E&T Chapter 3: Consuming Nature

Question 1

How would you describe “consumption?”

Answer 1

It involves monetary exchanges, reflects our personal choices and values, and gives us the ability to differentiate oneself from the crowd while gaining a sense of identity. High levels of consumption are a key cause to environmental problems.

Question 2

Who is Thorstein Veblen?

Answer 2

An American sociology who observed the newly emerging wealthy middle class in America - noted in 1899. Coined the term ‘conspicuous consumption’

Question 3

What is ‘conspicuous consumption’?

Answer 3

a term that explained how this new emerging ‘leisure class’ used consumption to differentiate themselves from the rest of society

Question 4

Mowforth and Munt (2009) coined ‘habitus’ borrowed from the French Sociologist Pierre Bourdieu. What does that mean?

Answer 4

That the types of tourism we participate in carry cultural symbols and meanings. The ability and inclination of individuals and social classes to adopt objects and practices that differentiate them from others in society

Question 5

George Simmel said individuals have a need to preserve autonomy and individuality. What was he referring to, specifically?

Answer 5

the complexity of urban living and the need to filter out stimulation to a manageable level leads the individual to an ultimate sense of indifferent about the city environment

Question 6

Boorstein (1961) said tourism is escapism. Why?

Answer 6

it’s nothing more than escapism from urban life, serving little purpose beyond mindless enjoyment

Question 7

McConnell (1976) said tourism is a pilgrimage. Explain…

Answer 7

They said tourism is not for the purposes of escapism, but a pilgrimage of man and a quest for authenticity

Question 8

What did Jean-Jacque Rousseau (1712-1778) say about the tourism industry, and nature at large? How did his views change it?

Answer 8

Humans need to reconnect to nature for heir psychological well-being. He saw in nature an authenticity that had become lost as society had become progressively ‘civilized.’
He wrote a novel called “Julie” that glamorized the mountains, which were previously seen as a place of fear with negative associations to wild animals, hardship and bandits.

Question 9

Urry (1995) coined ‘the romantic tourist gaze,’ what does that mean?

Answer 9

a visual consumption of tourism - solitude, privacy and a personal, semi-spiritual relationship with their environment

Question 10

What are the four types of experiences (Modes of interactions with nature) (environment as….)

Answer 10

a setting for action
social system
emotional territory
as self

Question 11

Environment as a setting for action has what interpretation, behaviour and environmental attitudes?

Answer 11

Able to pursue specific recreational activities. An ambivalent relationship, little interest in learning, disregard for environmental codes, negative environmental consequences

Question 12

Environment as a social system has what interpretation, behaviour and environmental attitudes?

Answer 12

Primarily to interact with friends and family.
Provides a backdrop and nothing else.

Question 13

Environment as emotional territory has what interpretation, behaviour and environmental attitudes?

Answer 13

Offer a sense of well-being, personal development, deep-felt emotions.
Painting, poetry, or contemplative wonder.

Question 14

Environment as self has what interpretation, behaviour and environmental attitudes?

Answer 14

Ceases to be detachable from the person. Any damage to the the environment is damage to the person, an ‘existential’ view.
Landscapes are authentic and beautiful, conserve the beauty and ecological diversity.

Question 15

Think point: is the selling of vacations to kill seals environmentally and socially acceptable? Provide a justification of your argument for or against the selling of these vacations

Answer 15

Not dissimilar to the promotion of game hunting. This type of holiday is based on the aggressive instincts of tourists – raises ethical concerns over the non-human world and how we view it

Question 16

Think point: thinking about the types of activities you like to participate in on vacation to what extent are they reliant upon nature? Referring to the typology of tourist experiences shown in box 3.2, how many have you experienced?

Answer 16

(personal answer) all of them.

Question 17

What are the four types of tourists, based on their level of interest in the environment (Fig 3.1 page 65)

Answer 17

Top: specialist ecotourist
2nd: eco-aware tourist
3rd: users
Bottom: loungers

Question 18

Who are ‘loungers’ as a type of tourist?

Answer 18

Low level of environmental commitment, emphasis placed on recreation and enjoyment. Ex – sunbathing, nightlife. Mass tourism market based on a model of the “three S’s - sand, sun and sea.”

Question 19

Who are ‘users’ as a type of tourist?

Answer 19

Interested to an extent, pursuing activity, ex – skiers. Interested in the environment having the special feature of nature required for the type of holiday they wish to pursue. Human intrusion to this environment may also be permissible without it having a detrimental effect.

Question 20

Who are ‘eco-aware’ as a type of tourist?

Answer 20

Interested in environment for its own value, not how it could be used. Ex – interest in wildlife viewing

Question 21

Who are ‘specialist ecotourist’ as a type of tourist?

