1. “In the long run, do you think the scientific advances we are making will help or harm mankind?”, (percent “harm”)
This graph shows that (1) Americans are among the most optimistic people in the world concerning the effects of science on humanity; (2)
Americans and the citizens of other rich countries such as Canada were more pessimistic about the effects of science on humanity at the end of the 20th century than they were in 1981; (3) the citizens of countries that are not rich were more optimistic about the effects of science on humanity
at the end of the 20th century than they were in 1981.
Percent

2. Annual Mean Global Surface Air Temperature and Carbon Dioxide Concentration, 1866-2004
Mean Temperature, C
CO2, parts per million
382
352
322
292
262
232
202 x
Carbon dioxide concentration x x x x x x
Surface air temperature
Year

3. Worldwide Insured Damage Due to “Natural” Disasters, 1970-2004 (in 2002 $US billions)
Trend line
Year

4. Environmental Racism in Canada, 1995
Total particulate matter, short tons per capita
Northwest Territories
Yukon
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Aboriginals as percent of population

6. Renewable Resources, World, % Decrease, 1990-2010 (projected)
Percent decrease
fish
catch
irrigable
land
crop land
rangeland,
pasture
forests

7. Canadian Environmental Practices, 1994
Percent

8. The Advantage of Sociological Knowledge