“get your priorities straight!”: who should · pdf file“get your priorities...
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2:30 p.m Welcome and Introduction Dr. Aaron Rizzieri 2:45 p.m. Community Discussion Dr. Aaron Rizzieri 1) What are some choices you could make that would contribute to
improving the environment? 2) How should one prioritize which lifestyle changes are the most important
to make? 3) If your individual acts would be futile on their own and cost you
something, why perform those acts? 4) If regulation is required to make a difference, should it be mandated? If
so, by whom and for which priorities? 3:50 p.m. Closing Questions and Recap of Discussion Community Committee
AGENDA
Special thanks to our partners, supporters and venue hosts!
Thursday, April 23, 2015
2:30 – 4 p.m.
Museum of Northern Arizona
Facilitated by: Dr. Aaron Rizzieri
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The Hot Topics Café is grateful for support from the Mckenzie Endowment for Democracy
1) What are some choices you could make that would contribute to
improving the environment?
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Individuals looking to have a personal impact on improving their environment could
consider some of the following options . Various environmentally conscious persons and
organizations, such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), OMEGA,
or Dara O’Rourke (an associate professor of environmental science at University of
California, Berkeley) suggest following some of the below habit changes:
Selection and use of regional plants and
reduction of the use of turf for
landscaping.
Reduction of the use of pesticides.
Composting or creating mulch onsite to
eliminate solid waste while making a
natural fertilizer.
Switching to a green power program,
one that uses all renewable energy like
solar or wind power.
Switching to a vegan or vegetarian diet.
Purchasing a vehicle with the best-
possible fuel economy. Ultimately,
reducing the amount you drive will have
the greatest impact.
Driving personal vehicles less in general
and utilize public transportation.
The utilization of smartphone apps that
give the consumer information about a
product while they shop enables them to
make green purchases.
Bringing your own bag for shopping, or
generally reducing plastic bag usage.
Images: http://environmental.lilithezine.com/
http://midshirecom.co.uk/environmental
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2) How should one prioritize which lifestyle changes are the most important
to make?
One must articulate environmental and their other values so as to be aware of possibilities and have
effective prioritization. While many might prioritize environmental health, some may prioritize
according to values such as convenience, well-being, health or safety.
ENVIRONMENT VALUE
Consider the following statements which pertain to the type of value nature has. Which one do you
agree with?
The environment and the creatures within it have a moral status and are worthy of human
concern.
The environment and the creatures within it are only important insofar as they enrich human life.
CONVENIENCE VALUE
Prioritizing one’s well-being or health may also play a role in how one organizes their priorities as a
whole. For example:
Someone may need to have their own transportation or utilize a vehicle in some fashion because
they are disabled.
Someone might want to only eat local or organic foods to guarantee they are eating well.
Additionally, an individual might want to switch to a vegan or vegetarian diet because certain
meats or animal products do not aid their personal health.
WELL-BEING OR HEALTH VALUE
Some may not want to reprioritize the way in which they live for the sake of convenience. According to
the Shelton Group, a research intensive firm interested in energy and the environment, report that
approximately 60% of Americans look for “greener products.” Furthermore, the study showed that 38%
would prioritize their own convenience, 35% would prioritize their personal comfort, while 26% would
prioritize the environment
“Ninety-seven percent of climate scientists agree that climate-warming trends over the
past century are very likely due to human activities.” –NASA on global climate change and
the vital signs of the planet
3) If your individual acts would be futile on their own and cost you something,
why perform those acts?
HOW RAPIDLY ARE WE DESTROYING THE ENVIRONMENT?
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NASA claims that the current warming trend of the earth is “very likely human-induced and proceeding
at a rate that is unprecedented in the past 1,300 years.” Below is one of NASA’s graphs for
documenting the carbon dioxide levels over an extensive period of time. As shown on the graph, the
carbon dioxide levels have never exceeded the 300 parts per million point until about 1950 and has been
increasing ever since.
What does this mean? The increase of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gasses disrupts normal
attributes of the earth. Some of the evidence includes:
Sea level rise – sea level has rose 6.7 inches in the last century. In the last decade, sea levels
have rose more than double of the rate of the last century.
Global temperature rise.
Warming of the oceans.
Ocean acidification – acidity of the ocean has increased about 30%.
Shrinking ice sheets and consequentially declining Arctic sea ice.
Extreme weather events and etc.
COLLECTIVE ACTION PROBLEM
It’s likely that in order to make a sufficient impact on the environment, individuals have to collectively
work together towards common goals. Collective action can be defined as a “group’s steps or actions
while working toward a common goal. When individuals engage in collective action, the strength of
the group’s resources, knowledge and efforts combines all parties to more readily achieve the shared
goal.”
The Problem: conflicts may arise between individual and the group interests. Under collective
action, the individual in the group must decide to either be self-concerned or cooperate with the
group’s interests.
It may be more reasonable for the individual to choose their own interests over those of the group.
However, if all individuals act in their own interest, the group falls apart.
Hence, the problem with collective action is a group’s ability to cooperate.
Having a household, small community, or even a city coordinate together in the interest of being
environmentally friendly can prove difficult depending on the interests and desires of the individuals
living within them .
