[Neologism Dictionary] Ecoside - Large-scale Destruction of the Natural Environment

Half of the 150 million-ton garbage island formed by plastic waste discarded in the sea has been identified as fishing nets discarded by large fishing vessels. Photo by bluebird-electric

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The recently released Netflix documentary "Seaspiracy" has gained great popularity for its candid exploration of the crises and threats facing marine ecosystems. As plastic waste carelessly discarded by humans accumulates, creating a garbage island in the Pacific Ocean estimated at 150 million tons, the documentary points to fishing vessels as the main culprits behind this massive trash island. The film highlights that fishing nets discarded by large fishing vessels account for 46% of the garbage island, causing viewers to feel betrayed by campaigns that made them feel guilty even for using a single plastic straw. Additionally, the documentary reveals that 45 dolphins are killed as bycatch for every 8 tuna caught, and that over the past 50 years since 1970, marine life populations have decreased by 90% due to indiscriminate overfishing, raising doubts about the sustainability of commercial fishing. The film also exposes how some environmental organizations, which claim to lead environmental protection efforts, receive lobbying from large fishing corporations and falsely issue "Dolphin Safe" labels and "MSC certification" for sustainable fishing practices, prompting fundamental skepticism about whether eco-friendly certification marks issued by various organizations are truly fair. Although the director uses somewhat provocative editing and exaggerated statistics, the documentary persistently and intuitively investigates how the capture of seafood on our tables and the surrounding industry are destroying marine ecosystems, and how little time remains before the marine ecosystem is irreversibly damaged if this situation continues.

"Ecoside" is a term combining "eco" (environment) with "genocide," meaning the large-scale destruction of the natural environment. While indiscriminate overfishing by large fishing corporations has driven marine ecosystem destruction, on land, contamination of soil and food caused by herbicides produced by large agricultural corporations has become a major issue. French journalist Marie-Monique Robin points out in her book "Ecoside" that glyphosate, the main ingredient in herbicides used at 800,000 tons annually worldwide, causes various cancers and lymphomas. Although the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer designated glyphosate as a "carcinogen" in 2015, glyphosate herbicides, which are well-suited for GMO crops, remain the most widely used pesticides globally. Following Joe Biden's election as U.S. president, global interest in ecological environments has increased, centered around rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement and declaring carbon neutrality. However, consumers still find it difficult to understand the violence of industries surrounding the food on their tables. Marie-Monique Robin, the book's author, pointed out, "No matter how much science advances, humanity cannot move toward a wise future as long as those who use it ignore ways of 'coexistence'." This is a critical moment for humanity's love of life.

－－－－－－－Example

A: The weather is nice, shall we have a cup of coffee?
B: Sounds good. But I didn’t bring my tumbler. These days, I feel a bit guilty using disposable cups.
A: True. Plastic waste surged due to COVID-19. We need to reduce usage starting with ourselves.
B: Throughout Earth's history, no species has damaged nature so rapidly in such a short time as humans.
A: Human existence itself is ecoside. Let’s drink coffee in mugs today!