1.

1 environmental value systems

Page 218-229 ESS Essentials
 ● Historical events, among other
influences, affect the
development of EVS and
Significant ideas ●
Environmental Movemnent
There is a wide spectrum of
EVS’s each with their own
premises and implication
Learning intentions:
To describe how some events led to the modern environmental movement

To understand each Environmental Value System and how they would approach any
environmental issue.
Introduction: Development
of the Modern
Environmental Movement
Contrasting EVS’s

Plenary

20 mins 20 mins 10 mins 20 mins 10 mins

Decision making and

Environmental Value Systems EVS
Development of the environmental movement
Davis and Nagle pages 4-7

The environmental movement began to take shape in the latter part of the 20th
century, advocating sustainable development through changes in public policy and
individual behaviour.
 Environmental DISASTERS Page 224 ESS Essentials
1956 - Minamata disease (Japan)
● linked to the release of methyl mercury into the wastewater
● produced by the Chisso Corporation’s chemical factory
● mercury contaminated fish/shellfish along the coast and was then eaten by the
local populations, whose diet consisted heavily of locally caught seafood.
● Caused neurological damage: to hearing, speech, and vision, and muscle
weakness, as well as death and birth defects.

1975 - Save the Whale Campaign by Greenpeace

● Endangered whales have many obstacles
● The effects of nearly a century of commercial whaling have had long-lasting
to face today — global warming, pollution,
effects. ocean acidification, noise and ship strikes,
● Luckily, a 1986 ban made commercial whaling illegal worldwide. But there is just to name a few. Overfishing threatens
still work to be done to save the whales. their food supply and hundreds of whales
are entangled in fishing gear every year.
 Environmental DISASTERS Page 224 ESS Essentials

1984 - Bhopal disaster (India)

● Pesticide plant in the Indian city of Bhopal released 42 tonnes of toxic
methyl isocyanate gas, a tank holding the gas had burst.
● 500 000 people were exposed to the gas
● Estimated that between 8000 and 10 000 people died within the first 72
hours following the exposure, and that up to 25 000 have died since from
gas-related disease.
 Environmental DISASTERS Page 225 ESS Essentials

1986 - Chernobyl Disaster (Ukraine)

● reactor number four at the Chernobyl plant in the Ukraine exploded, A plume of highly radioactive dust (fallout) was
released into the atmosphere, covering a large area (Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia badly contaminated).
● Resulted in the evacuation and resettlement of over 336 000 people. The fallout caused increased incidence of cancers in
the most exposed areas.
● The incident raised issues concerning the safety of Soviet nuclear power stations in particular, but also the general safety
of nuclear power.

2011 - Fukushima Meltdown (Japan)

● An earthquake in northern Japan caused a tsunami that hit the coastal Fukushima nuclear power plant, causing a meltdown of 3 of six nuclear reactors.
● The damage resulted in radioactive material escaping into the sea.
● All 48 of the country’s reactors were closed so that new safety checks could be done, leading to an increased
dependence on fossil fuels: before Fukushima, nuclear had provided 30 percent of Japan’s energy need.
● Other countries, such as Germany, also moved away from using nuclear energy due to its high risk level
 International AGREEMENTS Chegg, Environmental Science
14th Edition

1972 - UN first environmental issues conference

● Stockholm, Sweden – the UN Conference on the Human Environment, AKA the Stockholm
Conference
● Examined how human activity was affecting the global environment. Countries discussed they
could improve the living standards of their people without adding to pollution, habitat
destruction and species extinction
● The Stockholm Declaration and subsequent global summits have played a leading role in
shaping attitudes to sustainability

1987 - The Montreal Protocol was adopted to control ozone depleting substances (ODS’s).
1997 - The Kyoto Protocol controls CO2 emissions.
The Treaty on Persistent Organic Pollutants or POPs was introduced, and so the list continues.
International agreements Chegg, Environmental Science
14th Edition page 7-10

1997 - The Kyoto Protocol controls CO2 emissions.

1992 - Rio Earth Summit
○ The ultimate objective of this convention and any related legal instruments
that the Conference of the Parties may adopt is to achieve, in accordance
with the relevant position provisions of the Convention, stabilization of
greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would
prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Such
a level should be achieved within a time frame sufficient to allow ecosystems
to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not
threatened and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable
manner.
 Literature and media Page 224-225

1962 - ‘Silent Spring’ by Rachel Carson

● one of the most influential books of the environmental movement
● Ideas against chemical pollution was strongly made as Carson documented the
harmful effects of pesticides along food chains to top predators.
● led to widespread concerns about the use of pesticides and the pollution of the
environment.

