The Environment and The Environment and SocietySociety

Chapter 1Chapter 1Section 2Section 2

Tragedy of the CommonsTragedy of the Commons

(1968) Garrett (1968) Garrett Hardin’s essay Hardin’s essay addressed the addressed the conflict between the conflict between the short-term interests short-term interests of individuals and the of individuals and the long-term welfare of long-term welfare of societysociety

CommonsCommons

The commons were The commons were areas of land that areas of land that belonged to a whole belonged to a whole villagevillage

Anyone could graze Anyone could graze cows or sheep on the cows or sheep on the commonscommons

Problem with the CommonsProblem with the Commons

Short-term interestShort-term interest: each individual wanted to : each individual wanted to graze as many animals as possible (“If I don’t graze as many animals as possible (“If I don’t use this resource, someone else will!”)use this resource, someone else will!”)

Long-term welfareLong-term welfare: when too many animals : when too many animals were allowed to graze on the commons, the were allowed to graze on the commons, the grass was destroyed and everyone sufferedgrass was destroyed and everyone suffered

(overgrazing = fewer animals) (overgrazing = fewer animals)

Hardin’s Main IdeaHardin’s Main Idea

If no one takes responsibility for If no one takes responsibility for maintaining a resource, it can become maintaining a resource, it can become over used and depletedover used and depleted

Earth’s natural resources are our modern Earth’s natural resources are our modern commons (everyone is using the commons (everyone is using the resources, but few are concerned with resources, but few are concerned with conservation) conservation)

Economics and the Economics and the EnvironmentEnvironment

Supply and Demand: Supply and Demand: The greater the The greater the demand for a limited demand for a limited supply of something, supply of something, the more it is worththe more it is worth

Example: oil (as oil Example: oil (as oil supplies decrease, supplies decrease, prices go up)prices go up)

Costs and BenefitsCosts and Benefits

Balances the cost of an action against the benefitsBalances the cost of an action against the benefits

Results often depend on WHO is doing the Results often depend on WHO is doing the analysisanalysis

To an industry, the cost of pollution control may To an industry, the cost of pollution control may outweigh the benefitsoutweigh the benefits

To a nearby community, the benefits may be To a nearby community, the benefits may be worth the high priceworth the high price

Risk AssessmentRisk Assessment

Used to create cost-Used to create cost-effective ways to effective ways to protect our health protect our health AND the environmentAND the environment

To reach an effective To reach an effective solution, the public solution, the public must perceive the must perceive the risk accuratelyrisk accurately

Developed and Developing Developed and Developing CountriesCountries

Developed:Developed: higher higher average incomes, average incomes, slower population slower population growth, diverse growth, diverse industrial economies, industrial economies, stronger social stronger social support systemssupport systems

Ex: U.S., Canada, Ex: U.S., Canada, Japan. Western EuropeJapan. Western Europe

Developing:Developing: lower lower average incomes, average incomes, simple agriculture-simple agriculture-based economies, based economies, rapid population rapid population growthgrowth

Ex: Mexico, Brazil, Ex: Mexico, Brazil, MalaysiaMalaysia

Population and Population and ConsumptionConsumption

Local Population PressuresLocal Population Pressures When populations grow rapidly, there When populations grow rapidly, there

may not be enough natural resources for may not be enough natural resources for everyone to live a healthy, productive lifeeveryone to live a healthy, productive life

Common problems: deforestation, Common problems: deforestation, depletion of topsoil, animal extinction, depletion of topsoil, animal extinction, malnutrition, starvation, diseasemalnutrition, starvation, disease

Consumption TrendsConsumption Trends

Developed nations Developed nations use more natural use more natural resources than resources than developing nations developing nations

Ex: Use 75% of Ex: Use 75% of world’s resources, world’s resources, but only make up but only make up 20% of the world’s 20% of the world’s population!population!

Ecological FootprintEcological Footprint

The productive area of Earth needed to The productive area of Earth needed to support one person in a particular support one person in a particular countrycountry

Includes land for crops and grazing, Includes land for crops and grazing, forest products, housing, ocean area for forest products, housing, ocean area for seafood, forest area needed to absorb air seafood, forest area needed to absorb air pollution from fossil fuels, etc.pollution from fossil fuels, etc.

Environmental Science in ContextEnvironmental Science in Context

Environmental problems are complex and Environmental problems are complex and require critical thinking skillsrequire critical thinking skills

To complicate problems, the environment has To complicate problems, the environment has become a battleground for political agendasbecome a battleground for political agendas

Listen to both sides of a problem and identify Listen to both sides of a problem and identify your own biasyour own bias

Main Causes of Environmental Main Causes of Environmental ProblemsProblems

1. 1. population crisispopulation crisis: human popn. Is : human popn. Is growing too quickly for Earth to supportgrowing too quickly for Earth to support

2. 2. consumption crisisconsumption crisis: humans use up, : humans use up, waste, pollute, and destroy natural waste, pollute, and destroy natural resources faster than they could be resources faster than they could be cleaned up or replacedcleaned up or replaced

A Sustainable WorldA Sustainable World

Sustainability: a Sustainability: a condition in which condition in which human needs are human needs are met in such a way met in such a way that a human popn that a human popn could survive could survive indefinitelyindefinitely

Requires Requires everyone’s everyone’s participationparticipation