Environmental Sustainability and Human Values Chapter 2

The Global Commons The Tragedy of the Commons (1968 essay) Garrett Hardin Our inability to solve environmental problems stems from the conflict between short-term individual welfare and long-term environmental sustainability Used Medieval shared pastureland (the commons) as example.

The Global Commons

Human Use of the Earth Learning Objectives: Define sustainable development Outline some of the Complexities associated with the concept of sustainable consumption Define voluntary simplicity

Human Use of the Earth Sustainability Sustainable Development The ability to meet humanity’s current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs Sustainable Development Economic growth that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs Must meet the needs of the poor Can only occur within the limits of the environment Cannot sustain everyone at the levels of consumption of the US, Europe, and Japan.

Human Use of the Earth

Human Use of the Earth Consumption overpopulation: People use more than their share of resources Affluent lifestyle Leads to pollution and degradation Sustainable Consumption: People use their share of resources to meets their needs Must improve the quality of life for the poor Minimizes the use of resources Voluntary Simplicity

Human Use of the Earth

Human Use of the Earth Voluntary Simplicity Requires behavioral change: purchasing less Accumulation of goods does not equal happiness Values and character define a person, not what they own E.g., car-sharing, using public transportation, etc. Not popular with politicians and consumers

Human Use of the Earth

Global Climate Change What is sustainable development? What is sustainable consumption? How is it linked to a reduction in world poverty? How is voluntary simplicity an example of sustainable consumption?

Human Values and Environmental Problems Learning Objectives: Define environmental ethics. Discuss the distinguishing features of the Western and deep ecology worldviews.

Human Values and Environmental Problems Ethics: branch of philosophy that deals with human values Environmental Ethics: considers the moral basis of environmental responsibility Considers the rights of people living today AND of future generations Critical because our actions today affect the environment in the future

Human Values and Environmental Problems

Human Values and Environmental Problems Worldviews: personal perspectives, based on values Help us make sense of the world What is right and wrong Lead to behaviors and lifestyles May or may not be compatible with environmental sustainability

Human Values and Environmental Problems Environmental Worldview: How the environment works Our place in the environment Right and wrong environmental behaviors Two extremes; Western Worldview Deep Ecology Worldview

Human Values and Environmental Problems Western Worldview: Expansionist, human-centered Frontier attitude; conquer and exploit nature Human superiority over nature Unrestricted use of natural resources Unrestricted economic growth Anthropocentric perspective

Human Values and Environmental Problems

Human Values and Environmental Problems Deep Ecology: 1970s: Arne Naess, Bill Devall, George Sessions Based on harmony with nature Spiritual respect for life Humans and other species have equal worth Requires radical shift in modern thinking Appreciating quality of life, rather than a high standard of living Biocentric perspective

Human Values and Environmental Problems

Human Values and Environmental Problems

Global Climate Change What is environmental ethics? What assumptions are made in the deep ecology worldview?

Environmental Justice Learning Objectives: What is environmental justice and which communities are exposed to a disproportionate share of environmental hazards?

Environmental Justice Every citizen has the right to adequate protection from environmental hazards Low-income communities/minorities are more likely to be in polluted areas, and near landfills, toxic waste facilities, etc. Tend to have lower access to health care Rights of the poor and disenfranchised vs. the rights of rich and powerful

Environmental Justice

Global Climate Change What is environmental science? What are some of the disciplines involved in environmental science? What are the five steps of the scientific method? Why is each important?

An Overall Plan for Sustainable Living Learning Objectives: Relate poverty and population growth to carrying capacity and global sustainability. Discuss problems related to loss of forests and declining biological diversity. Describe the extent of food diversity. Define enhanced greenhouse effect and explain how stabilizing climate is related to energy use. Describe at least two problems in cities in the developing world.

An Overall Plan for Sustainable Living Lester R. Brown, 2006. Plan B 2.0 5 recommendations: Eliminate poverty and stabilize human population Protect and restore Earth’s resources Provide adequate food for all people Mitigate climate change Design sustainable cities

Environmental InSight

Environmental InSight 30

An Overall Plan for Sustainable Living Eliminate Poverty and Stabilize Human Population Global distribution of resources is uneven US 5% of world’s pop controls 25% of resources 29,000 infants and children die each day Lack of food and basic medicine Raising the standard of living of the world’s poor Universal education of children Elimination of illiteracy Improving the status of women

An Overall Plan for Sustainable Living

An Overall Plan for Sustainable Living Carrying Capacity The maximum population that can be sustained by a given environment/world Population Growth rates are highest where poverty is highest Family planning Education Women’s status

An Overall Plan for Sustainable Living “The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.” Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 1937

An Overall Plan for Sustainable Living 2) Protect and Restore Earth’s Resources Forests Unsustainable logging and burning, are making them a non-renewable resource Biodiversity Number and variety of organisms Economic Services: food, medicine, energy, building, clothing materials Ecosystem Services: protection of watersheds, agricultural lands, climate, habitats

An Overall Plan for Sustainable Living 3)Provide Adequate Food for All People Food insecurity People lack access to food needed to live healthy, productive lives People live in chronic hunger and malnutrition 800 million people worldwide, many children Mostly rural areas, developing countries Improve Agriculture Highest priority for global sustainability

An Overall Plan for Sustainable Living

An Overall Plan for Sustainable Living Improved Agriculture Last 50 yrs. Production kept up with population growth High environmental cost Need to increase productivity in same amount of land Multi-cropping - use land in all seasons Conservation tillage - keep topsoil in place

An Overall Plan for Sustainable Living

An Overall Plan for Sustainable Living 4) Mitigate Climate Change Enhanced Greenhouse Effect: additional warming produced by increased levels of gases that absorb infrared radiation Stabilizing climate requires: Comprehensive energy plan phasing out fossil fuels Increasing energy conservation Improving energy efficiency

An Overall Plan for Sustainable Living

An Overall Plan for Sustainable Living 5) Design Sustainable Cities 50% of world’s people live in cities (3% in 1800) In US, 80% live in cities Urban transportation Build city around people, not cars Less congestion, pollution, space for parking Water Resources Recycle waste-water for other uses (watering) Water purification of sewage before release

An Overall Plan for Sustainable Living

Global Climate Change What is the global extent of poverty? What are two ecosystem services provided by natural resources such as forests and biological diversity? What is food insecurity? How is stabilizing climate related to energy use? What are two serious problems in urban environments?

Case Study Loess Plateau in China Important resource for China Fertile agricultural soil Easily eroded by wind and water when no vegetation holds it in place Turned to desert by deforestation and overgrazing 1994 - Loess Plateau Watershed Rehabilitation Reforestation Education about cases of degradation Recovery of land and silting of Yellow River

Case Study