2006 - ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ film

● Film examining issues of climate change and increased awareness of
environmental concerns. The film’s publicity allowed more people than ever
before to hear about global warming, and its message was spread widely and
rapidly through modern media, such as the internet.
● Film made the arguments about global warming very accessible to a wider
audience, and raised the profile of the environmental movement worldwide
● The film was supported by a book that recorded hard scientific evidence to
support its claim
 Literature and media Page 224-225 Essentials

1972 - The Limits of Growth by The Club of Rome

● 1972 report on economic and political growth and a finite supply of resources
● The findings were presented in Moscow and Rio in the summer of 1971

1979 - ‘Gaia’ by James Lovelock

● Gaia Hypothesis - that the Earth is a living organism with
Self-regulatory mechanisms that remain its climatic and biological
conditions.
● James Lovelock saw the actions of humanity upsetting this balance
With potentially disastrous outcomes. Later books up to the present
Day have developed these ideas.
How would you explain a values
system?
We now know what a system is, but what
about a ‘value?’
 What are your values?
What is YOUR values system?
Eco-ethics - where do you stand?
 What influences your
values system?
HINT: system characteristics…
Can you think of inputs? outputs?
processes?
 EVS - Environmental Value System
● Culture (includes religion) ● Accepting or rejecting
● Education ideas
● Experience ● Cost benefit analysis
● Family ● Emotion
● Media ● Evaluation
● Peers ● Listening/assimilating
● Personal characteristics knowledge
● Politics ● Thinking
● Science
● Society ● Actions
● Answers
● Choices
● Decisions
● Perspectives
● Viewpoints
Choose between the three choices, copy the
statement on your exercise book, then write
down the number after each choice.
 Humans will always
Human heath and
find a solution to
well-being are central to
environmental
decision making = 2
problems= 3

1. Which describes your view of society?

Nature has the same right

to live and flourish as
humanity =1
Conserving nature
Nature is like a garden
should be central to
which should be managed
decision making
as a resource for humans
because we are a part
to use as needed = 2
of nature = 1
2. Which describes your view of nature?
Nature is a model, but can be
replaced by technology when
needed = 3
 Empowerment,
Elected government everyone has the
officials = 2 capacity and opportunity
to participate = 1

3. Who should make decisions about the environment?

Technology experts (as

advisory to the government) =
3
Pass laws that will limit Reduce human resource
human resource use = use by reducing, reusing
2 and recycling = 1

4. Which best describes solutions to environmental

problems ?
Use technology to alleviate
environmental problems = 3
Compensate those Encourage scientific
who experience innovation = 3
adverse effects = 2

5. Which best describes solutions to environmental

problems ?
Less materialistic lifestyles,
reduce population = 1
Whaling can proceed If whales disappear we
as long as it’s can bring them back
regulated = 2 using technology = 3

6. What are your views on whales?

Whales have biorights - the

right to exist unexploited = 1
Development can Development will lead to
proceed at a local progress and benefits all
community scale = 2 =3

7. What are your views on development?

We should stop all
development in favour of
preserving nature = 1
 Add up your numbers:
Ecocentric = 7 (Deep Ecologists)
Anthropocentric = (Self reliance Soft Ecologist
8-12) (Environmental Manager 12-16)
Technocentric = 17-21
 EVS inputs and outputs

● Education
● Cultural ● Perspectives
influences ● Decisions on
● Economic factors how to act

EVS
● Socio-political regarding
factors (Ex. environmental
communism, issues
capitalism) ● Action.
● Religious
texts/doctrine
 Nature centred: integrates social, spiritual, and

Range of EVS’s
environmental dimensions into a holistic ideal. It puts
ecology and nature as central to humanity and
emphasises a less materialistic approach to life with
greater self-sufficiency
ECOCENTRISM
ENVIRONMENTAL VALUE

People centred: believes humans must sustainably

manage the global system. This might be through the
use of taxes, environmental regulation and legislation.
SYSTEM

Debate would be encouraged to reach a consensual,

ANTHROPOCENTRISM pragmatic approach to solving environmental
problems

Technology centred: believes that technological

developments can provide solutions to environmental
problems. Largely optimistic view of the role humans
TECHNOCENTRISM can play in improving the lot of humanity. Scientific
research is encouraged in order to form policies and
understand how systems can be controlled,
manipulated or changed to solve resource depletion.
 Self reliance soft ecologists Guinness and Walpole, Environmental
Systems and Societies 2nd Edition

1. Emphasis on smallness of scale and hence community identity in settlement,

work, and leisure.
2. Integration of concepts of work and leisure through a process of personal and
communal improvement.
3. Importance of participation in community affairs, and of guarantees of the rights
of minority interests. Participation seen as both a continuing education and a
political function.

-believe small-scale, local and individual actions, such as recycling, can make a
difference
 Environmental managers
Guinness and Walpole,
Environmental Systems and
Societies 2nd Edition

1. Belief that economic growth and resource exploitation can continue assuming.
a. Suitable economic adjustments to taxes, fees, etc.
b. Improvements in the legal rights to a minimum level of environmental quality
c. Compensation arrangements satisfactory to those who experience adverse environmental and/or
social effects.
2. Acceptance of new project appraisal techniques and decision review arrangements
to allow for wider discussion or genuine search for consensus among representative
groups of interested parties.

