Lecture Notes Flashcards
Sustainability and the Earth Charter
Definition of Sustainability: Meeting present needs without compromising future generations.
-Questions of sustainability: Net zero Biodiversity? Renewable energy?
Earth Charter Principles:
Respect and care for the community of life.
Ecological integrity.
Social and economic justice.
Democracy, nonviolence, and peace
David Orr’s Critique of Modern Education:
Myths: Knowledge solves all, growth is endless, education is for personal success.
What education must do:
All education is environmental education.
Focus on virtue ethics (develop moral character).
Use knowledge responsibly (e.g., Leopold’s Land Ethic).
Understand impacts on real people and communities.
Educating Girls (Drawdown): A top solution to reverse climate change by reducing population pressures and empowering communities
Anthropocentric vs Anthropo-harmonic Worldviews
Anthropocentric View:
Human needs prioritized over nature.
Examples: Resource extraction without regard for ecological limits.
Anthropo-harmonic Ethic (Scharper):
Humans as members of the biotic community.
Harmony with nature, reverence for life, and humility.
Practices: Deep ecology principles, gratitude, and interdependence
Economic models and decoupling
Current Economic Issues: Consumption-driven growth leads to unsustainable impacts (e.g., resource depletion, pollution).
Green Growth: Efforts to decouple economic growth from environmental harm.
-Relative Decoupling: Reducing resource use per unit of GDP.
-Absolute Decoupling: Total resource use declines while GDP grows.
Challenges: Rebound effect (increased efficiency leading to higher consumption).
Steady-State Economics:
-Renewable resource use ≤ Regeneration rate.
-Nonrenewable resource extraction ≤ Creation of substitutes.
-Policies: Reduced work hours, anti-poverty programs
Land Ethic and Deep Ecology
Aldo Leopold’s Land Ethic:
-Humans as members of the biotic community, not conquerors.
-“A thing is right when it preserves the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community.”
Deep Ecology Principles:
-Intrinsic value in all life forms.
-Reduce interference with the natural world to vital needs only.
-Emphasis on quality of life over material standards
Indigenous Knowledge and Reciprocity
Honourable Harvest (Robin Wall Kimmerer):
-Ethical principles for resource use: Take only what is needed, minimize harm, and give back.
-Example: Contrast with coal mining, which violates reciprocity【309†source】.
Living Well (Buen Vivir):
-Harmony with nature, solidarity, and reciprocity.
-Example: Sustainable farming practices in Indigenous communities
What is the primary goal of sustainability?
A) Maximizing economic growth at all costs
B) Meeting present needs without compromising future generations’ ability to meet their own needs
C) Increasing industrial output
D) Reducing biodiversity
Answer: B
What is one of the key principles of the Earth Charter?
A) Industrialization
B) Respect and care for the community of life
C) Increasing consumer demand
D) Technological determinism
Answer: B
David Orr critiques modern education for focusing on myths. Which of the following is one such myth?
A) All education is environmental education
B) Growth is endless
C) Knowledge comes with responsibility
D) Education should foster interdependence
Answer: B
Which of the following best describes the Honourable Harvest?
A) Taking only what you need and giving back to the Earth
B) Maximizing crop yield regardless of impact
C) Removing resources without limits
D) Expanding agriculture into untouched lands
Answer: A
What does the term “ecological integrity” mean in the Earth Charter?
A) Maintaining industrial expansion
B) Preserving the health and diversity of ecosystems
C) Prioritizing human development over nature
D) Increasing economic competition
Answer: B
What is a key aspect of the anthropo-harmonic worldview?
A) Humans dominate the natural world
B) Humans live in harmony with the biotic community
C) Human needs always come first
D) Nature exists solely for resource extraction
Answer: B
Which economic model aims to separate economic growth from environmental harm?
A) Steady-state economics
B) Green growth
C) Linear economy
D) Anthropocentric capitalism
Answer: B
What is a common criticism of the green growth model?
A) It ignores economic development
B) It leads to absolute decoupling
C) It may result in the rebound effect
D) It prioritizes biodiversity over industrialization
Answer: C
Aldo Leopold’s Land Ethic states:
A) Humans are conquerors of the land
B) The integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community must be preserved
C) Nature has no intrinsic value
D) Resource extraction is always ethical
Answer: B