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Some priorities may best be integrated into one’s lifestyle through either small community oriented
committees, or statewide advocacy. Cities or states might also pass environmentally conscious laws
for seemingly small priorities, such as recycling plastic grocery bags or banning them entirely. Below
are some examples of possible ways to regulate environmental priorities by different institutions.
4) If regulation is required to make a difference, should it be mandated? If
so, by whom and for which priorities?
UNIVERSITY COMMITTEES OR COUNCILS
Many colleges might have a series of “green” committees or organizations on campus that all seek to
improve or advocate for environmental initiatives. Some examples of these groups on NAU campus
are:
The Environmental Caucus: allows for “creative and strategic communication across campus
to advance the institutional commitment to sustainability and to promote education, research
and collaboration on the environment.”
Green NAU Energy Initiative: Facility Services at NAU have launched the initiative to aid in
the reduction of costs and emissions associated with waste on campus. The initiative
encourages people to adopt energy conservation behaviors.
Coordinating Committee for Campus Sustainability: a committee focused around
interdepartmental sustainability initiatives to further progress towards a carbon neutral
university.
STATEWIDE ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION
An example of a statewide advocacy organization is the Washington Environmental Council. The
council has “been driving positive changes to solve Washington’s most critical environmental
challenges since 1967.” Some of the council’s accomplishments include:
Building power for the environmental movement in the state of Washington
Broken ground on action for climate change with “smart laws to make our buildings greener
and more efficient, and standards to make our cars cleaner.”
Lead the creation for Washington’s electronic waste recycling program.
The creation of their Voter Education Program where WEC educates and empowers
environmental voters while tackling issues on the ballots that would impact the local
environment. The program has mobilized over 500,000 self-identified environmentally
conscious voters
FEDERAL REGULATION
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates, enforces, and aids in the
creation of environmentally concerned laws. The EPA also provides a glossary of environmental
issues, common relevant questions about how environmental issues are being handled, and research
for science and technology that would improve human life and the natural environment.
Contact PPI 928-523-8339
[email protected] nau.edu/ppi
HOT TOPICS CAFÉ COMMUNITY COMMITTEE
The “hot topics” in the Hot Topics Cafés are nominated and selected by community members that represent diverse constituencies and viewpoints. We thank our committee for their participation.
*Voted on Spring, 2015 “Hot Topics.”
Flagstaff
Sedona & the Verde Valley
Frankie Beeseley, Program Coordinator, Friends
of Flagstaff’s Future
*Joe Boles, Professor Emeritus, NAU College of
Arts and Letters
*Jean Malecki-Friedland, MD, MPH; County
Director and Chief Medical Professor andChair,
Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Miami
Miller School of Medicine; Co-Founder: The
Compassion Project
Jacque Gencarelle, Northern Arizona Behavioral
Health Association
*Barbara Hickman, Superintendent, Flagstaff
Unified School District
Sherman Stephens, Flagstaff Community
Craig Van Slyke, Dean, The W .A. Franke
College of Business
*Michael Vincent, Dean, NAU College of Arts
and Letters
*Karen Daines, Assistant City Manager, Sedona
Paul Friedman, Sedona Citizens for Civil Dialogue
*Kate Hawkes, Producing Artistic Director, Red
Earth Theatre
Darrin Karuzas, Principal, Sedona Red Rock High
School
*Sandy Moriarty, Sedona Mayor
Tom O’Halleran, Keep Sedona Beautiful; Board
Member, Verde River Basin Partnership
*Judy Reddington, Arts and Letters Advisory
Council, NAU; Board Member, Museum of Northern
Arizona; Board Director, Sedona International Film
Festival
*Steve Segner, Owner, El Portal; Chair, Lodging
Council, Sedona Chamber of Commerce
Patricia Lowell, Sedona Public Library, proxy for:
Virginia Volkman, Director, Sedona Public Library
Jessica Williamson, Sedona City Council
Ex officio
NAU's Philosophy in the Public
Interest is non partisan and does not
endorse any position with respect to
the issues we discuss. Philosophy in
the Public Interest is a neutral
convener for civil discourse.
NEXT FLAGSTAFF HOT TOPICS CAFÉ:
Changing the Climate around Climate
Change
Andrea Houchard, NAU Philosophy in the Public
Interest
Jona Vance, NAU Department of Philosophy
Robin Weeks, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute,
Yavapai College, Sedona Center
Randy Wilson, Arizona Daily Sun
Wednesday, May 6th
2 - 3:30 p.m.
TBD
http://www2.epa.gov/learn-issues http://wecprotects.org/about-wec http://nau.edu/Green-NAU/Coordinating-Committee-for-Campus-Sustainability/ https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog030/node/342 http://thelawdictionary.org/collective-action/ http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/ http://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/06/23/environment-takes-back-seat-to-comfort-convenience/ http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/focusareas/environmental_ethics/short-course.html http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/07/30/responsible-shoppers-but-bad-citizens/the-power-of-environmentally-conscious-shopping http://www.eomega.org/learning-paths/body-mind-spirit-fitness-sports-health-healing-wellness-sustainable-living-sustainability/3-biggest-ways-to-reduce-your-environmental-impact http://www.epa.gov/greenkit/landscap.htm http://midshirecom.co.uk/environmental http://environmental.lilithezine.com/
Sources