Environmental ethics

Unit 1: Introduction to Unit 1: Introduction to Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Science

Environmental Environmental Worldviews, Ethics, and Worldviews, Ethics, and

SustainabilitySustainability

ENVIRONMENTAL WORLDVIEWS ENVIRONMENTAL WORLDVIEWS AND VALUESAND VALUES

Your environmental worldview encompasses:Your environmental worldview encompasses: How you think the world works. How you think the world works. What you believe your environmental role in the What you believe your environmental role in the

world should be.world should be. What you believe is right and wrong What you believe is right and wrong

environmental behavior.environmental behavior.

Some questions in environmental Some questions in environmental ethicsethics

Should the present generation conserve resources for future generations?

Is is OK to destroy a forest to create jobs for people?

Is it OK for some communities to be exposed to more pollution than others?

Are humans justified in driving other species to extinction?

Three ethical worldviewsThree ethical worldviews

ENVIRONMENTAL WORLDVIEWS ENVIRONMENTAL WORLDVIEWS AND VALUESAND VALUES

Environmental worldviews lie on a continuum.Environmental worldviews lie on a continuum.

Figure 26-2Figure 26-2

HUMAN-CENTERED AND LIFE-HUMAN-CENTERED AND LIFE-CENTERED ENVIRONMENTAL CENTERED ENVIRONMENTAL

WORLDVIEWSWORLDVIEWS The major difference among environmental The major difference among environmental

worldviews is the emphasis they put on the worldviews is the emphasis they put on the role of humans dealing with environmental role of humans dealing with environmental problems.problems. Some view that humans are the planet’s most Some view that humans are the planet’s most

important species and should become managers important species and should become managers or stewards of the earth.or stewards of the earth.

Planetary Management

• We are apart from the rest of nature and can manage nature to meet our increasing needs and wants.

• Because of our ingenuity and technology we will not run out of resources.

• The potential for economic growth is essentially unlimited.

• Our success depends on how well we manage the earth's life support systems mostly for our benefit.

Stewardship

• We have an ethical responsibility to be caring managers, or stewards, of the earth.

• We will probably not run out of resources, but they should not be wasted.

• We should encourage environmentally beneficial forms of economic growth & discourage environmentally harmful forms.

• Our success depends on how well we manage the earth's life support systems for our benefit and for the rest of nature.

Environmental Wisdom

• We are a part of and totally dependent on nature and nature exists for all species.

• Resources are limited, should not be wasted, and are not all for us.

• We should encourage earth sustaining forms of economic growth & discourage earth degrading forms.

• Our success depends on learning how nature sustains itself and integrating such lessons from nature into the ways we think and act.

Fig. 26-3, p. 617

Environmental Worldviews

Other more recent schools of thought

• Deep ecology = humans are inseparable from nature;

protect all living things as one would protect oneself

• Ecofeminism = male-dominated societies have

degraded women and the environment for similar

reasons- believes that women should be given the same

rights that men have in our joint quest to develop more

environmentally sustainable and socially just societies

Shifts in Environmental Values and Shifts in Environmental Values and Worldviews: Worldviews:

Some Encouraging TrendsSome Encouraging Trends

Global and national polls reveal a shift Global and national polls reveal a shift towards the stewardship, environmental towards the stewardship, environmental wisdom, and deep ecology worldviews.wisdom, and deep ecology worldviews.

Environmental justice (EJ)Environmental justice (EJ)• Poor people and minorities suffer more than Poor people and minorities suffer more than

their share of environmental problems, EJ their share of environmental problems, EJ advocates say.advocates say.

The EJ movement began with a protest against a toxic The EJ movement began with a protest against a toxic waste dump in an African-American community in waste dump in an African-American community in North Carolina.North Carolina.

How Would You Vote?How Would You Vote?

Which one of the following comes closest to your Which one of the following comes closest to your environmental worldview: planetary management, environmental worldview: planetary management, stewardship, environmental wisdom, deep ecology, stewardship, environmental wisdom, deep ecology, ecofeminist?ecofeminist? a. Planetary managementa. Planetary management b. Stewartshipb. Stewartship c. Environmental wisdomc. Environmental wisdom d. Deep ecologyd. Deep ecology e. Ecofeministe. Ecofeminist

How Would You Vote?How Would You Vote?

