ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVES CGR4M Environmental Value Systems

Environmental Value System Environmentalism – an ideology or set of values and beliefs about the environment; can be grouped along the following continuum: Ecocentric Anthropocentric Technocentric (Nature Centered)(People Centered) (Technology Centered) Minimum People are managers Technology solves disturbances of Earth all problems to nature

EcocentrismAnthropocentrismTechnocentrism nature-centeredpeople-centeredtechnology-centered Holistic world view People as environmental managers of sustainable global systems. Technology can keep pace with and provide solutions to environmental problems. Minimal disturbance of natural processes Population control given equal weight to resource use. Resource replacement solves resource depletion. Integrates spiritual, social, and environmental dimensions Strong regulation by independent authorities required. Must understand natural processes in order to control them. Sustainability for the whole Earth Emphasizes scientific analysis before policies are put in place. Self-reliance within a framework of global citizenship Markets and economic growth are important. Self-imposed restraint on resource use

Environmental Worldviews A worldview or set of paradigms (dominant values and beliefs) that shape the ways that individuals and groups approach environmental issues. Deep Ecologists (Ecocentric) Self-reliance Soft Ecologists (Anthropocentric) Environmental Managers (Anthropocentric) Cornucopians (Technocentric)

Great Environmental Philosophers “Every part of the earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every meadow, every humming insect. All are holy in the memory and experience of my people.” - Chief Seattle

Aldo Leopold, 1949 American ecologist and environmentalist, writes and publishes a landmark book in conservation (wise use of natural resources) called A Sand County Almanac in the book he advocates for a land ethic: The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively: the land….A land ethic of course cannot prevent the alteration, management, and use of these ‘resources,’ but it does affirm their right to continued existence,and, at least in spots, their continued existence in a natural state. In short, a land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land community to plain member and citizen of it. It implies respect for his fellow-members, and also respect for the community as such.” - Aldo Leopold

Rachel Carson, 1962 biologist and conservationist, documented the effects of pesticides (DDT) on the environment, in particular, birds and their link to ecoystem health “ Like the resource it seeks to protect, wildlife conservation must be dynamic, changing as conditions change, seeking always to become more effective……….. the most alarming of all man's assaults upon the environment is the contamination of air, earth, rivers, and sea with dangerous and even lethal materials. This pollution is for the most part irrecoverable; the chain of evil it initiates not only in the world that must support life but in living tissues is for the most part irreversible. In this now universal contamination of the environment, chemicals are the sinister and little-recognized partners of radiation in changing the very nature of the world—the very nature of its life.” - Rachel Carson fierce opposition from chemical companies, launches modern environmental movement

Paul Ehrlich, 1968 a conservation biologist from Stanford University, known for his dire warnings about the environmental perils of human population growth controversial book, The Population Bomb, hypothesized that growing human population will lead to future ecological and human disaster (e.g. famine, disease, social unrest) – need for population control so far, predictions have not proven true

James Lovelock, 1970s scientist who proposes the Gaia Hypothesis or sometimes referred to as the Gaia Theory or Gaia Principle earth is a self-regulating, complex system involving interactions among the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere that contributes to maintaining the conditions for life on the planet through the operation of feedback processes unconsciously creates the optimal environmental conditions for life

Environmental Philosophy Ecocentric, Anthropocentric, Technocentric What is your environmental perspective? How do these environmental value systems each perceive and deal with: 1. Air pollution from cars 2. Water pollution from factories 3. Nuclear power 4. Other examples? Can you identify where in the world these issues are taking place and how these philosophies are influencing how they are being addressed?

Worldviews on the Natural Environment Communism Native American European Judeo-Christian Buddhist Islamic 1. Outline one worldview on the natural environment 2. Provide an example