I don't think the Egyptians thought in terms of "the environment" as an abstract concept. It was very real to them. They lived in a rainless desert which flooded once a year when the river rose. They were able to harness this harsh environment and maintain a huge population and create phenomenal feats of monumental architecture, art and complex cultural and social organization, not to mention a stable culture that lasted three thousand years. That is an incredible accomplishment for a civilization that only had copper tools.
Just think, even with all our technology, we couldn't build the pyramids today...they would cost too much.
They didn't trade stability or stagnation for ecology, they had no choice. But they were also a vital culture, they traded and waged war with their neighbors, had an empire, built ocean-going ships, and survived an 800 year long occupation by a foreign power without surrendering their culture. Just a hiccup to them. Human civilization can be divided into two parts: the Egyptians...and everybody else.
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- Damn Tree Huggers
- Jobs vs Environment
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- Who said they were cut down?