causes and sustainability

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1 PG diploma in Environment Education program 30 min Unit Environmental problems, their causes and sustainability Subodh Sharma Dr.nat.tech.; Aquatic Ecology Centre, P.O. Box: 6250, 1

Key Environmental Problems THREE categories of problems: 1.

depletion, and urban air pollution are caused by chemicals mostly

Poisoning of the soil, water, and air by pesticides and numerous

groundwater, deforestation, soil erosion, desertification, and

2 Key Environmental Problems THREE categories of problems: 1. Global climate change, acid deposition, stratospheric ozone depletion, and urban air pollution are caused by chemicals mostly from burning of fossil fuels; 2. Poisoning of the soil, water, and air by pesticides and numerous other toxic wastes, is primarily due to the result of NOT relying on pollution prevention; 3. Depletion of non renewable minerals, depletion and contamination of groundwater, deforestation, soil erosion, desertification, and biodiversity depletion result from exponentially growing depletion and degradation of Earth Capital Subodh Sharma Dr.nat.tech.; Aquatic Ecology Centre, P.O. Box: 6250, 2

3 Root Causes of Environmental Problems Rapid population growth. Simplification and degradation of parts of Earth s life support systems. Poverty. Widespread use of relatively cheap and environmentally damaging fossil fuels. Rapid and wasteful use of resources with too little emphasis on pollution prevention and waste reduction. Subodh Sharma Dr.nat.tech.; Aquatic Ecology Centre, P.O. Box: 6250, sharmaku@yahoo.com. 3

4 Root Causes of Environmental Problems Overuse and degradation of global commonproperty resources. Failure to encourage Earth-sustaining forms of economic development and to discourage Earthdegrading forms of economic growth. Failure to have market prices represent the overall environmental cost of an economic good or service. Our urge to dominate and manage nature of our use. Subodh Sharma Dr.nat.tech.; Aquatic Ecology Centre, P.O. Box: 6250, 4

Connections Between Root Causes and Problems (The Three Factor Model) Number of people P Number of units of resources used per person A Environmental degradation and pollution per unit of resource

5 Connections Between Root Causes and Problems (The Three Factor Model) Number of people P Number of units of resources used per person A Environmental degradation and pollution per unit of resource used = Environmental impact of population T Impact (I) = population affluence technology (PAT) (adapted from Sadler and Jacobs (1989) and Sadler (1995) Subodh Sharma Dr.nat.tech.; Aquatic Ecology Centre, P.O. Box: 6250, sharmaku@yahoo.com. 5

6 Environmental Impact of Less Developed Countries (top) and More Developed Countries (bottom) Subodh Sharma Dr.nat.tech.; Aquatic Ecology Centre, P.O. Box: 6250, 6

7 Poorly Understood Interactions (Miller, 1996) Subodh Sharma Dr.nat.tech.; Aquatic Ecology Centre, P.O. Box: 6250, 7

8 What Should be done? Clashing Environmental Worldviews There is no environmental crisis (Julian L. Simon) Simple Simon Environmental Analysis (Paul R. Ehrlich and Anne H. Ehrlich) Subodh Sharma Dr.nat.tech.; Aquatic Ecology Centre, P.O. Box: 6250, 8

9 What Should be done? Planetary Management Worldview We are the planet s most important species, and we are n charge of the rest of nature. There is always more, and it s all for us. All economic growth is good, more economic growth is better, and the potential for economic growth is limitless. Our success depends on how well we can understand, control, and manage Earth s lifesupport systems for our own benefit. Subodh Sharma Dr.nat.tech.; Aquatic Ecology Centre, P.O. Box: 6250, sharmaku@yahoo.com. 9

10 What Should be done? Earth-Wisdom Worldview Nature exists for all of Earth s species, not just for us, and we are not in charge of the rest of nature. We need the Earth, but the Earth does not need us. There is not always more, and it s not all for us. Some forms of economic growth are environmentally beneficial and should be encouraged, and some are environmentally harmful and should be discouraged. Our success depends on learning to cooperate with one another and with the rest of nature, instead of trying to dominate and manage Earth s life support systems primarily for our own use. Subodh Sharma Dr.nat.tech.; Aquatic Ecology Centre, P.O. Box: 6250, sharmaku@yahoo.com. 10

11 Concluding Remarks The key to dealing with the problems we face is recognizing that individuals matter: never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has - Anthropologist Margaret Mead What is the use of a house if you don t have a decent planet to put it on? - Henry David Thoreau Subodh Sharma Dr.nat.tech.; Aquatic Ecology Centre, P.O. Box: 6250, sharmaku@yahoo.com. 11

Ch Living Sustainably

Ch Living Sustainably Ch. 01 - Living Sustainably Environment - all external conditions and factors that affect living organisms Ecology - the study of relationships between living organisms and their environment Environmental