Topic 1 - Introduction
Environment
-
Conditions
& circumstances around organism
-
Social and
cultural conditions tat affect individual/community
Environmental science
-
Systematic
study of environment and our place
-
Integrate
physical & biological science
Importance
-
Pollution,
water crisis, natural disaster, global environmentalism
Global
Environmentalism
-
International
communication
-
Leader:
o
Wangari
Maathai (Kenya)
o
Yu
Xiaogang (China)
o
Muhd.
Yunus (India)
o
Gro
Brundtland (Norway)
Rich-Poverty Gap
-
World Bank
estimate >1.4 billion poverty (<$1.25 / day)
-
Poverty:
o
Victim
& agents of environmental degradation
o
To meet
present survival needs at long term sustainability
o
Continues
over generations (malnourished / ill)
o
Cannot
work productively & raise healthy children
Religious Traditions
-
Ethical
& moral values
-
Stewardship
(taking care of resources)
Environmental ethics
-
Moral
obligations to the world around us
Worldviews
-
Basic
beliefs & understandings shaping the world we see. (determines what questions
are valid)
Moral extensionism
-
Grant
moral value to animals, plants
Value
-
Measure
worth of something
-
Inherent
value
o
Instrinsic
right to exist (innate worth)
-
Instrumental
value
o
Worth for
their use / value
Sustainability
-
Wealthy
nation consume inordinate share & produce pollution
-
US 4.6%
population; 25% oil; 50% toxic wastes
-
If China
population = American consumption, will need 4 planets
-
Economic
Progress:
o
In 50 yrs
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increase $2 trillion to $22 trillion
o
Since
WWII, avr. income of 3rd world country doubled, life expectancy
increase 30%
-
Meeting
present needs w/o considering future needs
-
Benefits
must open to all
-
Economic
growth plus political stability, democracy, eco distribution
-
Argument:
o
Continual
growth is impossible, limited nonrenewable resources & waste absorb
capacity
o
Possible,
with techno & social organization for long-term growth (but finite)
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