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The Environment and Society. Chapter 1 Section 2. (1968) Garrett Hardin’s essay addressed the conflict between the short-term interests of individuals and the long-term welfare of society. Tragedy of the Commons. The commons were areas of land that belonged to a whole village
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The Environment and Society Chapter 1Section 2
(1968) Garrett Hardin’s essay addressed the conflict between the short-term interests of individuals and the long-term welfare of society Tragedy of the Commons
The commons were areas of land that belonged to a whole village Anyone could graze cows or sheep on the commons Commons
Problem with the Commons • Short-term interest: each individual wanted to graze as many animals as possible (“If I don’t use this resource, someone else will!”) • Long-term welfare: when too many animals were allowed to graze on the commons, the grass was destroyed and everyone suffered • (overgrazing = fewer animals)
Hardin’s Main Idea • If no one takes responsibility for maintaining a resource, it can become over used and depleted • Earth’s natural resources are our modern commons (everyone is using the resources, but few are concerned with conservation)
Supply and Demand: The greater the demand for a limited supply of something, the more it is worth Example: oil (as oil supplies decrease, prices go up) Economics and the Environment
Costs and Benefits • Balances the cost of an action against the benefits • Results often depend on WHO is doing the analysis • To an industry, the cost of pollution control may outweigh the benefits • To a nearby community, the benefits may be worth the high price
Used to create cost-effective ways to protect our health AND the environment To reach an effective solution, the public must perceive the risk accurately Risk Assessment
Developed: higher average incomes, slower population growth, diverse industrial economies, stronger social support systems Ex: U.S., Canada, Japan. Western Europe Developing: lower average incomes, simple agriculture-based economies, rapid population growth Ex: Mexico, Brazil, Malaysia Developed and Developing Countries
Population and Consumption • Local Population Pressures When populations grow rapidly, there may not be enough natural resources for everyone to live a healthy, productive life Common problems: deforestation, depletion of topsoil, animal extinction, malnutrition, starvation, disease
Developed nations use more natural resources than developing nations Ex: Use 75% of world’s resources, but only make up 20% of the world’s population! Consumption Trends
Ecological Footprint • The productive area of Earth needed to support one person in a particular country • Includes land for crops and grazing, forest products, housing, ocean area for seafood, forest area needed to absorb air pollution from fossil fuels, etc.
Environmental Science in Context • Environmental problems are complex and require critical thinking skills • To complicate problems, the environment has become a battleground for political agendas • Listen to both sides of a problem and identify your own bias
Main Causes of Environmental Problems • 1. population crisis: human popn. Is growing too quickly for Earth to support • 2. consumption crisis: humans use up, waste, pollute, and destroy natural resources faster than they could be cleaned up or replaced
Sustainability: a condition in which human needs are met in such a way that a human popn could survive indefinitely Requires everyone’s participation A Sustainable World
