Off the Beaten Path- a Step Forward from Idealistic Hype

I recently came across an article that I didnt think of much when I first read it, but later when I was thinking of what to write about as my blog this came back to mind. The article, admittedly a little long at 15 pages, isnt something that makes national news or comes to many peoples attention but I thought that would make it a good thing to blog about. The article explains in great descriptions one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth and the threats it faces. Borneo is a small island near malaysia about the size of Texas. The Island is rich in resources that make it a prime target for deforestation and pillaging of natural resources. The Island is the source for 86% of the world's palm oil, something that is used in everything from Oreos and dessert to perfumes and soaps. The area is also rich in timber and is a very profitable source of logging. As the author says "Mansions have been built from Madrid to Melbourne and New York to Indonesia from the profits of Borneo".  The future looks bleak for Borneo and it's inhabitants. Mel White, the author, takes a very pragmatic approach in the first half of the article. He explains the failed efforts to save the island and goes into detail about the challenges faced when trying to conserve its resources. White doesnt 'dream big' as many conservationists do, but takes a realistic approach on the situation of the island and how to save it. He knows that the future of the island is in the hands of corporations and governments. When I read the article, I wasnt given a sense much hope for the island through Whites pragmatic approach, and it wasnt a very exciting article to read. White, however, suddenly changes course like he were a new writer by the middle. He points to the small malaysian provence of Sabah which provides a stark contrast to the rest of the island. This glimmer of hope that the island can be saved seems to spark Whites mood towards idealism. The province is able to control, as far as a third world country can, the logging and still has a significant amount of wooded forest. The introduction of this little province changes the whole mood of the article. By the end, White gives off a sense of hopeful pragmatism. He writes that there will have to be a balance between money and conservation. A sense of hope for the forrest is given by the end. As White wrights 'if we want to save the forests of Borneo... We need to find a way that offers the villagers a better future without having to turn their forests into plantations or the sterile pits of strip mines." Its no 14 point battle plan, but it is a step up from idealistic hype in an effort to save an island.