THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS

Physical causes

can be natural or human-induced.

Natural

solely by the processes of nature; happen independently.

Human-induced

human intervention in the processes of nature.

Chernobyl Power Plant Explosion

Ukraine on April 26, 1986; worst nuclear-power-plant disaster.

Union Carbide Pesticide Plant Accident

Bhopal, Indian on December 2, 1984; worst industrial disaster.

Kuwaiti Oil fires

Kuwait; Saddam Hussein’s order to blow up approximately 600 oil wells in Kuwait during the end of the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

The Love Canal Tragedy

upstate New York in 1978; contamination in love canal.

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

Alaska on March 24, 1989; Around 10.8 million gallons of oil were spilled into the sea.

Legal causes

existing laws of the land and absence of laws that have something to do with the environment; causes of the crisis that are within the control of the government.

Socioeconomic causes

social arrangements and the economic status of human persons.

Attitudinal causes

beliefs and values held by humans about nature that allow them or make it permissible for them to cause damages to the natural environment. (environment abuse)

Homo Economics

economic well-being is primary.

Progressivism

human condition will gradually improve through abundance.

Industrialism

mass-production and rationally designed institutions and programs are the best way to perfect human society.

Consumerism

well-being is being achieved through abundance and consumption.