Journal of Geoscience and Eco Agricultural Studies

Abstract

In Crossing Open Ground (1989), Barry Lopez highlights the humanity-nature relationship during his travel to remote regions of North America. In fact, he shares his experiences of the impact of human actions on na ture which has led to the worrying problem of climate change. Through historical, ecocritical, eco-Marxist and postcolonial approaches, we explore the imperial process of dispossession of Native Americans’ land, the core of their civilization, and other properties after being subjugated by Europeans. European colonialism and imperialism consisted in exploiting American continent by looting gold, silver, and diamond that fueled European monarchies. In modern America, life is determined by the capitalist mode of production, its mode of distribution and consumption, its cultural values, and social reproduction. Although capitalism tries to preserve nature, it remains unsustainable because competition for profit, its driving force, implies a blind tendency to limitless exploitation of natural resources to assure modernity and development. The capitalist exploitation of resources has resulted in the Anthropocene defined as human-caused changes of the natural ecosystem, and the socio-ecological and economic crises experienced by the globe. Barry Lopez gives evidence that human effect on nature is destructive. This means that humans’ influence on the environment entails extinction in an ecological sense.