Environmental sustainability

Ecosystem services:

usually ignored of taken for granted until it is threatened by human actions because services like clean air, plant pollination and fertile soil are unable to have monetary value.

(provisioning) sources:

natural products that can be converted or used by humans. (e.g., mineral deposits provide iron ore)

sinks (regulating services):

processes in natural environment that absorb waste. (e.g., bacteria in soil to break down human waste)

services (supporting services):

things that are done for us by natural environment that don’t produce consumable resources. (e.g., forests absorb CO2 and produce oxygen)

Spiritual (cultural services):

refers to personal relationships that human beings have with the environment. (e.g., indigenous Australians with ancestral land.)

Global warming:

global change in climate (specifically temperature) due to human expansion of “greenhouse gases” warming up the Earth.

methane (CH4)

more active but less abundant
e.g., decomposition in landfill, agricultural waste.

Water vapour (H2O):

most abundant greenhouse gas

Nitrous oxide (N2O):

powerful greenhouse gas
e.g., fertilisation (soil), combustion of fossil fuels.

Carbon dioxide (CO2):

minor but important part of atmosphere
e.g., respiration, volcanic activity, deforestation

Deforestation:

the mass removal of trees for various reasons has a huge impact on the global climate.

Fossil fuels:

burning fossil fuels for transport, industry and power produces greenhouse gases, contributing to global warming.

sea level rise:

a result of added water from the melting ice sheets and expansion of sea water as it warms.
→ 20 cm increase since 1880
→ increased flooding in many regions

ocean acidification:

increased acidity by 30% since industrial revolution (1750)
→ CO2 and other greenhouse gases absorbed into top layers of the ocean.
→ coral reefs are bleached and makes it harder for marine life as they lose their habitat.

egocentric:

focused on own interests and personal wealth

homo/anthropocentric:

focus on meeting human needs and recognises humans on the dominant species on Earth. environment is only valued because of its usefulness.

Technocentric:

environment problems they believe can be solved by using science and technology.

biocentric:

humans are not superior to other species and promote biodiversity. it differs from ecocentrism because it focuses on living organisms rather than the physical environment.

ecocentric:

humans are part of the biotic community and that we should modify our behaviour to protect the ecosystem to which we also belong.

environmental change

a change or disturbance of the environment most often caused by human influences and natural ecological processes.

sustainability

the practice of using natural resources responsibly, so they can support both present and future generations

ecosystem services

benefits provided to humans through the transformations of resources (or environmental assets, including land, water, vegetation and atmosphere) into a flow of essential goods and services

human induced environmental changes

overpopulation, water/atmosphere pollution, burning fossil fuels, and deforestation

sustainable strategies to mitigate human-induced environmental change by the government

places taxes, fines, and laws

sustainable strategies to mitigate human-induced environmental change by the businesses and individuals

implement eco-friendly packaging, local shipping, etc.

anthropocentric worldview examples

→ For instance, environmental pollution can be seen as immoral because it negatively affects the lives of other people, such as those sickened by the air pollution from a factory.
→ Similarly, the wasteful use of natural resources is viewed as immoral because it deprives future generations of those resources.

egocentric worldview examples

→ I am the most important creature on Earth.
→ nothing else matter except for what I gain.

biocentric worldview examples

→ both killing a spider and chopping down a forest go against biocentrism.
→ life-focused and view the environment from a harmonious, protective perspective.

ecocentric worldview examples

→ a policy that creates conservation areas and does not allow the area to be open for human recreation.
→ not littering, conserving energy and water, preferring public transportation, preferring environmentally friendly products