Key Terms

Question 1

EVS - Enviro. value system

Answer 1

Environmental worldview/lens that shapes the way an individual/or a group of people perceive + evaluate enviro. issues. Influence the way people act within their enviro.

Question 2

Influences on perspectives

Answer 2

Scientific understandings, laws, religion, local + global events, beliefs, values, lived experiences, assumptions, economic conditions, sociocultural norms.

Question 3

Ecocentric

Answer 3

Nature centered. Sees the world a having pre-eminent importance + intrinsic value. Social, spiritual and enviro. dimensions into a holistic ideal.

Question 4

Anthropocentric

Answer 4

People centered. Views humankind as being the central/most important element of existence. Human mediated interventions

Question 5

Technocentric

Answer 5

Tech. centered. Assumes all enviro. issues can be resolved through tech. devs.

Question 6

Sociocultural norms

Answer 6

Community rules determining appropriate behaviour + values. Often the most important influence on individual perspectives as humans are social

Question 7

Scientific understanding

Answer 7

Perspectives are shaped by knowledge acquired through education.

Question 8

Laws

Answer 8

Reflect + influence societal perspectives + worldviews. Change observed behaviors + alter our perspectives.

Question 9

Religion

Answer 9

Important aspect of human culture -> shapes what people think and how they see the world

Question 10

Economic conditions

Answer 10

Weak economy -> rise in unemployment -> people prioritize economic growth e.g coal mining jobs decrease with use of renewable energies. Those affected by various economic conditions may develop different perspectives

Question 11

Campaigns

Answer 11

Gov. and non gov. organizations intentionally aim to change people’s perspectives using techniques e.g intense imagery to change behaviors of society.

Question 12

Demographics

Answer 12

Characteristics of a country’s population e.g age structure. Demographic groups often share perspectives + world views.

Question 13

Local and global events

Answer 13

Stories about our changing natural environments influence perspectives.

Question 14

Values

Answer 14

Qualities/principles that people feel have worth + importance in life

Question 15

Perspectives

Answer 15

How a particular situation is viewed/understood by an individual

Question 16

Specific lived experiences

Answer 16

As people experience more natural disasters/events e.g droughts + other effects of climate change, their willingness to act may increase

Question 17

Systems

Answer 17

Sets of interacting/interdependent components which are organized to create a functioning whole

Question 18

A systems approach

Answer 18

A holistic view of visualizing a complex set of interactions - applied to ecological/societal situations. Involves looking at a situation/phenomenon as a whole.

Question 19

Closed system

Answer 19

Exchanges only energy e.g sunlight across its boundary e.g terrarium/biosphere. Do not exist naturally on earth

Question 20

Open system

Answer 20

Exchanges both energy + matter across its boundary e.g ecosystems -> new species = matter + sunlight = energy

Question 21

Biosphere

Answer 21

Regions of Earth occupied by living organisms

Question 22

Hydrosphere

Answer 22

Water on surface of the planet

Question 23

Atmosphere

Answer 23

The air

Question 24

Geosphere

Answer 24

Earth’s rocks, minerals, mantle etc.

Question 25

Cryosphere

Answer 25

Frozen ice

Question 26

Anthroposphere

Answer 26

Total human presence throughout Earth e.g culture, tech, built enviro.

Question 27

System diagrams (storages)

Answer 27

physical deposits/storages of something. Thing. BOX.

Question 28

System diagrams (flows)

Answer 28

represent change between stores as a transfer/transformation. Change in location/energy/matter. Action. ARROW.

Question 29

Negative feedback loops

Answer 29

Occur when the output of a process inhibits/reverses the operation of the same process in such as way as to reduce change. Dampen/buffer changes. Increased stability.

Question 30

Positive feedback loops

Answer 30

Occur when a disturbance leads to an amplification of that disturbance -> destabilizing system -> away from equilibrium. Enhances + amplifies changes.

Question 31

Tipping points

Answer 31

Pushing something past the point of no return. The point at which a series of overall changes become significant enough to cause a larger more sig. change.