Chapter 2 Environmental Laws, Economics and Ethics

Transcription

1 Chapter 2 Environmental Laws, Economics and Ethics

2 Overview of Chapter 2 Brief US Environmental History US Environmental Legislation Economics and the Environment Environmental Ethics, Values and Worldviews

3 Environmental History of the US 17 th and 18 th Centuries- Frontier Attitude Natural Resources (land, timber, soil, water) seemed inexhaustible Widespread Environmental Destruction Establishment of Jamestown, VA Dominated by Frontier Attitude

4 Environmental History of the US

5 Environmental History of the US Settlers migrating west

6 Environmental History of the US Transcontinental Railroad completed in 1869

7 Environmental History of the US 19th century - US Naturalists voiced concerns about natural resources Audubon - painted nature, which increased interest in environment Thoreau - naturalist author on simplifying life Marsh - wrote Man and Nature John James Audobon ( ) Henry David Thoreau ( ) George Perkins Marsh ( )

8 Environmental History of the US American bison (buffalo) nearly hunted to extinction in the 1800 s

9 Environmental History of US General Revision Act Gave President authority to establish forest reserves Presidents Harrison, Cleveland, Roosevelt Put 17.4 million hectares into reserve 1875 American Forestry 1890 Yosemite and Assoc. Formed Sequoia National Parks Established 1891 General Revision Act

10 Environmental History of US Utilitarian Conservationist Value natural resources for their usefulness Theodore Roosevelt Biocentric Preservationist Protect nature because all life deserves respect John Muir (founded Sierra Club) Fought for National Parks

11 Environmental History of US 20 th Century Naturalists Leopold - Author (A Sand Country Almanac) Stegner - Author (Wilderness Essay) Carson - Author (Silent Spring) Heightened awareness of DDT and pesticides Aldo Leopold ( ) Wallace Stegner ( ) Rachel Carson ( )

12 US Environmental Legislation Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Established in 1970 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Cornerstone of Environmental Law Requires Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) for any proposed federal action Ex: highway or dam construction Revolutionized environmental protection in US California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)

13 Environmental Impact Statement

14 US Environmental Legislation Numerous laws passed since 1970 They address: Clean water Clean air Energy conservation Hazardous waste Pesticides Federal regulation of pollution Table 2.1 in textbook

15 Effects of Environmental Legislation Since 1970 Six air pollutants have dropped by 25% Since 1990 Wet sulfate levels decreased 20 35% As of % of US had healthy drinking water (up from 75% in 1993) As of % of municipal waste is burned as waste-to-energy or recovered for recycling As of 2007 Human exposure to hazardous waste sites identified in 1969 is below 93%

16 Economics and the Environment What do we do with stuff at the end of its useful life?

17 Economics and the Environment Externality A person or company makes a choice that affects other people in a way that is not accounted for in the market price. Example: a company with a factory emitting pollution will typically not take into account the costs that its pollution imposes on others. Increased health care costs Lower quality of life Environmental cleanup costs

18 Environmental Justice The right of every citizen regardless of age, race, gender, social class, or other factor, to adequate protection from environmental hazards Generally, members of low income and minority communities: Face more environmental threats and have fewer environmental amenities Have less voice in planning

19 Environmental Justice Example: Mountain Top Removal watch3.html

20 Environmental Ethics What is the moral basis of environmental responsibility? Western Worldview Human superiority and dominance over nature Deep Ecology Worldview All species have an equal worth to humans