1.1 Environmental value systems

1.1 Environmental value systems

Monday, May 1, 2023Scott Lucas

Dwight School London, 2015

Vocabulary• Environmental values system: is a worldview or

paradigm that shapes the way an individual of group of people perceive and evaluate environmental issues. This will be influenced by cultural, religious, economic and socio-political context.• Worldview: • Paradigm: • Ecocentric: • Anthropocentric: • Technocentric:

Assessment statementsSignificant ideas• SI1.1.1 Historical events, among other influences, affect the

development of environmental value systems (EVSs) and environmental movements. [A variety of significant historical influences could be covered, but with a minimum ofthree in-depth examples. Possible examples could include: James Lovelock’s development of the Gaia hypothesis; Minamata disaster; Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring (1962);, Davis Guggenheim’s documentary An Inconvenient Truth (2006); Chernobyl disaster of 1986; Fukushima Daiihi nuclear disaster of 2011;whaling; Bhopal disaster of 1984; Gulf of Mexico oil spill of 2010; Chipko movement; Rio Earth Summit 2012 (Rio+20); Earth Day; Green Revolution; Copenhagen Accord; recent or local events of student interest.] [In the range of historical influences selected, it is beneficial to have both local and global examples.]

• SI1.1.2 There is a wide spectrum of EVSs, each with its own premises and implications. [EVSs are individual; there is no “wrong” EVS.]

Assessment statementsKnowledge and understanding

• Significant historical influences on the development of the environmental movement have come from literature, the media, major environmental disasters, international agreements and technological developments.

• An EVS is a worldview or paradigm that shapes the way an individual, or group of people, perceives and evaluates environmental issues, influenced by cultural, religious, economic and socio-political contexts.

• An EVS might be considered as a system in the sense that it may be influenced by education, experience, culture and media (inputs), and involves a set of interrelated premises, values and arguments that can generate consistent decisions and evaluations (outputs).

• There is a spectrum of EVSs, from ecocentric through anthropocentric to technocentric value systems.

• An ecocentric viewpoint integrates social, spiritual and environmental dimensions into a holistic ideal. It puts ecology and nature as central to humanity and emphasizes a less materialistic approach to life with greater self-sufficiency of societies. An ecocentric viewpoint prioritizes biorights, emphasizes the importance of education and encourages self-restraint in human behaviour.

Assessment statementsKnowledge and understanding• An anthropocentric viewpoint argues that humans must sustainably manage the

global system. This might be through the use of taxes, environmental regulationand legislation. Debate would be encouraged to reach a consensual, pragmaticapproach to solving environmental problems.

• A technocentric viewpoint argues that technological developments can provide solutions to environmental problems. This is a consequence of a largely optimistic view of the role humans can play in improving the lot of humanity. Scientific research is encouraged in order to form policies and to understandhow systems can be controlled, manipulated or changed to solve resource depletion. A pro-growth agenda is deemed necessary for society’s improvement.

• There are extremes at either end of this spectrum (for example, deep ecologists–ecocentric to cornucopian–technocentric), but in practice, EVSs vary greatly depending on cultures and time periods, and they rarely fit simply or perfectly into any classification.

• Different EVSs ascribe different intrinsic value to components of the biosphere.

Assessment statementsApplications and skills• Discuss the view that the environment can have its own intrinsic

value.• Evaluate the implications of two contrasting EVSs in the context

of givenenvironmental issues.

• Justify, using examples and evidence, how historical influences have shapedthe development of the modern environmental movement [During the ESS course students should be encouraged to develop their own EVS and to be able to justify their decisions on environmental issues based on their EVSs.]

Assessment statementsInternational-mindedness• Ecosystems may often cross national boundaries

and conflict may arise from the clash of different value systems about exploitation of resources (for example, migration of wildlife across borders in southern Africa)• Differences in cultures and societies may influence

the development of environmental value systems.

