ecology Flashcards
biogeochemical cycles (39 cards)
What is a perspective?
A perspective is how an individual sees and understands a particular situation
Perspectives are shaped by personal experiences, cultural background, and societal influences.
What factors influence perspectives?
- Sociocultural norms
- Scientific understandings
- Laws
- Religion
- Economic conditions
- Local and global events
- Lived experience
Perspectives can evolve over time as individuals gain new experiences and insights.
How do perspectives influence people’s choices?
Perspectives influence people’s choices and actions, leading to diverse views on environmental and social issues
For example, an environmentalist perspective may prioritize sustainability over cost.
What are environmental perspectives?
Different perspectives on environmental issues can lead to contrasting approaches to conservation and resource management
Examples include human-based versus environmentalist perspectives.
What is the difference between perspectives and arguments?
A perspective is not the same as an argument; arguments are constructs used to support or challenge a particular perspective
Arguments provide logical or reasoned explanations to persuade others.
What are values?
Values are qualities or principles that people believe have worth and importance in life
They guide behaviours, attitudes, and decisions.
How do values influence people’s priorities?
Values affect people’s priorities, judgements, perspectives, and choices
They are shaped by cultural and social factors.
What is a value survey?
Value surveys investigate the perspectives of social groups towards various environmental issues
They help understand how environmental concerns are viewed and prioritised.
What are closed-ended questions?
Closed-ended questions provide respondents with a fixed set of options to choose from
They are good for quantitative analysis.
What are behaviour-time graphs?
Behaviour-time graphs show changes in behaviours or lifestyles over time
They help visualize trends related to environmental actions.
What are worldviews?
Worldviews can be described as the lenses through which groups of people see and understand the world around them
They include cultural beliefs, philosophical ideas, and political opinions.
How do worldviews differ from perspectives?
Worldviews encompass a broader set of beliefs, while perspectives are more specific and immediate viewpoints on particular issues
Perspectives may change based on circumstances or new information.
What is an environmental value system (EVS)?
An environmental value system is the way that an individual or group perceives the environment and the resources it provides
It is shaped by cultural, religious, social, political, economic, and environmental factors.
What are the three broad categories of environmental value systems?
- Ecocentric
- Anthropocentric
- Technocentric
These categories represent different approaches to environmental issues.
What is ecocentrism?
Ecocentrism prioritises the intrinsic value of nature and the environment over human needs and interests
It advocates for sustainable practices that maintain ecosystem balance.
What is anthropocentrism?
Anthropocentrism places human beings at the centre, prioritising their needs over those of other living beings and the environment
It often leads to unsustainable practices.
What is technocentrism?
Technocentrism places technology and human ingenuity at the centre of decision-making processes
It often overlooks the impact on the environment.
What are some advantages of ecocentrism?
- Reuses materials
- Minimises environmental impact
- Better for long-term human wellbeing
Conservation can be expensive with no immediate economic return.
What are some disadvantages of technocentrism?
- May lead to further environmental problems
- High cost
- Humans increasingly disconnected from nature
While it allows social progress, it may neglect conservation needs.
Fill in the blank: Plastic pollution in the oceans is a major environmental problem that can be addressed through an _______ approach.
ecocentric
What does the ecocentric approach prioritize?
Preservation of natural ecosystems and biodiversity
Focuses on reducing plastic waste entering oceans and restoring impacted marine ecosystems.
What is a key focus of the technocentric approach?
Developing technological solutions to environmental problems
Includes technologies for cleaning up plastic waste and creating biodegradable plastics.
What fundamental change does the ecocentric approach emphasize?
Systemic change in human behavior and resource use
Aims to reduce plastic waste entering oceans and preserve marine ecosystems.
How did the environmental perspectives shift over time?
Influenced by government and NGO campaigns and social/demographic changes
Significant rise in environmental awareness in the 1970s due to pollution campaigns.
