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Living in the EnvironmentLiving in the Environment

Chapter 28Chapter 28

ENVIRONMENTAL WORLDVIEWS, ENVIRONMENTAL WORLDVIEWS, ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITYETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY

Core Case Study: Core Case Study: Biosphere 2 - A Lesson in HumilityBiosphere 2 - A Lesson in Humility

• Biosphere 2, was designed to be self sustaining Biosphere 2, was designed to be self sustaining life-supporting system for eight people sealed in life-supporting system for eight people sealed in the facility in 1991. The experiment failed because the facility in 1991. The experiment failed because of a breakdown in its nutrient cycling systems.of a breakdown in its nutrient cycling systems.

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•What philosophies and religions can help us decide how to value life and distinguish between right and wrong environmental behavior?•What human-centered environmental worldviews guide most industrial societies?•What are some life-centered or earth-centered environmental worldviews?•How can we live more sustainably?

Chapter Overview Questions

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Environmental worldviews are how Environmental worldviews are how people think people think How you think the world works. What you believe your environmental role in the world should be.What you believe is right and wrong environmental behavior. (environmental ethics)

Types of Environmental Types of Environmental World ViewsWorld Views

Divided into 2 groupsDivided into 2 groups

• Individual-centered(Atomistic)Individual-centered(Atomistic)- Human-centered- Human-centered

• Earth-centered(Holistic)Earth-centered(Holistic)-Life-centered-Life-centered

or some combination of bothor some combination of both5

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Life forms have Life forms have instrumental instrumental value or value or intrinsic intrinsic value.value.

Instrumental, or utilitarian,Instrumental, or utilitarian, values life forms because values life forms because they are useful to the biosphere or us.they are useful to the biosphere or us.i.e. preserving natural capital of biodiversityi.e. preserving natural capital of biodiversity

Intrinsic, or inherentIntrinsic, or inherent, values life forms because they , values life forms because they merely exist.merely exist.

Anthropocentric instrumentalAnthropocentric instrumental values view life forms values view life forms as valuable only if they are useful to humans. Humans as valuable only if they are useful to humans. Humans have intrinsic value, rest of nature has instrumental have intrinsic value, rest of nature has instrumental value.value.

Biocentric intrinsic valuesBiocentric intrinsic values view life forms as valuable view life forms as valuable because they exist. All species have instrumental because they exist. All species have instrumental value.value.

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Human to be the most important species and stewards of the Human to be the most important species and stewards of the earth.earth.

1. Planetary management worldview :humans are the dominant 1. Planetary management worldview :humans are the dominant species. View of most people in industrial societies.species. View of most people in industrial societies.

• Humans should manage the earth.Humans should manage the earth.• All other life forms have some sort of All other life forms have some sort of

instrumental value.instrumental value.• Problems can be solved with more economic Problems can be solved with more economic

growth and development, and better management growth and development, and better management and technology.and technology.

•The planet should have a free-market global The planet should have a free-market global economy.economy.

2. Stewardship worldview(variation of environmental world 2. Stewardship worldview(variation of environmental world view): humans have an ethical responsibility to care for the view): humans have an ethical responsibility to care for the earth.earth.

• Humans should make the world better.Humans should make the world better.• Humans should pay back our debt to the Humans should pay back our debt to the

earth by leaving it better than before.earth by leaving it better than before.

Human-centered views

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A.A. Doubts that we can effectively manage Earth because of our Doubts that we can effectively manage Earth because of our lack of lack of knowledge. Ex. Biosphere projectknowledge. Ex. Biosphere project

B.B. Humans have an Humans have an ethical responsibilityethical responsibility to avoid causing the to avoid causing the premature extinction of species. Unique genetic info./economic premature extinction of species. Unique genetic info./economic goodgood

Actively protect species endangered by human activitiesSome believe all animal species have a right to survive

28-2 Life-Centered and Earth-Centered Worldviews28-2 Life-Centered and Earth-Centered Worldviews

1. 1. Environmental wisdom worldviewEnvironmental wisdom worldview: humans are not in charge and : humans are not in charge and should should study the history of the earthstudy the history of the earth to determine how it has to determine how it has maintained itself.maintained itself.

2. 2. Deep ecology worldviewDeep ecology worldview: obligations of humans to all life forms : obligations of humans to all life forms and not reduce the and not reduce the interdependence and diversityinterdependence and diversity of life. of life.

3. 3. Ecofeminist environmental worldviewEcofeminist environmental worldview: : women should be equalwomen should be equal to to men in the human quest to develop more sustainable societies.men in the human quest to develop more sustainable societies.

Environmental degradation can be slowed by using Environmental degradation can be slowed by using images of images of catastrophecatastrophe and economic and ecologic collapse. and economic and ecologic collapse.

Environmental Wisdom WorldviewEnvironmental Wisdom Worldview

• Humans are part of natureHumans are part of nature

• There is not always moreThere is not always more

• Some types of technology and Some types of technology and economic growth are goodeconomic growth are good

• Human success depends on Human success depends on learning how Earth systems work learning how Earth systems work and applying what we learnand applying what we learn

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Environmentally literate citizensEnvironmentally literate citizens are are needed to build a more environmentally needed to build a more environmentally sustainable society.sustainable society.

This requires an understanding of This requires an understanding of • how the earth workshow the earth works, , • ourour interactions interactions with the earth, with the earth, • and the and the methodsmethods we use to deal with we use to deal with environmental problems.environmental problems.

28.3 Solutions: Living More Sustainably28.3 Solutions: Living More Sustainably

Nature must be experienced directly Nature must be experienced directly to complete environmental educationto complete environmental education..

Living more SustainablyLiving more Sustainably• Need environmentally literate Need environmentally literate

citizens for a sustainable society.citizens for a sustainable society.

- - requires understanding of how earth requires understanding of how earth works, methods to deal with problemsworks, methods to deal with problems

• Respect earth and life and all its Respect earth and life and all its diversitydiversity

• Care for life with understandingCare for life with understanding

• Build societies that are free Build societies that are free

• Secure earth’s bounty for Secure earth’s bounty for present and future generationspresent and future generations

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Living More SustainablyLiving More Sustainably

Affluenza Affluenza is the addiction to over-is the addiction to over-consumption and materialism in developed consumption and materialism in developed countries. countries.

-Symptoms:-Symptoms: high debt level, declining high debt level, declining health, increased stress, more bankruptcies.health, increased stress, more bankruptcies.

-Causes:-Causes: credit cards enable instant credit cards enable instant gratification, easy money, and selfishness.gratification, easy money, and selfishness.

-Solutions:-Solutions: consume less, live more consume less, live more simply, and spend less.simply, and spend less.

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Effective environmental citizensEffective environmental citizens avoid avoid mental traps that lead to denial and mental traps that lead to denial and inaction and instead enjoy life and inaction and instead enjoy life and keep empowered feelings.keep empowered feelings.

The environmental revolutionThe environmental revolution is a is a positive outlook and a call for positive outlook and a call for leadership, ideas, and solutions to leadership, ideas, and solutions to current environmental challenges.current environmental challenges.

ConclusionConclusion