Task: Local environmental issue• Research a local environmental issue and write

about it• Describe the issue• State the arguments of the pressure group• State opposing arguments to their case• Consider: economic, aesthetic, socio-political, cultural• State your own position and defend/justify your

argument

• Post to the website• Be prepared to share next lesson

SI1.1.1 Significant historical influences on the development of the environmental movement have come from literature, the media, major environmental disasters, international agreements and technological developments• Concerns for the environment have been around

for a long time in various forms• Romans tracked air and water pollution• Late 14th to mid 16th century human waste was

know for spreading disease in Europe• Soil conservation was practiced as early as 2000

years ago by China, India and Peru

SI1.1.1Significant historical influences on the development of the environmental movement have come from literature, the media, major environmental disasters, international agreements and technological developments

• The present environmental movement started in the 1960s• The main split in philosophy is: do we save Earth for

our sake (continuation of the species) or for its own sake (spiritual value)?• My question is: is this a false dilemma?• Main players are powerful individuals, independent

pressure groups, corporations, governments and intergovernmental bodies

Influences: Individuals• Influential individual efforts include Aldo Leopold's

A Sand County Almanac, Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (DDT), Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth (global warming)• They raise awareness of different environmental

issues and start the debate

Influences: Pressure groups• Independent pressure groups are people’s or grass

roots movements• Use campaigns to raise awareness of issues to

effect change• Awareness leads public to influence governments

and businesses• Examples include Greenpeace, World Wildlife

Federation (WWF), Friends of the Earth• Know as non-governmental organization (NGOs)

Influences: Corporations• Corporate business: mainly multi & transnational

corporations (MNCs/TNCs) utilize resources and impact the environment i.e. open pit mining or burning fossil fuels

Influences: Governments• Governments: make policy including environmental

ones i.e. land use, and apply legislation i.e. pollution limits. They play a role in international agreements such as the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). • Different countries are at different development

stages so will have different priorities. Countries are aware of the issues but also need to feed their populations, keep them healthy, etc.

Influences: Intergovernmental• Intergovernmental bodies such as the United

Nations (UN) hold Earth Summits to discuss world developmental and environmental issues

Effects• These individuals and groups affect the populace’s:• Norms i.e. buying dolphin friendly tuna, recycling• Politics i.e. voting green

Growth of environmental movement

Case studies: historical influences

Significant idea: historical events, among other influences, affect the development of environmental

value systems and environmental movements.

Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring • Rachel Carson is generally agreed to have started the modern

environmental movement with her book Silent Spring in 1962• Warned about the effect of pesticides, in particular,

dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT)• Effects include: killing good (and bad) insects, bioaccumulation (within

organisms) and biomagnification (between organisms) in food webs• This led to accumulation in fatty tissue and increase cancer risks among

other health issues• Businesses tried to ban the book• Scientists both supported and ridiculed her book• In the US an investigation was ordered and confirmed her claims• DDT is now generally banned though there are exceptions especially in

Africa to prevent deaths from malaria

Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth• Al Gore made a documentary on climate change

called An Inconvenient Truth, 2006• Raised awareness of climate change as a result of

human produced greenhouse gases

Minamata mercury poisioning• Minamata, Japan was the site of a Chisso Coroporation

chemical factory• One of the by-products that was dumped in the bay was

methylmercury• Mercury accumulated within organisms and biomagnified

between organisms of the food web up to humans which resulted in mercury poisoning• Mercury affects the nervous system and leads to loss of

vision, hearing, speech and limb coordination• Consequences include blindness, mental illness and

death

Bhopal Disaster• December 1984 in central Bhopal a pesticide plant

released 40 tonnes of methyl isocyanate (form of cyanide)• Killed 3 000 and lead to 15 000-22 000 total deaths• Worst industrial disaster

Chernobyl, 1986• Explosion and fire within a nuclear reactor led to meltdown and

spewed a cloud of highly radioactive material high into the atmosphere• Cloud drifted over much of Russia and Europe as far as Wales and

