Protecting Our Moon with Multipurpose Nature Reserves
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Start Date
15-12-2020 11:50 AM
End Date
15-12-2020 12:10 PM
Description
Throughout human history a figure variously known as a man, woman, rabbit, or toad in the moon has played important roles in diverse cultures. Nonetheless, today that figure is under threat from the mining of our moon that already unfolds as a part of NASA’s Project Artemis. Lunar miners covet the water ice that has proven to exist, rare metals, but especially the energy source helium-3. Problematically, mining the moon for helium-3 over numerous years potentially can disfigure the so-called man in the moon as well as other ecologically valuable lunar features. Worse, since it lacks geological tectonics or atmospheric weathering processes, the moon cannot heal itself from such damage, leading to concurrent ecological, cultural, scientific, and historical calamities. Ameliorating these outcomes, this proposal suggests protecting important environmental lunar landmarks such as the man in the moon, the grand peak Mons Malapert, and other magnificent natural treasures with multipurpose reserves. Diverse-use reserves simultaneously will provide for the needs of science, environmental preservation, future recreation, and sustainable industry, leaving areas outside of the reserves open for desired business. Initiated according to international best practices as delineated by the noteworthy ecologist Aldo Leopold as well as current United Nations environmental policies, these reserves even will preserve locations like the spot of the first human landing on the moon, an immensely important piece of human history and culture. Supporting these proposed reserves, 121 American Buddhists from the ethnographic field provide, when set in context with a control group of 78 nonBuddhist Americans, quantitative and qualitative moral voices in support of lunar multipurpose reserves. Innovatively American Buddhists philosophically stress the importance of interconnection rather than the salience of life in extending the value of nonharm to lunar features. In so doing, the Americans in this study enable protecting outstanding plots on our moon with reserves as a contemporary reflection of a 2,500 year legacy of establishing Buddhism-inspired nature reserves. By following the path that is delineated by these Buddhists, we protect for generations to come what is most valuable on our moon while also allowing lunar industry that follows ecological and ethical best practices.
Recommended Citation
Capper, Daniel, "Protecting Our Moon with Multipurpose Nature Reserves" (2020). Society for Social and Conceptual Issues in Astrobiology (SSoCIA) Conference. 20.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/ssocia/2020/schedule/20
Protecting Our Moon with Multipurpose Nature Reserves
Throughout human history a figure variously known as a man, woman, rabbit, or toad in the moon has played important roles in diverse cultures. Nonetheless, today that figure is under threat from the mining of our moon that already unfolds as a part of NASA’s Project Artemis. Lunar miners covet the water ice that has proven to exist, rare metals, but especially the energy source helium-3. Problematically, mining the moon for helium-3 over numerous years potentially can disfigure the so-called man in the moon as well as other ecologically valuable lunar features. Worse, since it lacks geological tectonics or atmospheric weathering processes, the moon cannot heal itself from such damage, leading to concurrent ecological, cultural, scientific, and historical calamities. Ameliorating these outcomes, this proposal suggests protecting important environmental lunar landmarks such as the man in the moon, the grand peak Mons Malapert, and other magnificent natural treasures with multipurpose reserves. Diverse-use reserves simultaneously will provide for the needs of science, environmental preservation, future recreation, and sustainable industry, leaving areas outside of the reserves open for desired business. Initiated according to international best practices as delineated by the noteworthy ecologist Aldo Leopold as well as current United Nations environmental policies, these reserves even will preserve locations like the spot of the first human landing on the moon, an immensely important piece of human history and culture. Supporting these proposed reserves, 121 American Buddhists from the ethnographic field provide, when set in context with a control group of 78 nonBuddhist Americans, quantitative and qualitative moral voices in support of lunar multipurpose reserves. Innovatively American Buddhists philosophically stress the importance of interconnection rather than the salience of life in extending the value of nonharm to lunar features. In so doing, the Americans in this study enable protecting outstanding plots on our moon with reserves as a contemporary reflection of a 2,500 year legacy of establishing Buddhism-inspired nature reserves. By following the path that is delineated by these Buddhists, we protect for generations to come what is most valuable on our moon while also allowing lunar industry that follows ecological and ethical best practices.