Analytical Review

Source:

          Miller, Ryder W. "Astroenvironmentalism: The Case for Space Exploration as an Environmental Issue." Electronic Green Journal no. 15 (2001): 2-7. http://search.proquest.com/docview/197579864?accountid=285.

                In "Astroenvironmentalism: The Case for Space Exploration As An Environmental Issue," by Ryder Miller, Ryder brings up a very different way to look at space exploration that I had not previously considered or had even thought existed. When one thinks of space one tends to think of vast distances of nothingness, with the occasional comet, planet, star or moon, completely void of organisms and without the intricate systems that earth posses. However, Miller brings up a sort of ethical debate pertaining to protecting the environment  of space from the destructive tendencies of the human race. Obviously this is a reasonable claim when you're talking about keeping earth's upper atmosphere and orbital zone free of debris that is made of harmful chemicals that could eventually end up back on earth. This type of pollution can easily be agreed upon as something that we, as a species, would like to keep to a minimum. But, Miller relates other parts of space to earth and he believes that human beings must take the same precautions that we do here on earth with regards to our environment and translate them into space. Miller believes that property rights shouldn't be allowed in space because it increases the probability of conflict among entities in space. Conflicts can lead to worse things that can only have negative impacts on the immediate surroundings. Miller says that is it our moral obligation to keep space free of the stains we have put our earth through during our existence as a species.

                Basically, Miller desires that our race take the utmost caution when moving into space, showing the most respect possible to the various systems and environmental systems that are present on other celestial bodies. Terraforming, while it won't be economically feasible for another 150 or so years, is the process in which a group of pioneers, 100-150, inhabit a planet and attempt to create large scale environments on other celestial bodies like the environmental systems that exist on earth, for example, the creation of oxygen on a planet or the implementation of a water cycle, or a way to moderate temperatures to more easily support life. It's basically "earthifying another planet." Miller worries that humans tend to act arrogantly toward nature and this may cause us to trample over systems that have been in place since the dawn of our solar system. While Miller isn't completely against the idea of moving into space, he emphasizes the necessity for caution. Miller also worries that during the early days of International Outer Space Law the environment was not taken into consideration.

                My reason for choosing to use this article is, while it's not factually saturated, it provides another viewpoint in the expansion of technology and humans into space. A viewpoint more oriented toward nature, caution and compassion toward something that hasn't been messed with for over four billion years. If this paper is going to be successful, I'm going to need to compile a multitude of different viewpoints toward space expansion so that I can hypothesize the different outcomes and implications of each viewpoint.