Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 18-19
Solutions: positions
of several major envi-
ronmental problems
in the policy life cycle
in most developed
countries.
Recognition
Identify the problem.
Formulation
Look for solutions.
Implementation
Implement solutions.
Control
Things are improving.
Nonpoint-source
water pollution
Acid deposition
Outdoor air pollution
Global warming
Ozone depletion
Sewage treatment
Urban sprawl
Indoor air pollution
Municipal solid waste
Drinking water
treatment
Nuclear wastes
Reuse
Protecting
endangered
species
Biodiversity protection
Mining wastes
Point-source water
pollution
Pollution prevention
Groundwater
contamination
Pest control
Recycling
Toxic wastes
Environmentally
harmful subsidies
Soil erosion
Some infectious
diseases
Resource productivity
Aquifer depletion
Market prices do
not include
environmentally
harmful costs
Environmental
justice
Sustainable
economic
development
Need for integrated
environmental
management
have done anything for the environment if it weren't
for the citizen groups.”
Ta ken together, a loosely connected worldwide
network of grassroots NGOs working for bottom-up
political, social, economic, and environmental change
can be viewed as an emerging citizen-based global sus-
tainability movement. The Internet is informing and
connecting a global citizenry as people begin collabo-
rating to bring about environmental, social, and eco-
nomic change from the bottom up. Top-down control
by corporations and governments is being weakened.
As environmental educator David W. Orr puts it, “It is
not possible for long to organize our affairs around
greed, illusion, and ill will.
These groups have worked with individuals and
communities to oppose harmful projects such as
landfills, waste incinerators, nuclear waste dumps,
clear-cutting of forests (Figure 18-15), pollution from
factories and refineries, and a variety of development
projects. They have also taken action against environ-
mental injustice. (See the Guest Essay on this topic by
Robert D. Bullard on the website for this chapter.)
Grassroots groups have formed land trusts and other
local organizations to save wetlands, forests, farm-
land, and ranchland from development and have
helped restore forests (see Individuals Matter, p. 172),
degraded rivers, and wetlands.
Some grassroots environmental groups use the
nonviolent and nondestructive tactics of protest
marches, tree sitting (see Individuals Matter, p. 166),
and other devices for generating publicity to help edu-
cate and sway members of the public to oppose vari-
ous environmentally harmful activities. Much more
controversial are militant environmental groups that
use violent means to achieve their ends. Most environ-
mentalists oppose such tactics.
x
H OW W OULD Y OU V OTE ? Do you support the use of
nonviolent and nondestructive civil disobedience tactics
by some environmental groups? Cast your vote online at
http://biology.brookscole.com/miller11.
Case Study: Environmental Action
by Students in the United States
Many student environmental groups work to bring
about environmental improvements in their schools
and local communities.
Since 1988, there has been a boom in environmental
awareness on college campuses and in public schools
across the United States. Most student environmental
groups work with members of the faculty and admin-
istration to bring about environmental improvements
in their schools and local communities.
Many of these groups make environmental audits of
their campuses or schools. They use the data gathered
in this way to propose changes that will make their
campus or school more environmentally sustainable,
Search WWH ::




Custom Search