Chapter15 Flashcards
(11 cards)
cornucopia view
Nature is seen as an almost endless storehouse of resources that exist only for use by humans, especially by
those currently living.
growth ethic
A cultural or subcultural commitment to the idea that economic growth is good in itself, whatever its social effects.
individualism
Belief in the primary importance of the individual and the need to protect individual liberty and choice against
collective social or governmental restriction.
tragedy of the commons
A market system based on the capitalist belief that economies work best when left alone, with each self-interested actor seeking what is personally best, and it
leads to the situation where this agglomerated self-interest works against the common good by polluting, destroying, and exhausting common goods that are not owned by a single individual but are shared by all of us, such as bodies
of water, the air, the land, ecosystems, and, especially, renewable resources such as fish and forests.
greenwashing
The process of promoting false ideas about the environmental friendliness of certain commercial products.
climate change
A departure from expected patterns of temperature and other climatic properties resulting mainly from an accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, trapping the heat reflected off the earth’s surface.
peak oil
the peak in global oil production, when the maximum rate of global petroleum extraction is reached, after which the rate of production goes into permanent decline.
body burden
A buildup of harmful synthetic chemicals and heavy metals in our bodies.
risk society
A society in which risk is increased by technological and
economic developments, raising the need for more cautious awareness but, also, active risk-taking is considered a core element of economic and social
progress.
precautionary principle
A tenet of environmentalism as it interfaces with economic development, which insists that when serious or irreversible damage could result from development, the wise and necessary decision is to not go ahead with that course
of action, regardless of assumptions that technology could or will resolve any future problems or damage.
post-materialist culture
A new cultural orientation that puts less emphasis on material consumption and class issues, and more on non-material (quality of collective life) benefits, such as environmental improvement.
