Emily Anstett Gary Snyder "Grace"

  Snyder opened “Grace” by describing the prominent ethical principle of “cause no unnecessary harm.”  However, life is sustained by the death of other organisms.  This made me think of the “unnecessary” portion of do no harm.  There is some harm that must be done but the problem lies in the extent of the harm. Therefore, I think it is important to consider the extent of harm that is done when trying to become more conscious.  For instance, industrialized productions of meat, like concentrated animal feedlots, are incredibly inhumane and do substantial harm.  There are alternatives to these systems that would do less harm and give animals and plants a better quality of life.  So, maybe the solution is found both in saying grace and being grateful for what had to die in order to sustain us while also trying to reduce the harm we do.  In reality, humans could still sustain themselves while not doing nearly as much harm as they are doing.  Humans have prioritized convenience and efficiency over considering the impacts of our actions or the values of nonhuman organisms.  I think that increased awareness of the harm we are causing and taking action to reduce harm is critical.  Additionally, we also must increase our gratitude to the environment and organisms that sustain us. This could help humans be kinder to the earth and allow it to recover from all of the harm it has sustained.