Environmental Attitudes
Ideas on the role of human beings within a planetary ecology
Worldview
How one sees and interprets the world
Technocentrism
The idea that scientific reasoning and advancement is most important. It is okay to exploit nature for its resources. Born out of the industrial revolution.
Ecocentrism
Respect for nature and other living things. Natural systems should be left alone with no disruption
Natural Morality
human behavior should occur within limits imposed by natural environment
Prehistoric overkill/Blitzkrieg
Extinction of large animals was caused by
human hunting in prehistoric period
Medieval view of man and nature
Man’s dominion of man over nature; christianity being anthropocentric, and spread of christianity in the west
Westward Expansion
The 1800’s-1850’s was a period of great expansion, urbanization, industrialization, westward migration, and railroad construction.
Transcendentalism
Rejects industrialization and capitalism, seeks to find beauty in nature
Henry David Thoreau
Writer of Walden Pond, advised people to reject fashion and live a simple life with nature
Ancient Greek/Roman/Chinese view on Nature
They wanted to find beauty in nature
Events fueling the environmental movement in 1969
Cuyahoga River Fire, Santa Barbara Oil Spill
Rachel Carson
Author of Silent Spring, a book that fueled the environmental movement
Post Materialism
The theory that babies born after WWII/1945 don’t have the same penny pinching tendencies as their grandparents. They were more interested in individualism and self expression
Risk Society
The observation that many political affairs after WWII were centered on economics
Technological Risk/Environmental Risk
Risk involving technical failures, like power plant meltdowns and dams breaking. Or, the effects of climate change
Dominant Social Padigram
The idea that humans exert complete control over everything
New Environmental Padigram
The idea that humans should express humility toward the environment
Tragedy of the Commons
Problems with no clear solution, like breeding or pollution
Wilderness
An unsettled, uncultivated region left in its natural condition
George Perkins Marsh
Environmentalist who looked to preservation in Europe. Differentiated between man-made and natural causes of things
John Muir
Environmentalist and founder of the Sierra Club who believed in preservation, aka leave wilderness as it is
Gifford Pinchot
Conservationist who believed in efficient land usage while still being environmentally friendly
National forest
Lands preserved by the US government
Hetch Hetchy
The valley debate for preservation vs. conservation, where conservation would mean making it a reservoir for San Francisco. The conservation movement won
Earth First
Radical environmental movement aimed at protecting the environment. Uses the monkey wrenching technique to protect endangered wild lands.
Sustainable Yield
The periodic output of a land in a way so that productivity is not impaired
Wilderness Act of 1964
Protected lands in the US from rapid development occurring at the time.
Science of Ecology
Aldo Leopold’s idea of the ethics relying on the individual being a part of independent communities
Dave Foreman
Founder of Earth First
Earth Liberation Front
Radical group known for doing anything possible to protect wildlife
Biosphere 2
An artificial environment in tuscan with a variety of climates that could not sustain its inhabitants without outside help
Provisioning Services
Production of food, fuel, and fiber. Involves hu,an enterprises like agriculture
Regulating services
Benefits obtained from the services that ecosystems provide, such as climate and floods
Cultural Services
Recreation, tourism, scenery, and spiritual events
Supporting Services
Functions necessary for the production of all other ecosystem services
Millenium Ecosystem Assessment
(MA) Handled by the UN, assessed the consequences of ecosystem change for human well- being and the scientific basis for action needed to enhance the conservation of these ecosystems
MA Scenarios
Global Orchestration, Order from Strength, Adapting Mosaic, TechnoGarden. They will improve ecosystem strain.
MA Findings
Most rapid change in past 50 years, changes have caused human gains at higher costs, degradation of ecosystem services could grow significantly worse in first half of this century, the changes will require significant policy change
Thomas Malthus Population Theory
Population grows exponentially, so we are going to outstrip the world of food
What caused the boom in population?
New sanitation practices, improvements in medicine, and economic growth/industrialization
Age Structure
Number and proportion of people in each age group in a population
Demographic Transition
Country moves from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates
Carrying Capacity
largest population that can be sustained indefinitely
Trap of Underdevelopment
The interrelationship between population, poverty, and environmental decay in developing countries
International Monetary Fund/World Bank
The international bank providing funds for projects in developing nations
Structural Adjustment
Enhancing economic competitiveness by slashing government spending on social programs
Substinence Farming
Providing goods that are needed locally
Debt Crisis
Rising debt due to competitiveness among developing nations
Slow Food
Food that is produced in a “good/clean” manner with no GMO’s
Genetically modified foods
Foods that are modified for factory farming and processing. AKA Frankenfoods
What reduces agricultural productivity?
Climate Change