Lecture 10 Environmental Justice & Social Ecology

Question 1

What is social ecology?

Answer 1

1. an approach to thinking/action that is participative and interdependent
2. the property of one’s life as a whole termed as

Question 2

What kind of interactions are within social ecology? What is its aim?

Answer 2

the interactions amongst social/institutions/cultural elements as they relate to the human-environment interplay; the aim of well being

Question 3

What kind of ideas are within social ecology?

Answer 3

ideas that ecological crises are rooted in social structure

• wars can arise due to environmental scarcities
• socioeconomics are linked to health in complex ways

Question 4

what is one important goal in social ecology?

Answer 4

Collaboration. Individuals or organizations must work together even if they have disagreed with each other. The biggest problems require interdisciplinary approaches

Question 5

How is social ecology different from deep ecology?

Answer 5

social ecology: demotes humans of superior status

deep ecology: humans are not the focal point, very abstract

Question 6

what is environmental racism

Answer 6

the coincidence of low income, minority communities with environments that are hazardous/degraded (areas with no resources left).

Question 7

What is the best predictor of commercial HWF (hazardous waste facilities) location?

Answer 7

race

SES is also important, but distinct from race - confounding

Question 8

There is a ____ between number of HWF (hazardous waste facilities) and number of ethnic minorities in an area

Answer 8

positive correlation

Question 9

Sample study showed that 3/5 Black and Hispanic Americans and 1/2 Asian/Pacific Islanders and Native Americans live in communities with toxic waste. The _____ want to clean things up. However, others aren’t focused on, because they are in survival mode. The ____ do want to change this, but have no power or voice.

Answer 9

Non-minority (higher SES)

minorities (lower SES)

Question 10

What is the environmental justice?

Answer 10

ultimately we want to create equity with regards to environmental hazards. Even though one has more or less money, the dangers should be fixed.

Question 11

What does the IMS model stand for, and what is it?

Answer 11

Information, Motivation, Strategy

Information: people are not going to take action, carry out behavior if they do not know what it is that they should be doing - we need to educate people.

Motivation: we need to be motivated, but its hard to feel like doing it. (ex: we are informed, but not motivated to ride my bike instead of car).

Strategy: because of obstacles in place from keeping people from their accomplishments, try to remove obstacles.