1.1: Environmental Value Systems Flashcards
What are EVS’s?
Environmental Value Systems is:
a paradigm through which we view the environment
- how we understand, value, relate and interact with the world around us
- the different ways we place value on the environment around us and how we manage our resources, depending on a number of influencing factors
What are three things all EVS share in common?
All have an
- input
- process
-output
What are some examples of EVS inputs?
- education
- religion
- family/friends
- country/region
- political beliefs
- science
- media
What are some examples of EVS processes?
- assimilation of knowledge
- thinking
- evaluating
What are some examples of EVS outputs?
- decisions
- behaviours
- viewpoints
- actions
- perspectives
- personal choices
What can affect/influence the way we process information?
- political beliefs
- scientific beliefs vs religious beliefs
- aesthetic preferences
- economic needs
What are some EVS? (3)
- ecocentrism
- anthropocentrism
- technocentrism
What is ecocentrism? What kind of actions or beliefs do they have? Who would be the most stereotypical archetype of this evs?
The belief that nature/the natural world has intrinsic value (not just instrumental value) and that plants and animals deserve to live just because they exist.
They might want:
- everyone to be vegan
- natural/willing human extinction
- no cars
- no diesel/only renewable energy
Typical character: hippie
What is anthropocentrism? What kind of actions or beliefs do they have? Who would be the most stereotypical archetype of this evs?
The belief that nature needs to be protected because of its instrumental value for human beings. It’s about how the natural serves us and so we therefore must protect it. They view the environment and its resources from an economic viewpoint (place monetary value on our resources).
They might want:
- to place taxes on unsustainable uses of energy
- carbon cuts and taxes
- green zones
- manage resources
- business plans that take longer to enact but are less demanding on the human population
Typical character: a politician (biden?)
What is technocentrism? What kind of actions or beliefs do they have? Who would be the most stereotypical archetype of this evs?
The belief that our environmental problems can be fixed/managed by using technology. Instead of thinking about how we can stop using harmful substances/processes they think about how we can solve that problem by using an additional process or product.
They might want:
- more money for these solutions
- new chemical processes
- to manage problems by coming up with new tech
Typical character: elon musk
What is ecosystem services?
It is a way of reinterpreting the instrumental value of the environment, by placing an economic value on the things the environment can do to support the human race.
It states that it is within our own self-interest to manage our resources sustainably in economic terms.
What is intrinsic value?
The belief that something has value solely based on its existence. It’s not about what it can do for others, but that it deserves to exist.
Name three important events/key moments relating to the environmental movement. (name, date, context)
- Creation of the Yellowstone National Park (1872):
- was the first national park (in the us?)
- showed people that the environment had intrinsic value beyond how it was useful to us
- allowed for the appreciation of aesthetics in nature
- first time the government was obliged to protect a nature reserve - First photographs of the earth from space (1947)
- before people were disconnected from the world
- showed us how we are all in it together
- increased sympathy and appreciation for our world and the environment - Montreal protocol on CFCs (1989):
- one of the only policies/bans on a substance that genuinely worked
- most effective ban ever (on harmful substances that were depleting ozone and created a hole in the ozone layer)
- showed people how effective and necessary climate action is
