European's Early Modern Period of Sustainability

This reading I found myself drawn to the environmental aspect of sustainability. I always find it interesting that when looking for sources of origin to understand some type of problem/social issue (in general) I keep stumbling across two topics: Christianity and War. During the 1500-1800 era when Christianity became more popular, the mindset of experiencing nature as it's own spiritual awakening began to fade with the combination of Christianity and science growing among the mass. Nature and humans once worked together cohesively with gratitude and respect until the idea that humans are the greatest creation and every other thing placed on the earth is to benefit mankind. To make things clear also, I am in no way blaming the start of unsustainable practices on the spread of Christianity; I just find it a reoccurring coincidence that I keep finding Christianity to be a root in some societal issue. In addition, thousands and thousands of great trees were chopped down without a second thought because just like today, war's consumed countless resources. It took 2,000 to 3,000 trees to make ONE ship for the benefit of war. About "25 million hectares of woodland and 40 million hectares of grassland between 1700 and 1850" were removed by Europeans according to Deforesting the Earth by Michael Williams. How could the beauty of nature just slip away from our sight? To tear down over 61 million acres of forest in 150 years and keep on the same blind path to where the third largest state of the US is in a deadly drought because there aren't enough trees to create clouds to produce rain? How is it that so many big decisions are made with a narrow objective and don't consider every little possibility that could result from it? Why is it that mankind is only kind to man; and more importantly, how do we as a race learn to help every form of life grow stronger to be durable as a whole, rather than tearing anything and everything down so us humans can be at the top?

Chapter One

For most people, the term sustainability specifically brings to mind the environment and being eco-friendly. It's true that sustainability heavily links with the environment, but sustainability doesn't end there. There are two other main branches: economic and social, that fill the meaning of living sustainable. Through environmental, economic, and socially living sustainable there are focused ideas such as population growth, species extinction, animal rights, toxic waste, food safety, genetically modified foods, etc. So why is the term "sustainability" so widely known but only a portion of the topic is actually recognized? Even more so, why is it that while attending a school that prides itself on being sustainable and emphasizes the importance of sustainability in it's mission statement, many students don't know much about the term sustainability past the common sense meaning of "having the ability to live sustainable"?