Scotland• Long lasting radioisotopes half-lives• 2009 there were still restrictions on some Welsh sheep farms due

to high radioactivity• Hard to estimate impact: 31 dead and estimates between 5000

and 1 million total death will result• Reactor is encased in concrete but starting to fail• Currently building a large metal shell to cover it

Fukushima Daiichi, 2011• An earthquake caused tsunami damaged a reactor

and resulted in meltdown of 3 reactors• The flooding water became radioactive• Plant is sighted in a densely populated area so 1

million were evacuated• Human error was the cause as it was not built for a

tsunami • The plant is still not secured

Nuclear accidents result in• Demonstrations• Votes on reducing/phasing out nuclear power in

European countries• Reduced or abandoned plans for nuclear power

TOK: To what extent do you think the arguments about nuclear power are based on emotion rather than reason?• Consider:• Nuclear accidents are very rare and safety levels are

ever higher as new plants are developed• More people are killed in car accidents or when

shopping than by nuclear accidents• Our need for electricity continues to increase rapidly.

What are the alternatives?

Landmarks in environmentalism

Research Task: Disasters and movements• Research one of the following disasters:

• Deepwater Horizon oil spill• London Smog• Love Canal• Another choice (check with me)

• Research one of the following movements/environmentalists:• Chipko movement• Rio Earth Summit and Rio +20• Earth Day• Green Revolution• Kyoto Protocol• Mahatma Mohandas Ghandi• Henry David Thoreau• Aldo Leopold• Joh Muir• E O Wilson• Another choice (check with me)

Task Expectations• Presentation can take a variety of• Formats: webpage, video, podcast, video podcast, vlog,

blog, PowerPoint, Google Slides, etc• Forms: skit, interview, narrated video, game show, Q and

A, etc

• Must be uploaded to the 1.1 EVS assignment folder• File must be named as follows: Lastname,

Firstname – Descriptive title • “EVS presentation” doesn’t cut it, be specific!

An environmental value systems (EVS) is a worldview or paradigm that shapes the way an individual, or group of people, perceives and evaluates environmental issues, influenced by cultural, religious, economic and socio-political contexts.• Different societies have different environmental

philosophies and can help explain their choices• Our EVS is influenced by cultural, religious,

economic and socio-political contexts• Environment or organisms can have intrinsic value.

How do we measure this when assigning value on our environment? (TOK)

• Until recently resources were viewed as unlimited• The industrial revolution lead to rapid economic

growth that has improve living standards• Due to exponential population growth resources

are getting scarce• Already water/food/energy scarcity & poverty• Humans may eventually change conditions to make

it unfit for human life

• Your EVS is formed through your experiences, background, education, culture, and associated societies = worldview or paradigm• Simply put:• Optimism = half full• Pessimism = half empty

Your personal view

Behaviour

Habit Cost-benefit analysis

Ability to act

Personal Characteristics

Social influences

Emotions

Appraisals of situation

Task: word association (TOK)• Get in pairs• Partner A says each word from the list and writes down partner B’s

response• Environment, Natural, Nature…• Switch roles and repeat• Join another pair and discuss

• Do you agree?• What similarities are there?• What differences?• Why do you think your responses are different?• How different do you think the responses of someone from a different

century of culture may be? Discuss examples.

• Share with the class your discussions

Task: word association (TOK)• Phrases used to describe our relationship with

nature and Earth?• Is the word/phrase descriptive or evaluative?• How do you think our language has influenced

human perspective on the environment?• How does the language we use influence your

worldview?

Task: word association (TOK)• Language used to describe the relationship

between man and nature:• Fighting for survival• Battle against nature• Man or beast• Conquering Everest• Beating the elements

• To what extent do you think this affects how we view nature?

Environmental attitudes questionnaire

Significant ideas: There is a wide spectrum of environmental values systems each with their own premises and implicationsThere is a spectrum of EVSs from ecocentric through anthropocentric to technocentric value systems

EVS: Ecocentric, (“earth-centred”)• An ecocentric viewpoint integrates social, spiritual and

environmental dimensions into a holistic ideal.• It puts ecology and nature as central to humanity and

emphasizes a less materialistic approach to life with greater self-sufficiency of societies.