Do you believe there are physical and Do you believe there are physical and biological limits to human economic growth?biological limits to human economic growth?

a. No. I have faith in human ingenuity and a. No. I have faith in human ingenuity and creativity.creativity.

b. Depends. Some (but not all) aspects of b. Depends. Some (but not all) aspects of economic growth are limited.economic growth are limited.

c. Yes. Ecological economists are generally c. Yes. Ecological economists are generally correct. correct.

LIVING MORE SUSTAINABLYLIVING MORE SUSTAINABLY

Environmental literate citizens and leaders Environmental literate citizens and leaders are needed to build more environmentally are needed to build more environmentally sustainable and socially just societies.sustainable and socially just societies.

YOU!YOU!

In addition to formal learning, we need to In addition to formal learning, we need to learn by experiencing nature directly.learn by experiencing nature directly.

GET OUTSIDE!GET OUTSIDE!

Fig. 26-6, p. 622

Solutions

Developing Environmentally Sustainable Societies

Guidelines Guidelines Strategies

Learn from & copy nature Sustain biodiversity

Eliminate povertyDo not degrade or deplete the earth's natural capital, and live off the natural income it provides

Develop eco-economies

Build sustainable communities

Do not use renewable resources faster than nature can replace them

Take no more than we need

Do not reduce biodiversityUse sustainable agriculture

Depend more on locally available renewable energy from the sun, wind, flowing water, and sustainable biomass

Try not to harm life, air, water, soil

Emphasize pollution prevention and waste reduction

Do not change the world's climate

Do not overshoot the earth's carrying capacity

Do not waste matter and energy resourcesHelp maintain the earth's capacity for self-repair Recycle, reuse, and compost 60–80% of

matter resources

Repair past ecological damageMaintain a human population size such that needs are met without threatening life support systemsLeave the world in as good a shape as

—or better than—we found itEmphasize ecological restoration

LIVING MORE SUSTAINABLYLIVING MORE SUSTAINABLY

We can help make the world a better place We can help make the world a better place by not falling into mental traps that lead to by not falling into mental traps that lead to denial and inaction and by keeping our denial and inaction and by keeping our empowering feelings of hope ahead of any empowering feelings of hope ahead of any immobilizing feeling of despair. immobilizing feeling of despair.

Living More Lightly on the Earth: Living More Lightly on the Earth: The Sustainable DozenThe Sustainable Dozen

AgricultureAgriculture Reduce you meat consumption.Reduce you meat consumption. Buy locally grown and produced food.Buy locally grown and produced food. Buy more organic food and grow your own.Buy more organic food and grow your own. Don’t use pesticides.Don’t use pesticides.

TransportationTransportation Drive an energy-efficient vehicle.Drive an energy-efficient vehicle. Walk, bike, carpool, or take mass transit.Walk, bike, carpool, or take mass transit. Work at home or live near work.Work at home or live near work.

Living More Lightly on the Earth Living More Lightly on the Earth

Home Energy UseHome Energy Use Caulk leaks, add insulation, use energy efficient Caulk leaks, add insulation, use energy efficient

appliances.appliances. Try to use solar, wind, flowing water, biomass for Try to use solar, wind, flowing water, biomass for

home energy.home energy. WaterWater

Use water-saving showers and toilets, use drip Use water-saving showers and toilets, use drip irrigation, landscape yard with natural plants that irrigation, landscape yard with natural plants that do not require excess water.do not require excess water.

Living More Lightly on the EarthLiving More Lightly on the Earth

Resource ConsumptionResource Consumption Reduce your consumption and waste of stuff by Reduce your consumption and waste of stuff by

at least 10%: at least 10%: Refuse and ReuseRefuse and Reuse..

Figure 26-5Figure 26-5

LIVING MORE SUSTAINABLYLIVING MORE SUSTAINABLY

The Earth Charter calls for us to respect and The Earth Charter calls for us to respect and care for life and biodiversity and to build more care for life and biodiversity and to build more sustainable, just, democratic, and peaceful sustainable, just, democratic, and peaceful societies for present and future generations.societies for present and future generations.

We need hope, a positive vision of the future, We need hope, a positive vision of the future, and commitment to making the world a better and commitment to making the world a better place to live.place to live.