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Thomas Hartmann April 7, 2014 “War and Sustainability: The Economic and Environmental Costs”

Clark, G. E. (2008). War and Sustainability: The Economic and Environmental Costs. //Environment//, //50//(1), 3–4.
 * 1.) Full Citation**

George E. Clark is a research librarian of environmental resources at Harvard College Library. He previously worked for the EPA in watershed management for Massachusetts. In school, he studied geology, geography, and information science. In particular, he focused on how dimensions such as environmental risks and hazards, water resources, and global change are related to society. He also writes about the environment, sustainability, and music, and has contributed to publications such as //Environment// and //The Resource//. In addition to this article on war and sustainability, he has written articles such as “The Indian Ocean Tsunami: The Global Response to a Natural Disaster” and “Vulnerability to Coastal Flood Hazards in Revere, Massachusetts: A Social component of Risk.”
 * 2.) Where does the author work, what else has s/he written about, and what are her/his credentials?**

Clark, G. E. (n.d.). George E. Clark. Retrieved April 7, 2014, from []

The article primarily discusses the economic and environmental impacts that war has on an area. Clark discusses how war destroys infrastructure such as electricity, water, and sewage, which both causes immediate functional problems and a long term economic and resource strain on areas that were impacted by war. He also describes how this prevents people from working and being productive, which hurts the economy further. In addition, Clark argues that war diverts material and economic resources away from efforts to become sustainable and protect the environment.
 * 3.) What is the main topic or argument of the text?**

First, Clark supports his argument that war takes resources away from efforts to become sustainable and more environmentally friendly by giving examples of how much money the United States typically spends directly and indirectly on defense compared to energy, natural resources, and the environment. In 2007, the United States spend $485B on defense, $78B on veteran benefits, but only $30B on energy, natural resources, and the environment.
 * 4.) Describe at least three ways that the main topic or argument is fleshed out.**

Second, Clark supports his argument that war has direct environmental consequences by describing how Iraq deliberately lit oil wells on fire and released oil into the Red Sea during the Gulf War in 1991.

Third, Clark describes that many regulations are too weak to make a significant impact. He supports this by describing a treaty in 1978 that prohibits nations from hostilely modifying the environmental. This treaty is too weak because it only applies areas of land that are hundreds of square kilometers in area.

Clark succinctly describes his argument by stating, “Nations, ethnic groups, and other interests frequently find themselves involved in armed conflict that tends to drain economies; deplete natural resources, ecosystems, and human health; and lengthen rather than mend tears in the social fabric.”
 * 5.) What three quotes capture the critical import of the text?**

Clark describes how resources are diverted away from important problems such as sustainability towards defense in both times of war and peace when he says, “Equipping and training for war, the job of the military even in peacetime, directs resources away from other pressing problems.”

Clark describes the complexity of how war’s impact on the environment has other less obvious effects when he says, “Rather than simple damage to ecosystems or agricultural systems that is easily mended, case studies interweave damage, culture, politics, and logistics.”

In addition to analyzing the direct impacts of that war has on the environment, I am researching to obtain a better understanding of how war indirectly impacts the environment and sustainability through its effects on other dimensions of the matrix, in particular, society, culture, and economics. The article provides information and evidence in both of these areas.
 * 6.) Explain how the argument and evidence in the text supports your research focus.**

First, I used the example of Iraq deliberately lighting oil wells on fire and releasing oil into the Red Sea during the Gulf War in 1991.
 * 7.) List at least two details or references from the text that you have used in your presentation and wiki post**.

Second, I used the information about how much money the United States directly and indirectly spends on defense and how it is significantly more than that amount spent on sustainability and protecting the environment.