#environmental-ethics

#environmental-ethics

revealing the structure of its underground architecture. It is so sophisticated and looks like something out of a sci-fi film. We call that nature just doing its thing. How come our skyscrapers and cities are seen differently? In my opinion, the answer is that it is a very effective way to morally separate ourselves from problems we inflict on our environment or on other species.

This year in D.C., when so much has felt existential and out of our control, a clear, actionable way to care for the planet has emerged: kill spotted lanternflies. The ecological case against them is real: They are invasive, destructive, and bad for trees. But I still can't bring myself to do it. Each time I see one, with its flickering polka-dotted wings and its clumsy jumps, I hesitate. I know what I'm supposed to do.

When I first started researching antinatalism a few years ago I presumed its proponents would be losers and edgelords. You know, those men who love playing devil's advocate. Incels masquerading as philosophers and 14-year-olds who have just discovered Nietzsche. The world's most famous antinatalist academic, David Benatar, has a book called The Second Sexism: Discrimination Against Men and Boys. I remember rolling my eyes back into my skull, thinking: here we go.

Just over a year ago, on September 2, 2024, Michelino Sunseri, now a 33-year-old professional trail runner, tagged the summit of Wyoming's Grand Teton and returned to the trailhead in 2 hours, 50 minutes, and 8 seconds, faster than the long-standing fastest known time (FKT) held by Andy Anderson since 2012. But while the clock said Sunseri was faster, a controversy kicked in almost immediately, landing him in federal court.

The Philippines' Pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia presents Soil-beings (Lamánlupa), an exhibition curated by artistic director Renan Laru-an. Through interdisciplinary collaborations, the Pavilion brings together architects, technical experts, indigenous leaders, artists, policymakers, and local communities to explore the cultural, ecological, and technological dimensions of soil. Its objective is to challenge conventional architectural paradigms by shifting the focus from structure to soil, not as a passive material, but as a living force with agency, history, and power.