Japan and the Environment: A Perspective Through Cultural Contexts

Abstract

Throughout the history of the human species, culture and the environment have met with varied results. For example, the United States, with its tradition as an ecological pioneer, has been denuding the biosphere for decades. On the other hand, the Yanomamo Indians, living on the border between Venezuela and Brazil, have learned great respect for the rainforest. Over the centuries, they have learned to utilize the rainforest's resources in a sustainable, almost symbiotic manner, proving that this interface can be serendipitous too. It seems that in every environmental niche, human beings have had an almost inexorable capability to alter the ecosystems of the Earth- both locally and in many cases, globally. These interactions between humans and the environment are commonly known as cultural ecology.