Ex. see the world in terms analogous to a garden which needs care and attention or
‘stewardship’. They hold that legislation is needed to protect the environment and that if
an environment is damaged, those who suffer should receive compensation. They
believe that if humans take care of the Earth, it will take care of them.
 Deep ecologists
Guinness and Walpole, Environmental Systems and
Societies 2nd Edition

1. Intrinsic importance of nature for the humanity of man.

2. Ecological (and other natural) laws dictate human morality.
3. Biorights - the right of endangered species or unique landscapes to remain
unmolested
4. Lack of faith in modern large-scale technology and its associated demands on
elitist expertise, central state authority and inherently anti-democratic institutions.
5. Implication that materialism for its own sake is wrong and that economic growth
can be geared to providing for the basic needs of those below subsistence levels.

-value nature over humanity and believe that all species and
ecosystems have values and rights that humans should not interfere
with.
-They believe that the human population should decrease so that
humans consume less of the Earth’s resources.
 The Kalahari Bushmen
The Kalahari Bushmen are a nomadic people living in the Kalahari
Desert in Botswana and Namibia. Characteristics that make them
ecocentric include the following:

● The kinship system is one of interdependence between small

mobile foraging groups where everyone works together for
the good of the society.
● Society is egalitarian (all people are equal) and decisions are
made by consensus with women and men being equal.
● Men are very skilled at hunting and tracking, they follow the
migrating herds and use only traditional weapons, such as a
poisonous bow and arrow (Figure 3).
● Women have a deep knowledge of the many berries and nuts
they gather fruit, tubers and other wild plants for
consumption by the group.
● They make the most off all natural resources. Ostrich eggs
are eaten and the empty shells used to gather water, they
consume up to 104 species of insects, such as beetles, moths,
termites.
●
●
● Two-thousand-year-old rock paintings depict
the Bushman’s appreciation of nature.
● They have no concept of land ownership but see
themselves as part of nature.
● The live in simple stick huts, wear simple
clothing mostly derived from nature and all
their tools and equipment is made from natural
products.
 CONTRASTING EVS: CASE STUDIES
BUDDHISM
JUDAEO-CHRISTIAN VS.
At it’s roots, Buddhism has a strong
Judaeo-Christian doctrine of creation
connection to nature. They strongly believe
is a belief that earth and all its
in that man is a part of nature, and that we
resources were created by God for
should do as little harm (amhisa) to other
mankind’s use (i.e. Garden of Eden),
creatures as possible because our actions
but it also means that we have a
have consequences (karma) and because of
guardianship role/responsibility
their belief in rebirth.
towards earth. Hence it is
predominantly an _________________ For most Buddhists, the guiding principles
(people-centred) EVS, which a are to live simply in order to respect all life
greater emphasis on being forms as well as the balance and peace in
___________ ___________ rather than nature. Hence they are very much
Self-Reliant Soft Ecologists ____________ and many are Deep Ecologists.
 NATIVE AMERICAN INDIANS VS. EUROPEAN PIONEERS
Native Americans, who occupied North
America prior to the colonization of by
Europeans from the late 16th century
onward, saw their environment as
communal, and had a subsistence
economy based on barter. Their
low-impact technologies meant that they
lived in harmony with the environment –
something supported by their animistic
religion where all things have a soul –
animals, plants, rocks, mountains, rivers,
and stars. Thus they were
_________________.
The incoming European pioneers operated
frontier economics, which involved the
exploitation of what they saw as seemingly
unlimited resources. This inevitably led to
environmental degradation through
over-population, lack of connectivity with
the environment, heavy and technologically
advanced industry, and unchecked
exploitation of natural resources. Thus they
were most certainly _______________, and
perhaps to a certain extent, _______________,
because they view the world as a place with
infinite resources to benefit humans..
 Cornucopians
Guinness and Walpole,
Environmental Systems and
Societies 2nd Edition

1. Belief that man can always find a way out of any difficulties, either political,
scientific or technological
2. Acceptance than pro-growth goals define the rationality of project appraisal and
policy formation
3. Optimism about the ability of man to improve the lot of the world’s people.
4. Faith that scientific and technological expertise provides the basic foundation for
advice on matters pertaining to economic growth, public health and safety.
5. Suspicion of attempts to widen basis for participation and lengthy discussion in
project appraisal and policy review.

View the world as a place with infinite resources to benefit

humans. They believe that growth will provide wealth to improve
the lives of everyone.
 ● ESSAY:

Write an essay that summarises

the technocentric, anthropocentric

DECISION MAKING
and ecocentric solutions to the
following problems:

AND EVS’s ○ Fossil Fuel use which causes global

warming (see Kognity text) OR
○ Singapore’s solid waste generation
(Challenge yourself and do your own
research)
Home LEARNING
Compare and contrast the EVS of communist and capitalist
societies. Use specific examples. See page 226 on text

Check out these sources as well:

1. https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2014/nov/26/capitalism-environment-green-greed-slow-life-sym
posium-tony-juniper
2. https://theconversation.com/what-karl-marx-has-to-say-about-todays-environmental-problems-97479
3.