Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
a.
Stabilizing population is not desirable because with-
out more consumers, economic growth would stop.
b.
The world will never run out of resources because
we can use technology to find substitutes and to
help us reduce resource waste.
4.
See if the affluenza bug infects you by indicating
whether you agree or disagree with the following
statements.
a.
I am willing to work at a job I despise so I can buy
lots of stuff.
b.
When I am feeling down, I like to go shopping to
make myself feel better.
c.
I would rather be shopping right now.
d.
I owe more than $1,000 on my credit cards.
e.
I usually make only the minimum payment on my
monthly credit card bills.
f.
I am running out of room to store my stuff.
If you agree with two of these statements, you are infected
with affluenza. If you agree with more than two, you have
a serious case of affluenza. Compare your answers with
those of your classmates and discuss the effects of the re-
sults on the environment and your feelings of happiness.
5.
When you read that at least 19,200 people die prema-
turely each day (13 per minute) from preventable malnu-
trition and infectious disease, do you
(a)
doubt whether it
is true,
(b)
not want to think about it,
(c)
feel hopeless,
(d)
feel sad,
(e)
feel guilty, or
(f)
want to do something
about this problem?
6.
How do you feel when you read that
(1)
the average
American consumes 30 times more resources than the
average citizen of India, and
(2)
human activities are pro-
jected to make the earth's climate warmer:
(a)
skeptical
about those statements' accuracy,
(b)
indifferent,
(c)
sad,
(d)
helpless,
(e)
guilty,
(f)
concerned, or
(g)
outraged?
Which of these feelings help perpetuate such problems,
and which can help alleviate these problems?
7.
Make a list of the resources you truly need. Then make
another list of the resources you use each day only because
you want them. Finally, make a third list of resources you
want and hope to use in the future. Compare your lists
with those compiled by other members of your class, and
relate the overall result to the tragedy of the commons.
Sustainability
Emphasis
Current
Emphasis
Pollution cleanup
Pollution prevention
(cleaner production)
Waste disposal (bury
or burn)
Waste prevention and
reduction
Protecting species
Protecting where
species live (habitat
protection)
Environmental
degradation
Environmental
restoration
Increased resource
use
Less wasteful (more
efficient) resource use
Population growth
Population
stabilization by
decreasing birth rates
Depleting and
degrading natural
capital
Protecting natural
capital and living off
the biological interest
it provides
Figure 1-14
Solutions:
some shifts involved in the
environmen-
tal
or
sustainability revolution.
The challenge is to make creative use of our eco-
nomic and political systems to implement such solu-
tions. One key is to recognize that most economic and
political change comes about as a result of individual
actions and individuals acting together to bring about
change by grassroots action from the bottom up. Social
scientists suggest it takes only 5-10% of the population
of a country or of the world to bring about major social
change. Anthropologist Margaret Mead summarized
our potential for change: “Never doubt that a small
group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the
world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” This
means we have to accept our ethical responsibility for
stewardship
of the earth's natural capital by leaving the
earth in as good, if not better, shape than we found it.
LEARNING ONLINE
The website for this topic includes review questions for
the entire chapter, flash cards for key terms and concepts,
a multiple-choice practice quiz, interesting Internet sites,
references, and a guide for accessing thousands of
InfoTrac
®
College Edition articles.
Visit
What's the use of a house if you don't have a decent planet to
put it on?
H
ENRY
D
AVID
T
HOREAU
CRITICAL THINKING
http://biology.brookscole.com/miller11
Then choose Chapter 1, and select a learning resource. For
access to animations, additional quizzes, chapter outlines
and summaries, register and log in to
1.
List
(a)
three forms of economic growth you believe
are environmentally unsustainable and
(b)
three forms
you believe are environmentally sustainable.
2.
Give three examples of how you cause environmental
degradation as a result of the tragedy of the commons.
3.
Explain why you agree or disagree with the following
propositions:
at
esnow.brookscole.com/miller11
using the access code
card in the front of your topic.
