Objective: Describe some of the challenges to achieving sustainability.
There are many divisions in societies. For example, ethnocentrism, policy and bureaucracy, socioeconomic differences, and viewing others as less than. Everyone has a shadow side. We need to be taught where we are failing as a collective people.
We need to view ourselves as part of the environment. We need to think about long term impacts and actual costs. Traditionally, you are never doing better than the person experiencing the worst. This change will require a cultural shift. Earth is feminine, as long as we are repressing women we are out of balance. (DeWitt)
Objective: Explain how economics and environmental science are related.
Economics and environment are a westernized view. It is not about supply and demand, but balancing issues. Don’t continually supply for demand, we need to keep balance. Importing a lot creates a false abundance. (DeWitt)
Objective: Give an example of a private effort to address environmental problems.
Not every indigenous tribe is trying to address environmental issues. But the relationship indigenous have with the environment is conducive to being protectors. They are ecological conscious and have wisdom about the environment. Indigenous have lived experience that we should listen to and Indigenous people need to have a greater voice in governance. (DeWitt)
In This Section:
- Understanding Our Environment
- The Environment and Society
- Economics and International Cooperation
- Statistics and Models
- Making Informed Decisions
- Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems
- How Populations Change in Size
- How Species Interact with Each Other
- Land Use
- Land Management and Conservation
- Feeding the World
- Crops and Soil
- The Geosphere
- Mineral Exploration and Mining
- Energy Resources and Fossil Fuels
- Nuclear Energy
- Renewable Energy Today
- Alternative Energy and Conservation
- Biodiversity at Risk
- Studying Human Populations
- Changing Population Trends
- Reducing Solid Waste
- The Atmosphere
- Air, Noise, and Light Pollution
- Atmosphere and Climate Change
- The Importance of the Individual