Tibet: Landscape of Tradition and Change

Tibetans view the environment as an interrelated balance upon which humans and nature coexist. Overconsumption of resources is discouraged, and the taking of life is forbidden by Buddhist practice. However, as traditional people meet the modern world, checkerboard patterns are carved into forested mountain slopes, pollution runs freely in once pristine waters, erosion lays grasslands bare, and wildlife is stripped from the land. While Chinese annexation may lead the list of blame, globalization, modernization, and necessity are likewise responsible. This paper will explore the changing Tibetan Landscape and the fragile relationship shared between culture and environment.