• An ecocentric viewpoint prioritizes biorights, emphasises the importance of education and encourages self-restraint in human behaviour.

• Support small-scale, local community action and individual action• Materialism and our need from more is wrong• Don’t support centralized decision-making• Category includes: deep ecologists - extreme ecocentrists

Ecocentric: General• We don’t know enough about the Earth; how many

species, how it all interacts; to manage it and it’s arrogant to think we can• Not possible to have the highest living standard for

all; not enough resources• Economic growth is not the answer

Ecocentric: Biocentric (“life-centred)• rights of nature and dependence of humans on that

nature• All life has intrinsic value, value for its own sake• Should not cause the premature extinction of any

other species, whether it does us harm, good or neither• Extreme: should cause the harm of any individual of

a species (animal rights activists)

Ecocentric: “Ecocentric”• Ecocentric: look after habitats/ecosystems the

organisms lives in as well as the organisms• Preserve the ecological integrity/complexity of

systems life will thrive• Some broaden this to say we are one species of

many, not more important than the others• We are sentient and can alter our environment we

must restore degraded ecosystems, remove pollution and deal with global environmental problems

Ecocentric: Deep ecologists• Place more value on nature than humanity• Biorights: universal rights where all species and

ecosysytems have inherent value and humans have no right to interfere with this• Policies changed to reduce impact on the

environment including:• Decrease human population• Lessen consumption

Ecocentric beliefs summary• The Earth is here for all species• Resources are limited• We should manage growth so that only beneficial

forms occur• We must work with the Earth, not against it• We need the Earth more than it needs us

EVS: Anthropocentric (“human-centred”)• An anthropocentric viewpoint argues that humans

must sustainable manage the global system. • This might be through the use of taxes,

environmental regulation and legislation. • Debate would be encouraged to reach a

consensual, pragmatic approach to solving environmental problems.• Human-centred: where humans don’t depend on

nature but is there to benefit humankind

EVS: Technocentric (“technology-centred”)• A technocentric viewpoint argues that technological

developments can provide solutions to environmental problems.

• NB: “technology” does not mean “electronics”; technology means tools, devices and methods (can include electronics)

• This is a consequence of a largely optimistic view of the role humans can play in improving the lot of humanity.

• Scientific research is encouraged in order to form policies and understand how systems can be controlled, manipulated or exchanged to solve resource depletion.

• A pro-growth agenda is deemed necessary for society’s improvement.

• Category includes: Environmental managers and cornucopians (extreme technocentrists)

Technocentric: Environmental managers• Earth is a garden that we need to tend: stewardship• Ethical duty to protect and nuture Earth• Government needs to legislate to protect the

environment and resources from over-exploitation and promote sustainable economies• Support those that suffer from environmental

degradation and have a duty to intervene• “If we look after the planet, it will look after us”

Technocentric: Cornucopians• Infinite resources• For the benefit of humanity• Through technology and our creativity we will solve any

environmental problems• Will continually improve living standards• Economic growth will improve these things• Nothing should stand in the way• Free markets/capitalism, minimal government control is best• “Earth = spaceship, we are the crew; if we understand it we

can steer it”

Anthro- and technocentric beliefs summary• We are Earth’s most important species, we are in

charge• There will always be more resources to exploit• We will successful control and manage these

resources• We can solve any pollution problem we cause• Economic growth is a good thing and we can always

keep the economy growing• “Whatever we do, we can solve it”

