Environmental Sociology and Social Movements: Population, Urbanization, and Justice

Population Pyramid

A visual representation of the age and sex distribution of a population.

Growth trends

Whether a population is increasing, stable, or declining.

Age structure

How many people are in different age groups (children, working-age, elderly).

Planning needs

Data used by governments to plan for schools, hospitals, jobs, housing, and pensions.

Social and economic impacts

Population trends affect labour markets, economic growth, and social services.

Birth rate

A wide base in a population pyramid indicates a high birth rate.

Death rate

A narrow top in a population pyramid can indicate high mortality or a younger population.

Life expectancy

A taller pyramid suggests people live longer.

Population growth

A pyramid that's wide at the bottom and narrow at the top usually indicates rapid growth.

Demography

A subfield of sociology that examines the size and composition of the population and studies how and why people move from place to place.

Fertility

The actual level of childbearing for an individual or a population, based on biological and social factors.

Crude Birth Rate

The number of live births per 1000 people in a population in a given year.

Crude Birth Rate in Canada (1867)

40 per 1000.

Crude Birth Rate in Canada (1956)

28 per 1000.

Crude Birth Rate in Canada (2011)

11 per 1000.

Crude Birth Rate in Developing Countries

Higher compared to developed countries (e.g. 40 per 1000 in Uganda, Zambia, and Somalia).

High fertility rate countries

Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Intermediate fertility rate countries

Countries like the USA, India, and Mexico.

Low fertility rate countries

Countries like Canada, China, Australia, and some European countries.

Limited Access to Education

Lower levels of education often correlate with earlier marriages and more children.

Lack of Access to Contraception

Limited or unavailable family planning services lead to more unplanned pregnancies.

Cultural and Religious Norms

In many societies, having large families is seen as a sign of wealth, strength, or religious duty.

Economic Value of Children

In agrarian or informal economies, children often contribute to household labor and income.

High Infant Mortality Rates

Families may have more children to ensure that some survive into adulthood.

Higher Education and Career Focus

People, especially women, often delay childbirth to pursue education and careers.

Urbanization and Cost of Living

Raising children in cities is expensive, and space is limited, discouraging large families.

Access to Healthcare and Family Planning

Widespread availability of contraception and reproductive health services allows for planned families.

Changing Social Norms

There's less pressure to marry young or have many children. Individualism and lifestyle choices play a bigger role.

Government Policies and Support

In some cases, a lack of strong parental leave or childcare support discourages people from having more children.

Mortality

The incidence of deaths in a society's population.

Crude death rate

The number of deaths per 1000 people in a population in a given year.

Migration

The movement of people from one geographic area to another to change residency (internal migration, international migration).

Immigration

The number of people entering a geographic area to take up residency.

Emigration

The number of people leaving a geographic area to take up residency elsewhere.

Net migration rate

Net result of in-migration and out-migration.

Population Growth Trends in Canada

Baby boom and baby bust had major impacts on Canadian society.

Baby boom

The dramatic increase in birth rates that occurred between 1946-1966.

Baby bust

The fall of birth rates for a long period of time.

Demographic Theory

Demographers seek to answer the questions regarding the consequences of global population growth.

Resource strain

More people mean greater demand for food, water, housing, and energy.

Environmental impact

Overpopulation contributes to deforestation, pollution, and climate change.

Urban overcrowding

Rapid growth leads to slums, traffic congestion, and pressure on infrastructure.

Social inequality

Limited resources can widen the gap between rich and poor.

Malthusian Theory

Malthus argued that the world population increases by geometric progression, but food would increase by arithmetic progression.

Criticism of Malthusian Theory

By saying poverty is caused by high birth rates in low-income countries and blaming the victims, the real issue of global inequality is ignored.

Demographic Transition Theory

States that population pattern reflects a society's level of technological development.

Stage 1 (pre-industrial)

High birth rate and death rate. Children are economically valued.

Stage 2 (early industrial)

High birth rate and lowered death rate boost up population growth.

Stage 3 (mature industrial)

Birth rate begins to decline.

Stage 4 (post-industrial)

Economic reality forces a drop in birth rate. Population growth is slower or stagnant.

Low-growth North

Experiences zero population growth.

High growth South

Low-income nations are experiencing a high reproduction rate.

Demographic Divide

Gap in population growth between high and low-income nations.

Urbanization

The concentration of populations in cities linked to income opportunities and a higher standard.

First Urban Revolution

Began around 12000 years ago. Pre-industrial period, cities emerged in most regions except North America.

