Topic 1.1- Environmental Value Systems

What is a EVS? A worldview that shapes the way people perceive and evaluate environmental issues. Influenced by cultural, economic and soicio-political factors.

Environmental Philosophies Ecocentrism – Nature Centered Holistic and sustainable worldview, minimum disturbance of nature 1. Deep Ecologists Natural laws dictate human morality Nature is needed for humanity and has rights 2. Self-Reliance soft ecologists Focus on community involvement to change political policies an practices

Environmental Philosophies Anthropocentrism- People Centered Humans are responsible for sustainable global systems through control of population and resource use 1. Environmental Managers Economic growth and resource use can continue if adjustments are made to policies (taxes, laws…)

Environmental Philosophies Technocentrism – Technology Centered Technology can keep pace and provide solutions to environmental issues. 1. Cornucopian Man can always find a way out of any difficulties

EVS Influence decisions For each of the problems below decide if we should solve each problem using the provided worldview. Technocentric: Should we use windmills to produce more energy? Anthropocentric: Should GMO’s be used to grow more food? Ecocentric: Should we create more national parks to save species and maintain biodiversity on the planet?

Historical Influence Minamata, Japan In1959, the first human patient of what soon became known as Minamata disease was identified. Symptoms included convulsions, slurred speech, loss of motor functions and uncontrollable limb movements. As a result of wastewater pollution by the plastic manufacturer, mercury and other heavy metals found their way into the fish and shellfish that comprised a large part of the local diet. Thousands of residents have slowly suffered over the decades and died from the disease.

Historical Influence Bhopal, India Dec. 2, 1984, a Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal released 45 tons of poisonous methyl isocyanate escaping from the facility. Thousands died within hours, 15,000 in all. About half a million people were affected . Many survivors suffered blindness, organ failure and other awful bodily malfunctions. A high number of children in the area have been born severe birth defects. Bhopal remains the worst industrial disaster ever

Historical Influence Chernobyl, Ukraine The worst nuclear-power-plant disaster in history. On April 26, 1986, one of the reactors at the Chernobyl power plant in Ukraine exploded Nuclear meltdown released radiation into the atmosphere. Thousands of kids have been diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

Historical Influences All these events have helped to influence EVS. Raised public awareness Provided media coverage Increased sense of stewardship over the Earth Impact local and global governments and regulations

EVS of two named societies Buddhist Separation of body and soul Birth, aging, suffering and death all conjoined in one journey Humans are not self sufficient or more important than the Earth Judaeo-Christian Separation of body and soul, matter and spirit Genesis demonstrates stewardship of the Earth or control? “Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground’” (Genesis 1:28

Personal EVS Reflect upon where you stand on the continuum of environmental philosophies with regard to Population control Resource exploitation, Sustainable development

Assessment Questions: Choose one of the following sample individuals and place them on the continuum of environmental philosophies described above and in Figure 6. a Muslim subsistence farmer in West Africa a wealthy Christian doctor in Western Europe a Buddhist monk living in Thailand an agnostic investment banker in New York City a Catholic lumberjack in southern Chile