Environmental Worldviews, Ethics, and Sustainability Presented by Ramona Parkash Tomás Calderón

Case Study: Biosphere 2 pg 660 glass & steel enclosure designed to mimic earth’s natural systems 8 scientists were isolated for 2 years faced many problems (oxygen depletion, animal extinction, etc.) failure proved that nobody knows how to create systems as life- supporting as natural ecosystems illustrated that we know very little about how earth works

25-1 Major Environmental Worldviews

What is an Environmental Worldview? environmental worldview: how people think the world works and what they believe their role in the world should be environmental ethics: what is right and wrong in our behavior towards the environment worldviews can be anthropocentric or biocentric

Planetary Management human-centered humans are most dominant & intelligent species we can/should manage earth for our benefit 3 variations no-problem school: we can solve any problem with more economic development, management, & technology free-market school: minimal governmental interference, conversion of public property to private, free-market competition should decide everything spaceship-earth school: earth is like a spaceship, we can change & manage it in order to provide for everyone

Stewardship human-centered we have an ethical responsibility to be care managers (stewards) for earth we must leave earth in good condition for future generations success in how well we manage earth’s life support systems

Life- and Earth-Centered Worldviews most with a life-centered view believe we have an ethical responsibility to prevent extinction intrinsic value: each species is unique, should be respected & protected simply because it exists instrumental value: economic value each species potentially has earth-centered view says that earth’s natural capital keeps species alive, human economies are subsystems of earth’s systems

Earth-Centered Worldviews environmental wisdom we are part of community of life & ecological processes we should strive to care for all species & humanity earth does not need us to manage it to survive deep ecology worldview each life form has inherent value humans have no right to interfere with interdependence which helps us thrive human interference is excessive situation is worsening, changes must be made (decrease in population, policies)

25-2 Role of Education in Sustainable Living

Becoming Environmentally Literate degradation of life-support systems stems from ignorance 3 important ideas natural capital matters, supports life & economies our threats to natural capital are immense and growing ecological & climate change tipping points are irreversible and should never be crossed

Environmental Literacy cont ’ d develop respect for all life understand as much as we can about how the earth works and sustains itself look for connections within biosphere understand relationships between life-support systems and economics foster a desire to make the world a better place

Section 3 How Can We Live More Sustainably?

Concepts 25-3A: We can live more sustainably by using certain guidelines to convert environmental literacy and concerns into action. 25-3B: We can live more sustainably by living more simply and lightly on earth and by becoming informed and active environmental citizens.

Guidelines for Living More Sustainably: A Vision Based on Hope Learn about, respect, and mimic how nature sustains itself Do not degrade or deplete the earth’s natural capital Take no more from nature than what nature can replenish Do not waste matter and energy resources Protect biodiversity Avoid climate-changing activities Help maintain the earth’s capacity for self-repair Repair ecological damage that we have caused Leave the world in as good a condition as we found it or better Cultivate a passion for sustaining all life and let this passion energize your actions

We Can Live More Simply and Lightly on the Earth Many analyst urge people who have a habit of consuming excessively to learn how to live more simply and sustainably. “Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities.” -Mark Twain Emphasize your interaction with people and a community

Voluntary simplicity: doing and enjoying more with less by using products and services that have smaller environmental impact. Affluent people in developing countries adopt this. Downshifters are others who reduce income and alter lifestyle so they can interact more. Mahatma Gandhi’s principle of enoughness: The earth provides enough to satisfy every person’s need but not every person’s greed… When we take more than we need, we are simply taking from each other, borrowing from the future, or destroying the environment and other species. Most of the world’s religions have similar teachings We Can Live More Simply and Lightly on the Earth

How Much Is Enough? Our Basic needs: Food clean air clean water Shelter Clothing (in most societies =D) Other needs: Security Meaningfulness Physical and mental health Opportunities to learn and give our personal expression Being nurtured Freedom Belonging and caring A healthy environment (biological and cultural) Assurance of these things for future generations How much of what we acquire really helps us reach these goals?

We Can Each Choose Ways to Live More Lightly The human activities that have the greatest harmful impacts on the environment are: Agriculture Transportations Home energy use Water use Our overall consumption and waste. Insulate your house and plug air leaks Reduce meat consumption Buy locally grown food Buy or grow organic food Don’t use garden pesticides on your garden or lawn Walk, bike, carpool, or take mass transit whenever possible Drive an energy efficient vehicle Reduce car use Use water saving appliances and irrigation methods Reduce, reuse, and recycle Use energy efficient heating and cooling systems, lights and appliances Use renewable energy, especially wind and direct solar Sustainability Dozen

We Can Become Better Environmental Citizens Voting and putting our money into pushing for a more sustainable path. Moving away from blame, guilt, fear, and apathy by recognizing and avoiding common mental traps: Gloom-and-doom pessimism Blind technological optimism Paralysis by analysis Faith in simple, easy answers

We Can Become Better Environmental Citizens “The greatest danger to our future is apathy.... Can we overcome apathy? Yes, but only if we have hope.... Technology alone is not enough. We must engage with our hearts also.” -Jane Goodall We should be flexible and adaptable in trying a variety of cultural and technological solutions to our problems, as well as practice good earthkeeping.

The Earth Charter: A blueprint for building a more sustainable society It began to be developed after the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; in March of 2000 it was finalized after years of input from an array of sources. Earth Charter 'Rio girl' Severn Cullis-Suzuki

The Role of Religion in the Sustainability Revolution We must not undermine the relevance of religion: 50-75% of the world’s populations are active members of a religion. If only 10% of them were to be mobilized for environmentally sustainable societies, it would be a powerful force for education and change. Locally united communities are often the best ways to bring change. Philosophical and doctrinal differences do not deter most from coming together under the cause of practicing stewardship of the earth, or at least doing so individually within their groups.

Sister Diane Cundiff and Her Sister Teachers At Colegio Santa Maria in São Paulo, Brazil, teachers are motivated by their religious beliefs and the ethical guidelines of the Earth Charter. Environmental studies and concerns are integrated throughout the curriculum: 1.Students conduct water test from slums, and promote testing water before its consumption 2.Students sort school garbage to be recycled and reused 3.Students work with poor people where they live over the summer.

A Sustainability Revolution… During Your Lifetime Biodiversity protection Commitment to eco-efficiency Energy transformation Pollution prevention Emphasis on sufficiency Demographic equilibrium Economic and Political transformations We have the knowledge and the financial wealth to make a transition to more sustainable lifestyles and societies. Actions are needed now; however, we only need to convince 5-10% of the people in the world or a given country to bring about a major social change. “Think globally locally”