Second Urban Revolution

Began about the 1750s as the Industrial Revolution progressed, leading to rapid urban growth in Europe and North America.

Urbanization in Canada

Has been continuing for almost 300 years, with more than 80% of people living in urban cities.

Third Urban Revolution

Currently occurring in less developed countries.

Megacities in 1975

Only 3 cities had populations exceeding 10 million, all in high-income nations.

Megacities in 2014

28 cities had populations exceeding 10 million, with only 7 in high-income nations.

Future Megacities by 2030

13 more megacities will be added, including 6 from Asia, 2 in Latin America, and 3 in Africa.

Ferdinand Tonnies

Examines the difference between urban and rural ways of life.

Gemeinschaft

Refers to a social organization that ties people closely by kinship and traditional values.

Gesellschaft

Refers to a social organization in which people come together only for individual self-interest.

Mechanical Solidarity

Found in pre-industrial, rural societies; social cohesion is based on shared beliefs, values, and traditions.

Organic Solidarity

Found in industrial and urban societies; social cohesion comes from interdependence due to specialized roles.

Advantages of Organic Solidarity

Encourages diversity and specialization, supports economic and technological progress, promotes individual freedom and personal identity.

Limitations of Organic Solidarity

Can lead to weaker social bonds and isolation, risk of anomie, greater inequality due to role differentiation and class divisions.

Greater inequality

Due to role differentiation and class divisions.

Blase attitude

Urbanites develop a blase attitude about what's going on around them as a survival strategy.

Environmental Sociology

Sociological study of the environment addressing human actions causing environmental problems.

Environmental problems

Different groups of populations are impacted by environmental problems.

Culture and environmental pollution

Culture affects environmental pollution.

Water Pollution

Humans continuously pollute water through pesticide use and waste in water supply.

Water resource usage

People use a vast amount of water resources that are not returned to the earth.

Coca-Cola water usage

It takes 2 and a half litres of water to produce a single litre of Coca-Cola.

Soil pollution

Modern food production methods to meet population demand cause soil pollution.

Dredging beaches

Damages reefs, seagrass beds, and marine life.

Garbage pollution

Synthetic Styrofoam and plastic do not dissolve naturally and impact soil and groundwater.

E-waste

A huge amount of E-waste goes to landfills.

Climate Change

Refers to the long-term shift in temperature change due to human activity.

Greenhouse gases

Emissions from human activity, especially from burning fossil fuels.

Deforestation

Reduces the Earth's ability to absorb carbon.

Agriculture and livestock

Produce methane and nitrous oxide contributing to climate change.

Effects of Climate Change

Includes rising temperatures, melting glaciers, extreme weather, loss of biodiversity, and health risks.

Environmental deficit

Long-term harm to the natural environment caused by humanity's focus on short-term affluence.

Environmental impact formula

Sociologists use (I) = PAT to measure environmental impact.

Logic of growth thesis

Promotes the idea that 'growth is good' but may lead to environmental problems.

Limit of growth thesis

Environmentalists argue that natural resources are finite and need policies to control growth.

Environmental Racism

The disproportionate exposure of racialized communities (Black, Indigenous, people of color) to environmental hazards and the slow governmental response to these issues.

Chemical Valley

Southern Ontario's area causing air pollution near the St. Clair River, which is the source of water for the Aamijiwnaang First Nation people.

Global Environmental Inequality

Environmental harm and environmental privileges are unequally distributed across the globe.

Canada's Energy Use

37 million Canadians use more energy than all 760 million people in Africa.

Greenhouse Gas Production

Canada makes less than one half of 1% of the world's population, but it is the world's 8th largest producer of greenhouse gases.

Ecologically Sustainable Culture

A way of life that meets the needs of the present generation without threatening the environmental legacy of future generations.

Sustainable Living Strategies

1. To control the population growth 2. To reserve finite resources 3. To reduce waste whenever possible, using less is the best solution.

Canada's Dual Identity

Canada is often seen as peaceful, inclusive, and environmentally conscious, but has a history of colonialism, political hypocrisy, and environmental injustice.

Shelburne, Nova Scotia

A historically Black community exposed to toxic waste from a dump placed in the 1940s, leading to high cancer rates and contaminated water.

Boat Harbor

Indigenous land polluted for decades by industrial waste from a pulp mill, with the community fighting for closure and cleanup.

Alton Gas Project

Proposed dumping of brine into the Shubenacadie River, threatening Indigenous treaty rights and ecosystems.