1. Environmental Worldviews, Ethics, and Sustainability
G. Tyler Miller’s
Living in the Environment
14th Edition
Chapter 28

2. Key Concepts Human-centered worldview Life-centered worldviews
Earth-centered worldviews
Ethical guidelines to work with the Earth
Living more sustainably

3. Environmental Worldviews in Industrial Societies
Individual-centered
Earth-centered
Human-centered
Life-centered
Ecosystem-centered

4. Environmental Worldviews
Fig p. 632

5. Ethical Principles Universalism Utilitarianism Consequentialism
Relativism
Rationalism
Nihilism

6. Values Instrumental (utilitarian) value Intrinsic (inherent) value
Anthropocentric worldview
Biocentric worldview

7. Planetary Management Worldview
Humans are the most important species
Manage Earth for our benefit
Industrial-consumer societies
Nature has instrumental value

8. Variations on Planetary Management
No-problem school
Free-market school
Responsible planetary management school
Spaceship-Earth school
Stewardship school

9. Life-Centered Environmental Worldviews
Humans should not cause the premature extinction of species
Protect species endangered by human activities
Protect species because of their intrinsic value

10. Earth-Centered Environmental Worldviews
Ecocentric worldview
Emphasis on preserving functioning ecosystems
Humans are part of ecological processes

11. Environmental Wisdom Worldview
Humans are part of nature
We are not in charge of the biosphere
Live sustainably by mimicking nature
Human success depends on learning how Earth systems work and applying what we learn
Deep ecology

12. Solutions: Living More Sustainably
Develop respect for all life
Understand nature and apply the lessons
Understand our impacts on the biosphere
Develop critical thinking skills
Evaluate our worldviews and lifestyles
Strive to make the world a better place

13. Environmental Education
Where do things I consume come from?
What do I know about the place where I live?
How am I connected to the Earth and other living things?
What are my purpose and responsibility as a human being?

14. Major Components of the Environmental Revolution
Biodiversity protection revolution
Efficiency revolution
Solar-hydrogen revolution
Pollution protection revolution
Sufficiency revolution
Demographic revolution
Economic and political revolution