Transcript Environmental History: an Overview

Environmental History: an
Overview
Environmental Ethics
The more clearly we can focus our attention on
the wonders and realities of the universe about us
the less taste we shall have for destruction.
Environmental worldviews o Instrumental Value
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Individual Centered
o usefulness to humans or
 Anthropocentric
nature. Natural Cap.
 Focus: Humans separate of
biodiversity, etc.
nature
o Intrinsic Value
 Human-centered
• Masters of nature
o existence value
 Biocentric
something of value because
 Focus: Humans are part of
it is here! Doesn’t need a
nature
purpose.
 Life-centered
• Individual-Centered
o Anthropocentric
• Species- Centered
o Intrinsic – humans
Holistic (Ecocentric)
o Instrumental - nature
 Focus sustaining nature,
o Biocentric
humans destroy nature
o Intrinsic – species
 Biosphere-Centered
o Instrumental – abiotic nature
 Ecosystem-Centered
Anthropocentric: Planetary
Management Worldviews
No-problem school
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All Environ. Problems
can be solved with better
management &
technology
Space-ship- earth school
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Free-Market school
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Management the earth
using free-market global
economy & competition
with little government
regulation.
Responsible school
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Mixture of free-market,
technology & less
government regulation
The earth along is space is
complex yet, we can
dominate, change, &
manage to provide a good
life for all.
Stewardship school
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Ethical responsibility to be
good managers. Work to
make the world a better
place for all species.
Environmental Worldviews
Planetary Management
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Humans are the planets most
important species; we are in
charge
Natural Resources are
unlimited
All economic growth is good
and unlimited
Our success depends on
managing the world’s lifesupport systems for our benefit
Environmental Wisdom
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All species are important and
we are not in charge
The earth’s resources are
limited and should not be
wasted
Some forms of economic
growth are environmentally
beneficial and some are
environmentally harmful
Our success depends on
learning how the earth sustains
itself and integrating such
scientific lessons from nature
(environmental wisdom) into the
ways we think and act
Ecocentric (Earth-centered)
Ralph Waldo Emerson,
Henry David Thoreau,
Aldo Leopold, John
Muir, Rachel Carson
Viewed humans as destroyers
of earth
Believed that natural
processes hold Intrinsic value
Believed that individuals
represent Instrumental value
Biocentric (life-centered)
Aldo Leopold,
John Muir
Viewed humans as one
with the earth, not
separate
Believed that species
hold Intrinsic Value
Believed that the
abiotic, non-living part
of nature held
Instrumental Value
Environmental History
Conservationists 1832-1870
Henry David Thoreau
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“Truth in nature and wilderness
over the deceits of urban
civilization”
Began to notice resource
depletion, tried to live a simple
life.
Urged the government to
protect large unspoiled
wilderness for future
generations
Spent 2 years alone @ Waldon
Pond writing about nature
George Perkins Marsh
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A Vermont congressman and
scientist, Marsh encouraged
resource conservation
Marsh established:
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1. Natural resources are not
inexhaustible
2. Used scientific data and case
studies to show that past
civilization demise was due to
misuse of natural resources
3. Established resource
conservation principles
Environmental History
Preservationists 1870 - 1930
John Muir
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Born in Dunbar, Scotland, Muir
hiked many hills in Scotland &
England as a young lad.
Muir spent his entire adult life
preserving wilderness form human
exploitation.
Muir recognized the value in
recreational hiking & camping and
advocated these low-impact
activities. Finally becoming law in
1964.
Proposed National Park System,
which became law 2 years after he
died, 1916
Established the Sierra Club and
fought for 22 years to preserve
wilderness
Theodore Roosevelt
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Political opposition prevented protection of
forests and wilderness until Roosevelt
1901-1909
Golden Age of Conservation
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Established: presidential power to
designated public lands as federal wildlife
refuges
Pelican Island 1903, & 35 more by 1904
Grand Canyon, & 16 other national Parks
Tripled the size of forest reserves
U.S. Forest Service 1905, Gifford Pinchot, 1st
park chief
Hetch Hetchy Valley 1915
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Roosevelt wise-use school
Muir Preservationists school
National Park Service developed 1916
Environmental History
The New Deal 1930 - 1960
President Franklin
D.Roosevelt
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Needed to recover from the Great
depression
 Enacted:
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CCC, Civilian Conservation
Corps
TVA, Tennessee Valley
Authority
Hoover Dam
Soil Conservation Act
Soil Conservation Service
After WWII the country improved
health, sanitation, agriculture, &
public education
Environmental History
Modern Environmental Movement 1960’s
Rachel Carson 1962
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Wrote Silent Spring
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This book documented
pollution of air, water,
soil and pesticide
effects on wildlife
Politicians knee-jerk
reaction passed
environmental laws to
protect air, water, &
pristine areas.
1964, Wilderness Act,
preserved more forested
land for low-impact
recreation
Science of Ecology develops by
1965, Ehrlich, Commoner, &
Hardin write to awake the public
about over population, pollution, &
resource use.
Wide scale awareness of
environmental pollution and
corporate greed lead to habitat
destruction and biodiversity loss,
American bald eagle, grizzly bear,
whooping crane, & peregrine
falcon
1969, Apollo mission to the moon,
photographs the earth from space.
No single photograph has had a
greater impact on human
consciousness.
Environmental History
Case Studies 1 of 3
Sierra Club vs. Walt Disney Corporation
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Walt Disney wanted to develop a secluded Sierra
Nevada valley called Mineral King into a ski resort.
Sierra Club legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit to
block development. Case went to Supreme Court.
Court upheld citizen right’s by preserving Mineral
King and the ski resort was never built.
Walt Disney was a Sierra Club member.
Environmental History
Case Studies 2 of 3
Goa, India
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This city in India is located on the west coast. City economy is based
upon tourism.
 Goa’s natural ecological assets have been squandered on tourists
 Sand dunes were built upon, fruit trees were cut down and replaced
by resorts
 Millions of liters of water were used to maintain lawns and golf
courses.
 The Assnoda River ran dry, farmers lost their crops when irrigation
water was diverted for the tourist industry.
 On a 2km stretch of beach 50 swimming pools were built within 300
meter of the sea.
 Electricity is sporadic; locals experience frequent power shortages,
but tourist hotels have back-up transformers.
Why should local residents carry the brunt of the tourist burden? Should
the government improve basic services for the locals first instead of the
tourists?
Environmental History
Case Studies 3 of 3
Nigeria, Africa
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Ranked 10th in oil reserves, 120 trillion ft3
Petroleum gas is “flared”, instead of capturing the gas, liquefying the gas
and selling the gas, they BURN IT.
Flaring has occurred in Nigeria for 40 years.
Flaring adds 35 million metric tones of CO2 annually into the atmosphere,
28% of world’s CO2
Gas Flaring exposes humans to vapors that cause cancer, heart disease,
brain disorders, stroke, anemia, HBP, and many psychological effects.
Perpetual heat and light are released which have affected the mangrove
forests, freshwater swamps, and intertidal mudflats.
Creeks are polluted, fishing is decreasing, farming has decreased because
of acid rain
Ethical dilemma:
THE WORLD NEEDS ENERGY!