There are extremes at either end of this spectrum (eg deep ecologists, ecocentric; to cornucopians, technocentric), but in practice EVSs vary greatly with culture and time and rarely fit simply or perfectly into any classification.• Our human perspective influences our

environmental views• Your EVS is formed through your experiences,

background, education, culture, and associated societies

Environmental worldviews

Communism and capitalism in Germany• In Germany after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 there was the

chance to compare communism and capitalism, East vs West Germany• East Germany was a bigger polluter than West Germany• Buna chemical works (East Germany) dumped ten times

more mercury into the river in a day than a comparable factory in West Germany would in a year• Trabant cars produced 100x CO than catalytic cars in West

Germany• Capitalism isn’t perfect but pollutes a lot less than

communism

Native American environmental worldview• Broadly generalizing:• Communal property (no one “owns” property)• Subsistence economy• Barter for goods• Low impact technologies• Politically come to a consensus democratically• Laws are handed down through oral tradition• Matrilineal decent (mother’s side)• Extended families and low population density• Polytheistic and animals, plants and natural objects have

a spirituality

Christianity and Islam• Separation of matter and spirit (body and soul)• Christianity

• Dominion over the Earth; Genesis 1:28 “replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over it”

• Mastery or stewardship? Do stewards own it or are they just looking after it?

• Islam• Earth has been given for our sustenance but• It is a gift or inheritance; caretaker status?• Animal world is equal to human world• Emphasis on trustee status of humans and imperative of charity (3rd pillar)

• Ecofeminism: male-dominated since agriculture view world to be dominated vs a nurturing Earth mother

Buddhism: religious ecology• Buddhism sees the world conjoined morally,

existentially, cosmologically and ontologically• All sentient beings share birth, old age, suffering

and death• Every living thing is co-dependent therefore we are

not above other living things• Extend loving kindness and compassion to life and

Earth itself

An EVS might be considered as a “system” in the sense that it may be influenced by education, experience, culture and media (inputs) and involves a set of inter-related premises, values, and arguments that can generate consistent decisions and evaluations (outputs)• Your EVS is formed through your experiences,

background, education, culture, and associated societies

Contemporary categories of environmentalism• Market has adopted “greenwash” & ”green sheen” activities that

look good for the environment but may not be; organic, biotic, low emissions, energy-saving, free-range…what do they really mean?

• Dark green: seek political change in radical ways, economic/industrial growth is not the answer, reduce population

• Light green: change own lifestyle to use less• Bright green: use tech and social manipulation to live sustainably,

economic growth may be beneficial if more live in efficient cities, more renewable energy use and reduce footprint while increasing living standard

• Viridian design (bright green offshoot): global citizenship and improved green product design

Cost-benefit analysis and the environment• Environmental economists look at the costs

associated with removing pollutants from various outputs and determine how much they can remove cost-effectively• Opportunity cost may be high, not removing heavy

metals from slurry; or low, not removing SO2 from emissions• With limited funds they have to make decisions, a

cost-benefit analysis

Different EVSs ascribe different intrinsic values to components of the biosphere.Discuss the view that the environment can have its own intrinsic value.• “Discuss” command term, what does it mean?

Evaluate the implications of two contrasting environmental value systems in the context of given environmental issues.• “Evaluate” command term, what does it mean?

Justify the implications using evidence and examples to make the justification clear.• “Justify” command term, what does it mean?

Revision Task• On your website• Copy and complete this table to show the main points of

the different environmental philosophies

Practical work

Works Cited• Andrew. EVS Slideshare. Renaissance College Hong Kong. PowerPoint.• Hobbins, Eamonn. EVS. PowerPoint. • International Baccalaureate Organization. Diploma Programme

Environmental systems and societies guide. The Hague: IB Publishing Ltd, Feb. 2015. PDF.

• Platt, J.P. Enviro history and value systems. MIS (Munich International School?). PowerPoint.

• Rutherford, Jill. Environmental Systems and Societies. Oxford: OUP, 2015. Print.

• Semwal, Manish Kr. Environmental value systems. GMIS Jakarta. PowerPoint.

• Wadsworth, Nick. Environmental perspectives. The International School. PowerPoint.

1.1 Environmental value systems

Education

Transcript of 1.1 Environmental value systems