Answer 21

High environmental commitment, want to be involved with and protect nature – ex. conservation, scientific research.

Question 22

Think point: is it right to kill or cull sharks for our own protection? Is it right to kill sharks to protect the tourism economy?

Answer 22

Western Australia: after shark attacks, they licensed the killing of sharks off its busiest beaches over concerns of the loss of human life and the threat of damage to the tourism economy. Permits fishermen to hint and kill sharks over 3m long within 1km of beaches.

If everything else has been tried, then yes to an extent - human life is valuable, and so is the nature of the ocean. Once it’s allowed, it needs to be contained.

Question 23

Who was Henry Thoreau? (19th century) and what book did he publish?

Answer 23

Walden in 1854 after a two year stay in isolation at Walden Pond in his home state of Massachusetts. Talked about how nature is used for capitalism, and this was influential in the founding of the American environmental movement.

Question 24

Who was Aldo Leopold (1886-1948) and what book did he write?

Answer 24

Wrote “A Sand County Almanac” calling for the need of a ‘land ethic.’ Viewed recreation and tourism as having a negative impact on wildlife and criticized the advertising that was inspiring access to nature in bulk and the consequence loss of opportunity for solitude

Question 25

Arne Naess (1973) created two broad philosophical approaches of how we may mitigate anthropogenic causes of environmental problems. What are they?

Answer 25

Shallow ecology: based on the anthropocentric view of nature, being viewed as being separate form humans and that its value rests purely in terms of its use for meeting our needs and desires. This would bring benefits to humans, not to nature.
Deep ecology: rejects any separation of nature and humanity, stressing their interconnectivity and that all beings are of equal value and have a right to existence. Challenges the values of capitalist and consumer-based societies, emphasizing that ‘society-nature relationships cannot be fundamentally transformed within the existing social structures.”

Question 26

what is eco-feminism?

Answer 26

blames the roots of the ecological crises on the patriarchy instead of anthropocentrism – women and nature are inferior to men

Question 27

Think point: what are the principle reasons for our ecological crisis/ to what extent is consumerism responsible? Do you consider tourism as a type of consumerism?

Answer 27

It’s consumerism in most cases where travelling is not necessary for work/pleasure. You’re exchanging money for goods and services, at the end of the day, and economically the host places can profit.
It’s responsible for a large part of the ecological crisis - if there were no planes/trains/cars, this wouldn’t be an issue.

Question 28

Central to the rights of nature are the types of values we recognize it possessing. What are some of those values? (6)

Answer 28

o Life support value
o Recreational value
o Scientific value
o Aesthetic value
o Genetic-diversity value
o Historical value

Question 29

What is “eco-holism”? (Leopold, 1949)

Answer 29

states “a thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.”

Question 30

What is “libertarian extentionism”? (Leopold, 1949)

Answer 30

emphasis placed on the right to existence of the individual entity

Question 31

Think point: using the ethical arguments of eco-holism and libertarian extensionism what are the ‘rights’ and ‘wrongs’ of the actions taken by tourists in boxes 3.3 and 3.5?

Answer 31

Re: the seals and Cecil the lion

eco-holism: it wasn’t preserving the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community, so it was wrong.
libertarian extentionism: humans have the right to live and do what they want. The lion’s rights were stripped away though.

Question 32

How would you define ‘sustainable devleopment’?

Answer 32

the requirement to consider the needs of future generations when making decisions on how to use natural resources

Question 33

Ethical consumption is rising int he form of green tourism, environmentally ‘friendly’ products, and fair trade labels. Talk about how that’s had an impact.

Answer 33

companies are seeking to ensue commitments to environmental excellence that embraces ethics, financial investments are also showing an increase in supporting companies who promote ethical practices. Umpfenback (2014) said the primary reason for these labels is for health motivation, with the environment being a bonus.
The UN says increasing consumer ethical awareness is a key driver for the greening of the tourism industry.

Question 34

how has the consumer market experienced a ‘cognitive dissonance’

Answer 34

there’s an accepting of the problem at hand and a casual association with individual behaviour. it’s almost ignorant.

Question 35

Think point: do you associate flying with global warming? Why could flying be considered an ethical issue? Should individuals adjust their behaviour and fly less to reduce the contribution of aviation to climate change or is it the responsibility of the aviation industry to provide technological solutions to this problem? Would it be acceptable and practical for governments to restrict the numbers of flights an individual may take each year? Is there justification for advertisements for air travel to carry environmental health warnings?

Answer 35

You can’t stop people from flying - it’s too convenient. We have to make it greener or provide incentives for alternate forms of travel.

Question 36

what is CSR

Answer 36

corporate social responsibility