1. Sub-Topic 1. 1 Environmental value systems Sub-Topic 1
Sub-Topic 1.1 Environmental value systems Sub-Topic 1.2 Systems and Models

2. 1.1 Significant Ideas –
Historical events, among other influences, affect the development of environmental value systems (EVSs) and environmental movements.
There is a wide spectrum of EVSs, each with its own premises and implications
Take Note: What prior knowledge will help with this topic?
What questions do you have?
Text resource Chapter 1 and 2 pages

3. Environmental value systems
An environmental value system is a particular worldview or set of paradigms that shapes the way an individual, or group of people, perceive and evaluate environmental issues.

4. What are the Historic Influences?
Literature
The Media
Major Environmental disasters
International agreements
Technological developments

5. Sand County Almanac - 1949 Book by Aldo Leopold USA
described relationship between people and the land
landmark in conservation movement
inspired people to protect the natural resources for their own sake (not just economic benefits)

6. Minimata
Japan
Disease caused by mercury poisoning from factory polluting the bay
Bioaccumulation & biomagnification
Demonstrated link between human health and pollution

7. Silent Spring - 1962 Book by Rachel Carson USA
showed link between pesticide use and ecosystem health
raised awareness of Americans
beginning of the end: DDT

8. Love Canal 1976-1978 Niagara Falls, NY
School built on former toxic waste dump
Dangers denied for a long time
Only came clear after grass-roots activism

9. 3-Mile Island 1979 Pennsylvania, USA
Near meltdown of nuclear power plant
Decrease in belief of safety of nuclear energy industry
Lead to heavy regulation of nuclear industry

10. Bhopal 1984 Union Carbide plant in India
Gas leak at night killed 1,000’s of people
Union Carbide escaped criminal penalties
brought about realization that ‘ugly’ side of industrialization happens in impoverished areas

11. Chernobyl 1986 Ukraine (USSR then) worst nuclear disaster
complete meltdown released radioactive waste over Europe
Resettlement of 300,000
demonstrated that environmental issues are not national issues

12. Save the Whales 1986 Green Peace Campaign
global, but Japan, Iceland, & Norway are flash points
commercial whaling ban to reduce the number killed annually
showed international cooperation can achieve something
still has weaknesses - voluntary

13. Local Examples
Unsustainable Frontier Ethic
Oil Field Development and Transportation (oil trains vs pipeline)
Salish Kootenai Ownership of Kerr Dam
Other?

14. Systems and models 1.2 Sub-topic 1.2 – Systems and models
Significant Ideas –
A systems approach can help in the study of complex environmental issues.
The use of systems and models simplifies interactions but may provide a more holistic view without reducing issues to single processes.
Sub Topic Applications and skills
Pre
Post
Construct a system diagram or model from a given set of information
Evaluate the use of models as a tool in a given situation, for example, climate change predictions.

15. Systems and models 1.2

16. systems Approach:
A way of visualizing a complex set of interactions which may be ecological or societal
Many different scales (microscopic to planetary)
Interactions produce the properties of the system
An assemblage of parts, working together, forming a functioning whole

17. All systems Have… All systems have… Represented by…
STORAGES: stores of matter or energy
A box
FLOWS: into, through, and out of the system
Arrows
INPUTS
Arrows in
OUTPUTS
Arrows out
BOUNDARIES
Lines
PROCESSES: which transfer or transform energy or matter from storage to storage
Equations or descriptions: ex. Respiration, diffusion

18. EVS as a system

19. Historical moments in the environmental movement (inputs)
1956
Minimata disaster – bioaccumulation of mercury in seafood
1962
Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring documenting the effects of pesticides
1985
Bhopal disaster killing up to 25,000 Video 1 Video 2
1970s
Greenpeace campaigns - save the whale - anti-nuclear testing
1986
Chernobyl disaster causing resettlement of over 300,000

20. Decisions, responses, Course of action? (outputs)
These are dependent upon the EVS
We know a wide variety exists
Spectrum…. Where do you fall? Montana? USA?

22. EVS of various societies
First Nation Americans vs European pioneers
Buddhist vs Judaeo-Christian societies
Communist vs Capitalist societies

23. Assignment: Two classroom days to work Due 9/15
Create an essay, or presentation, or power point... the choice is yours.
Requirements:
Compare and Contrast the environmental value systems between two societies.
Examples:
Buddhist and Christian societies
Early Swahili and Early Colonial societies
American Indians and European pioneers
Hint: Start by thinking about very different societies. Then look at the similarities.
We will access the documents for this assignment via Google Classroom

24. Some general examples.
The following slides will give you an idea of what to look at, however, your research should be focused more specifically…
Instead of Buddhist vs. Judeo Christian choose specific countries of groups that primarily follow the tenets
Consider specific Native American tribes (north or south America)
Specific countries
Also consider time period historic vs modern era

25. 1. First nation Americans vs European pioneers
Environment communal
Subsistence economy based on barter
Low-impact technology
Animistic religion – animals, plants, rocks etc all have soul
Exploitation of seemingly unlimited resources
Environmental degradation through over-population
Disconnected with environment
Heavy industry and advanced technology

26. 2. Communist vs Capitalist socieites
Equal distribution of resources with no profit led to squandering of resources destroying the environment
Government protected farmers unintentionally benefiting parts of the environment
Seen as more environmentally friendly as resources are used efficiently to maximize profit
Unions protected industry damaging the environment
Civil liberties and democracy used in protecting the environment

27. 3. Buddhist vs Judaeo-Christian societies
Separation of body and soul, matter and spirit
Genesis – domination or stewardship or the Earth?
Ecofeminism – nurture rather than conquer
World is all co-dependent
Birth, ageing, suffering, death all conjoined
Humans not autonomous or more important than the Earth

28. Consider impact on specific Issue
How did/do these societies perceive and deal with:
Air pollution from cars
Water pollution from factories
Deforestation
Nuclear power

29. MLA Work Cited
Fountain, Henry. "Chernobyl: Capping a Catastrophe." The New York Times. The New York Times, 27 Apr Web. 7 Sept
Chang, Louis W. and Guo, Grace L. Minamata Disease: Congenital Methylmercury Poisoning Elsevier 
"Minamata Disease." » Sustainability » Boston University. Boston Univeristy, Web. 7 Sept