Humans v. Nature

For my next assignment we have to come up with our own essay title, further questions that come out of it, sources we will use to answer the questions, and evaluate those sources.

On the one hand it's a bit scary, but more than that I find it rather exciting!  We can choose from the many different crime subjects we have covered, from corporate crime to state terror; people trafficking to cybercrime.  I have decided to concentrate on eco-crime because it has grabbed me as a subject.

I've never seen myself as a tree-hugger, but reading about it both in my course book and other articles has a) got my blood boiling and b) made me see how things link up between 'the West's' demands and the damage caused to developing countries and the natural environment.

At the moment (it will probably all change!) my working title is "To what extent do transnational relations and global trade affect levels of eco-crime?"

Today the sight in the 2012 "Wildlife photographer of the Year" portfolio of a rhino with its horn having been sawn off with a chainsaw almost reduced me to tears.  The things that humans are capable of and responsible for in a quest for money can be heart-breaking.

I'm off to see if Amazon sell tree-hugger t-shirts.

Unwinding

I will (try to) no longer:

- get wound up by people outside this office ignoring my requests in matters of consistency and admin. Things that make life easier but don't affect the important stuff.  Things I have been asking for at least five years and it's not happening. It's time to stop minding.

- get wound up by other people's problems which they try to involve me in.

- get wound up by other people's stupidity, where it does not directly affect my own or loved-ones' well-being.

- get wound up by apostrophe's.

- get wound up by people who think that because they are rich they are more important.

- get wound up by people trying to wind me up.

Wish me luck!