Problems of the Environment

??? What are some of the primary environmental problems faced today? What groups in society are the most concerned about the environment? Age? Gender? Political affiliation?

Environmental Problems Global Warming Ozone depletion Pollution (Water, air and land) Depletion of natural resources Deforestation and desertification Threats to Biodiversity Environmental injustice & global inequality

Why are many people not concerned about environmental problems?

Underline Philosophical Assumption Is it the right of humanity to assume that this world was made for people, and that all other species were placed here for our use and exploitation? The cornucopia view of nature Are humans separated from nature and above nature? Will this belief lead to the total destruction of the planet and humanity itself?

Primary Question to Consider Throughout Class Session Should environmental problems take priority over many other social problems? Why or Why not? Are most governments and individuals throughout the world acting in ways that harm or help the environment?

Technology and the Environment Social Construction: Technology will save humanity -Will it? Destruction of life on earth Extraction and consumption of earth’s resources Production of waste

Corporate Interests and the Environment Have corporate interests influenced the public debate concerning social problems?

Corporate Interests and the Environment … Concerning the environment, elite interests are far less subtle Corporate Suasion Environmentalists seek regulation, while most corporations are highly opposed Are the interests of large multinational corporations the same as the public’s interests?

Corporate Suasion: Exploiting Scientific Uncertainty Regarding issues of ozone depletion and global warming, there is scientific uncertainty, which is exploited for corporate interests. I.e-Tobacco, asbestos, and lead industries Efforts to postpone regulations on greenhouse emissions have followed this pattern as evidence surfaces to the dismay of skeptics: 1) There was no evidence, then… 2)Global warming was not due to human activity, now skeptics argue… 3)Consequences won’t be too severe

Corporate Suasion Public Relations Firms- Corps hire PR firms to fight battles against environmentalists Front Groups (I.e.: GCC) SLAPPS- Use of Lawsuits to intimidate and drain funds of activist groups The Media & Corporate Censorship-Corporate interests often shape media content

Can the public trust the industry defenders who say that corporations will look after the public interest and that government regulation is not needed? What could have happened if past battles for environmental regulation were never won? Is now the time to be cutting back on government regulation regarding the environmental issue?

What are the causes of environmental problems?

Social Causes of Environmental Problems Population growth Industrialization and economic development Dependence on energy Capitalism and economic growth Growth=consumption; increased consumption=environmental deterioration (Polluting emissions, resource depletion, and generation of waste) Cultural values Attitudes such as individualism, materialism, and militarism.

Cultural Values and Attitudes Individualism- Putting individual interests over collective welfare Recycling Consumerism- the belief that personal happiness depends on the purchasing of material possessions In U.S. Quality of life is often related to one’s ability to purchase items Americans are bombarded with thousands of advertisements each day

Environmental Footprint The demands that humanity makes on the earth’s natural resources Determined by the patterns of production and consumption within one’s culture Ecological debt- Collectively, human demand on the earth’s natural resources exceeds earth’s capacity To continue at current patterns of consumption, we would need two earth’s by 2030 (WWF 2008)

Inequality and the Environment Environmental Injustice and Conflict theory Environmental justice movement- A fusion of civil rights and environmental activism

Global Inequality and the Environment Developing countries and poverty Pollution Lack of access to drinking water and sanitation High levels of air pollution Malnutrition and hunger linked to environmental problems