1.1 Environmental Value Systems

Question 1

Gaia Hypothesis

Answer 1

An idea put forward by James Lovelock in the 1970s likening the planet, or rather the biosphere to a vast self-regulating organism.

Its about big systems and interconnections.

Question 2

James Lovelock

Answer 2

He’s the guy (an environmentalist and futurist) who in the 1970s coined the concept of Gaia.

Question 3

Environmental Value System

Answer 3

A set of ethical and cultural beliefs that shape an individual’s or a society’s attitude and approach towards the environment.

Question 4

Ecocentrist/Ecocentrism

Answer 4

finds inherent (intrinsic) value in all of nature. It takes a much wider view of the world than does anthropocentrism, which sees individual humans and the human species as more valuable than all other organisms.

Question 5

Anthropocentrist/Antropocentrism

Answer 5

the belief that human beings are the central or most important entity on the planet.

Interprets the world in terms of human values and experiences. It is considered to be profoundly embedded in many modern human cultures and religions.

Question 6

Technocentrist/Technocentrism

Answer 6

centered on technology and its ability to control and protect the environment.

Question 7

Cornucopian

Answer 7

The Earth’s bounty knows no bounds.

An extreme form of technocentrism, which views the Earth’s resources, with the right technoligical tweaks as limitless

Question 8

Environmental Manager

Answer 8

A mild form of technocentrism.

Environmental managers see the Earth as a garden that needs tending —the stewardship worldview.

Promote working to create change within the existing social and political structures.

Question 9

Deep Ecologist

Answer 9

An extreme form of ecocentism.

Values Earth and environment over all; favors self-restraint and individual action; deep mistrust of technology

Question 10

Soft Ecologist

Answer 10

self-sufficiency in resource management, but not as extreme as a deep ecologist

Question 11

Intrinsic Value

Answer 11

The value of something independent of and regardless of its potential use to humans.

Think cultural, aesthetic, spiritual, philosophical values.

Question 12

Biocentrist/Biocentrism

Answer 12

Individuals or groups who adhere to a philosophical perspective that places intrinsic value on all living beings and ecosystems.

Distinguished from ecocentrism in that it focuses on biotic parts of an environment

Question 13

Biorights

Answer 13

The right held by species and landscapes to remain un-impacted by consumptive human activity.

Question 14

Notable People of the Environment Movement:

Greta Thunberg

Answer 14

Teenager
Swedish
Climate activist

Question 15

Notable People of the Environment Movement:

David Attenborough

Answer 15

British broadcaster, writer and naturalist.
Since the 50s has been brining nature into people’s living rooms.

Question 16

Notable People of the Environment Movement:

Rachel Carson

Answer 16

Marine biologist, writer and conservationist….and whistle blower.

Her 1962 book silent spring drew attention to the biomagnification of persistent organic pollutants, like DDT, and inspired the creation of the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Question 17

Notable People of the Environment Movement:

Henry David Thoreau

Answer 17

American writer (and ecocentrist), who first explored the idea of environmental consciousness in the mid 19th century

Question 18

Notable People of the Environment Movement:

Charles Darwin

Answer 18

The natural selection and evolution guy. Wrote On the Origin of Species.

Darwin’s views challenged the doctrine of God having created “man”, and thus reduced “man” to a mere part of the environment (as opposed to its controller).

Question 19

Notable People of the Environment Movement:

Theodore Roosevelt

Answer 19

US President (among many other colourful credits)

Expanded the American National Parks Service and protected lands in the US for the enjoyment of others.

Question 20

Notable People of the Environment Movement:

Jane Goodall

Answer 20

Chimpanzee biologist
Helped pioneer modern species conservation techniques, including involvement of local people and knowledge.

Question 21

Notable People of the Environment Movement:

Norman Borlaug

Answer 21

Nobel Peace Prize Winner (1970)

Green Revolution
Developed higher-yielding corn and other grain varieties to foster independence and survivorship in the developing world.

Question 22

Environmental Accidents/Events:

Exxon Valdez (1989)

Answer 22

Oil spill off the coast of Alaska. Media coverage of oily birds spurned national action.

Question 23

Environmental Accidents/Events:

Deepwater Horizon (2010)

Answer 23

A BP oil well in the Gulf of Mexico exploded causing the largest marine oil spill in history.

Led to public awareness and stricter regulations on deepwater drilling.

Question 24

Environmental Accidents/Events:

Bhopal (1984)

Answer 24

Chemical (gas) leak from pesticide factory in Bhopal, India killed 4000.

Emergence of concept of environmental accountability of corporate entities. Union Carbide, paid huge settlement and had to rehabilitate affected area.

Question 25

Environmental Accidents/Events:

Minamata Bay (1950s)

Answer 25

Japan.
Residents suffered mercury poisoning after eating contaminated fish following industrial chemical spills.

Question 26

Environmental Accidents/Events:

Chernobyl (1986)

Answer 26

Nuclear meltdown in the Ukraine.
Large exclusion area as a result of contamination.
Raised concern about the dangers of nuclear power and started a shift towards renewable energy.

Question 27

Environmental Accidents/Events:

Fukushima (2011)

Answer 27

Nuclear accident following Japanese Tsunami

Large exclusion area as a result of contamination.

Question 28

Environmental Accidents/Events:

Dust Bowl (1930s)

Answer 28

Swathes of the American West succumbed to drought following over-farming and unsustainable farming practices.

Question 29

Environmental Accidents/Events:

Amazon Wildfires (2019)

Answer 29

Evidence of a changing climate.
An environmental wake-up call.

Question 30

Environmental Accidents/Events:

Aral Sea (1960s-present)

Answer 30

Drying up of large inland sea following diversion of major rivers by the Soviet Union to irrigate crops

Question 31

Notable People of the Environment Movement:

Al Gore

Answer 31

Former vice president of the US.
Produced a documentary in 2006 called An Inconvenient Truth, which brought global warming and climate change into the public consciousness.