The women in the Global South such as India are strongly affected by environmental degradation. There are many different conditions that are considered to be environmental degradation. The deterioration of our environment has caused a lot of harm to women in the Global South and is preventing them from living a happy, healthy life. Women in the global south are responsible to provide the substance for their families to keep them alive and well.They are the ones responsible for providing water for the household in order to keep their families healthy. Yet due to many burdens these women are facing due to environmental degradation it is making it more and more difficult for them to take care of themselves and their families. One of the main problems due to this degradation is the lack of water. Not only is there a lack of sufficient drinking water, some of the water they do have could be contaminated making it potentially toxic to drink. Not only is there a lack of drinking water but the women have a lack of water for cleaning themselves which is a problem because women have certain hygienic needs and need to be able to wash themselves due to menstrual cycles and when they are pregnant. Another serious problem women are dealing with due to environmental degradation is issues with soil fertility. The soil has been eroded and contaminated with fertilizers and pesticides. This is a substantial problem because soil is such an essential thing in the Global South. It is important that they have good soil to grow healthy fodder to feed the cattle, for crops to feed their families and trees in the forests. These women rely on trees in the forests to burn in order to keep their houses warm as well as for fuel to cook meals. The lack of materials to cook sufficient meals can lead to a lack of nutrition, leading to serious health issues. This is another burden on women because they are responsible for taking care of the sick.
Even though the nonwestern and western perspectives of feminism have some similarities they do seem to be quite different. In both perspectives we see a strong care for equal rights for women as well as nature. They both believe that women and nature are both dominated by a patriarchal hierarchy. Yet in the nonwestern perspective these women need to work extremely hard to try and care for nature because they rely on it heavily in order to take care of themselves and support their families. We also see a lot more damage done to the environment in nonwestern perspective. These women are clearly victims of the domination of nature while women in the western perspective are seen as more of actors, trying to fight against the patriarchal system. Women in the west are simply responding to environmental destruction. In the western perspective we do not see much about the actual damage that has been done by the patriarchal system, especially regarding the environment. In the western perspective of ecofeminism they make connections between gender and the environment in ideological ways. Yet we do read that many Third World countries have adopted a more modern mode of development from the West, but it seems that this has been destructive to the nonwestern economy and culture. I believe the views of the non western perspective of ecofeminism is more interesting. I believe it is obviously unfortunate that these women have fallen victim to environmental degradation. I was saddened when I read that the suicide rate of young women has risen due to the hardships they face because of environmental degredation. Yet I think it is inspiring that they can also be healers because of their knowledge about nature and regeneration. 
I am so glad you brought up mental illness. I wish you elaborated on it more! I feel this is one concept I have not yet seen in the Western perspective of ecofeminism. The loss of environmental resources will take a toll on everyone who depends on it in Third World countries. Women, however, are deeply affected because of the roles they serve through nature and within their communities. Since they are responsible, in many cases, for retrieving the water for the village, imagine their pain when they cannot complete the one task they were born into. For women who were serving this purpose all their lives, and those who gave up education to feed mouths and clean bodies, imagine the mental toll when a well dries up or a forest goes ablaze. Women have had no choice but to mold their lives around the produce of nature. Losing/damaging our natural resources is no small defeat. It can be life-changing and, as we have learned, life-ending.
I agree with cgomes9 that you briefly mentioned mental illness and wish you had also elaborated more on it. The readings for this week talked a lot about the physical state women are left in after environmental degradation, but not the mental state. They have to be at least a little bit effected that. I am also not that surprised at how many challenges women face in the global south. Here in the west, we have a lot of sources for menstruation and pregnancy. I can’t imagine how women in the global south deal with their periods and pregnancy with no clean water.
I guess those who know both western and non-western societies they do not exactly need the readings to learn about the hardships of women and nature compared in both the societies. As I have mentioned in my blog that I belong to one of the Third world countries and now I am living in United States since four years, I can very well compare between two communities. I use two different words, oppression for western and victim for non-western women. Although women, both western and non-western had to face oppression by men but women in rural areas have to suffer the most from these oppression. Living in United States I have seen how nature is still valued. I can say this because this new year with my relatives in Texas, my uncle from Pakistan who came here to visit, climbed on the tree at sightseeing place where my other uncle residing in Texas stopped him not to do so as it can be problematic for him if it breaks. But in Third world countries like India and Pakistan if anyone cuts off a tree without any authorization, no one is there to say anything. Nature in these countries is victim of violence and nature in western countries is being only oppressed. And my choice of words here is clear as I explained above. Similarly, women in western countries does not exactly relies on the nature. They do not need to travel for miles to get water for their family, doing the agricultural work in farms, taking care of entire family the way women in non-western does which is the only job they had with no access to education no jobs for them except household jobs. However, western women do have such opportunities. They do have access to education, they do get clean water for household purposes, they do not have to travel for obtaining water etc. As far as jobs concern there is inequality in that area. Wages of women in work place are very low than that of men but they still do have one. Thus according to my opinion yes, nature and women both in western societies are oppressed by men, but in non-western societies they are the victims. I hope you perceive my point that I tried to explain and can agree with me.
Women and India and Africa are put under the same circumstances if you ask me, and it’s wicked upsetting that women in the global south are going through such unfortunate events. Not only do they have to provide for their entire families but whats being provided to them? Not even a lick of clean water. Which is so bad for them and their hygiene it makes me so upset just thinking about it. I love the way you described the differences honestly and truly between nonwestern and western, the women from a nonwestern perspective depend on nature to keep themselves and their families afloat. Do you believe from a nonwestern perspective that women in this instance is inferior to nature? Usually the chain for me from a western perspective men, women, and then nature. Though when I view it from a nonwestern I see it as Men, nature, women?