1. Chapter 2 Environmental Sustainability and Human Values

2. Sustainability & The Commons
Garrett Hardin
“The Tragedy of the Commons”
Sharing common resources
Resource collapse
Happening with global commons today
Stewardship: shared responsibility

3. Sustainable Development
Economic growth that:
Meets needs of the present
Does not compromise future
Meets needs of world’s poor
Can occur only within limits of the environment

4. Sustainable Development

5. Sustainable Consumption
Using goods and services for our needs
Minimizes use of resources
Eliminate consumption overpopulation

6. Sustainable Consumption
Requires eradication of poverty
Poor will need to increase consumption: why?
Will require major lifestyle changes

7. Environmental Ethics
Application of ethical standards to environmental questions
Based on values, which change
Consider people today and in the future
Involves many tradeoffs

8. Environmental Worldviews
Helps us make sense of:
How the environment works
Our place in the environment
Right and wrong behaviors
Two extremes
Western
Deep ecology

9. Western Worldview Expansionist; frontier attitude
Human-centered, utilitarian
Exploit nature
Accumulate wealth

10. Deep Ecology Worldview
Based on harmony with nature
Spiritual respect for life
All species are equal
Requires radical shift in modern thinking
Need for population control

11. Voluntary Simplicity How should you live?
Material wealth not required for happiness
Values and character important
How can you make changes?

12. Environmental Justice
Right of everyone to protection from environmental harm
Moral sense of fairness & equality
Who is exposed to the most pollutants?
Where are many landfills and toxic waste facilities located?

13. A Plan Is Needed Carrying capacity
Maximum population that can be sustained
What is our carrying capacity?
Human population must be stabilized
Overconsumption must stop

14. Development Goal: improve quality of human life
Unequal distribution of resources
Many live on less than $2 per day
How can this problem be solved?
What can you do?

15. Education Is Key! Public must be aware
Support for environmental education
Need for more trained professionals

16. Biodiversity & Us Biodiversity: variety of living organisms
Humans are part of Earth’s web of life
What does biodiversity do for us?
Ecosystem services

17. Protecting Biodiversity
Much biodiversity is in the developing world
Need for more scientists
Proper management of land
Every country needs a plan

18. Where Do We Start? Individuals matter!
Simple, small changes; reduce consumption
There is no “away”
National level
Commitment to sustainability
Know your leaders

19. What Does The Future Hold?
How do you want to live?
Most people need to reconnect with the environment
More to life than technology

20. Case Study: World Summits
1992: Rio de Janeiro
Focus on international environmental issues
Goal: sustainable development
2002: Johannesburg
Assess progress
Little success: why?
Goal: reduce poverty

21. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 1937
“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