Environmental Values Systems

IB ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS

This semester, we’re going to talk about

‘the environment’ what is that?•W

hat is included?•W

hat is excluded?•W

hat is your opinion of ‘the environment’?•How do other people in your home/community/state/nation/world view the environment?

Is there a point to studying the environment?• (let’s hope so ) WHY should we study it?

The environment has value…but how much??

•What does that mean?

•What is the value of the environment?

•Intrinsic/extrinsic value?

•What do you think?

•What’s your world view?•How is your world view influenced?

Inputs•Media•Religion•Science•Education•Politics•Culture

Outputs•Decisions•Perspective• Course of Action

How do these philosophies influence decision making?

•Individually

•In your family

•In the community

•In the US

•Etc…

Environmental attitudes questionnaire: Think about whether you agree or disagree…

1. Humans are part of nature

2. Humans are to blame for all the world’s environmental problems

3. We depend on the environment for our resources (food, water, fuel)

4. Nomadic and indigenous peoples live in balance with their environment

5. Traditional farming methods do not damage the environment

6. Nature will make good any damage that humans do to the Earth

7. Humans have every right to use all resources on the planet

8. Technology will solve our energy crisis

9. We have passed the tipping on climate change and th Earth is warming up and we cannot stop it

10.Animals and plants have as much right to live on Earth as humans

11.Looking at a beautiful view is not as important as economic progress

12.Species have always become extinct on Earth and so it does not matter that humans are causing extinction.

There are varying ideologies•E

cocentrism (Nature centered)

•Anthropocentricism (people centered)

•Technocentrism (technology centered)

Its really a continuum.

Where do you fall?

Where does Cumberland County fall (in your opinion)?

Where does the US fall?

Canada? Europe? Asia? Africa?

Let’s look at some case studies of different ideologies

10 000 years ago—Neolithic Agricultural Revolution

manage local resources

1800ish—Industrial Revolution

human population & resource usage growth SIGNIFICANT

few conservationistsconservationists spoke about loss of “wilderness”

most figured the world contained an infinite supply of resources

1940-60s—Green Revolution

mechanized agriculturemore food produced

burning fossil fuels, fertilizer and pesticide use rose sharply

As a result…collapsing fish stocks, endangered species, pesticide poisoning, deforestation, nuclear waste, ozone layer depletion, global warming, acid precipitation

1970s—Shift in philosophy

1980s—focus on sustainability

1990s—global warming & global economies

2000s—Climate change, time for action?

Timeline of Modern Environmental Movement…Timeline of Modern Environmental Movement…

For Monday, compare and contrast two specific societies. Here are some ideas… or choose your

own!•B

uddhist and Judaeo-Christian Societies

•First Nation Americans and European pioneers operating frontier economics

•Communist and capitalist societies

•AND YOU!!

(what is your personal viewpoint)

Historical Influences on current movement…

•Let’s read about some specific events that have shaped the current Environmental Movement