action or at least with ongoing educational efforts, utilizing the best public relations tactics available. Today, the same can be said about whaling and indeed the monitoring of our fishing grounds. But in order to do this, we must coördinate our research and PR programs.

It is not accidental that we in these “basic professions” are in the situation we are in. We are really not fighting the general public. We are fighting well-organized teams of people who earn their livelihood from protest work. This is their job. It is as serious as any other business. However, we cannot be led to believe – or allow others to believe – that our business is any less important.

It is time for all of us to take the time to do our homework. We have to make our opinions known. We have to be able to make a living from our professions and, at the same time, preserve our environment. We have to be leaders in our own businesses, whether it be on land or sea, and give others worthwhile jobs.