Life Cycle Analyses, Trans-boundary Impacts,and the Centrality of Asia to

Environmental Studies

Abigail R. JahielAssociate Professor of Environmental and International Studies

Illinois Wesleyan University

Asian Studies Teaching Colloquium on Environment, Science and Technology

Beloit CollegeOctober 1, 2010

Road Map

• Background

• Assignment: Life Cycle Analysis – (ENST 100: Environment and Society)

• Pedagogical Approach: Trans-boundary Impacts– (ENST 375: The Transboundary Environmental

Impacts of Asian Development)

ENST 100: Environment & Society

References to Asia:• Images of nature

– Religion: Buddhism, Daoism

• The Environmental Predicament– Population/Limits to Growth: China, India, Asia

• Our Consumer Society – Export of consumer society to Asia– Ecological life cycle analysis

ENST 100: Environment & Society

…a pedagogical tool for teaching about Asia

Assignment 4: Ecological Life-Cycle Analysis

How much of an impact do your everyday consumption patterns have on the environment? In this assignment, you will begin to consider this question by conducting an ecological life-cycle analysis of just one of your possessions.

•Select an object that you can’t live without and research the ecological implications of:

•1) the object’s birth•what it is made of•production process and the by-products•environmental and health impacts

•2) your use of the object•3) what will happen to the object once you are done with it.

iPhone Life-Cycle

Mining Gold(Indonesia)

Factory Production

Finished Product

Toxic Exposure

E-Waste

ENST 375: The Trans-boundary Impacts

of Asian Economic Growth

…a pedagogical approach for teaching about the environment

Asia’s Environmental Challenges• 60% of world population

– China accounts for 20%– India accounts for 17%

• Water shortage crisis proportions– 1 billion people in Asia will struggle to find fresh water

• Food security concerns– Demographics, hydrologic al problems, depleted soils, loss

of fisheries

• Deforestation • Desertification • Climate Change

Boundaries & the Transgression of Boundaries

• Boundaries: – Political – Ecological– Social (class)– Economic

• Are they co-terminus?• How solid are they?• How do they interact?• With what results?

Changing Landscapes

Commodity Crops

Dams

DeforestationMining

Climate Change

Mekong River

Dams

Mekong River

Dam(n)ingtthe

Mekong River

Himalayan Glaciers Melting

The Water Towers of AsiaThe Water Towers of Asia

Thank You