UNIT 1: Environmental Value Systems
An environmental value system (EVS) is a particular worldview or set of paradigms that shapes the way individuals or societies perceive and evaluate environmental issues. This view is influenced by cultural (including religious), economic and socio-political contexts (for example whether individuals are from a less economically developed country (LEDC) or a more economically developed country (MEDC), a democratic or authoritarian society).
An EVS, like all other systems, has inputs (such as education, media and religious doctrines) and outputs (such as perspectives, actions and ) which are determined by processing (learning, decision making, rejecting) of the inputs. Information flows to individuals in societies are processed into changes in perceptions of the environment and changes in decisions about how to react to environmental issues. Some inputs will have no obvious immediate effect on an individual or group while others will lead to direct actions in response to concerns about the environment. Information comes from ideas in film, books and newspapers and so on and some people link those who originate this information to the ‘producers’ in an ecosystem. Other members of society then become the ‘consumers’ of the new ideas.
Significant ideas:
Environmental Value System, paradigm, ecocentrism, anthropocentrism, technocentrism, deep ecologist, environmental manager, cornucopian, stewardship, tragedy of the commons.
- Historical events, among other influences, affect the development of environmental value systems (EVSs) and environmental movements.
- There is a wide spectrum of EVSs, each with its own premises and implications.
- How do the environmental value systems different between different societies and how does this affect the way the societies approach environmental issues?
- How can conflicts between value systems regarding the exploitation of resources be resolved?
- What is your personal environmental philosophy with regard to specific issues in this course such as population control, resource exploitation, sustainable development, and biodiversity and conservation?
Environmental Value System, paradigm, ecocentrism, anthropocentrism, technocentrism, deep ecologist, environmental manager, cornucopian, stewardship, tragedy of the commons.
Content |
Core Resources |
Support Material |
Environmental perspectives |
Please set up a document folder on your laptop called 'ESS', Inside this folder create a folder called 'Important info' Download the ESS syllabus into this folder Set up additional folders for each unit 1-13. Now set up a bookmarks folder called 'ESS' and save this website inside it, label it: 'Class website' In your notes:
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Now you will register for QUIZLET Bookmark this in your ESS bookmarks also. Remember to bookmark all the web links and video links so you can use them to review. Keep organized and it will pay off! Web link: Video: |
History of the environmental movement Workbook page 213-217 |
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Links to help you with the assignment
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World views |
Read: pages 22 – 26 in the CC. Make notes as we go through the presentation on: Do: Complete case studies 1 and 2 on page 25 in the CC, decide whether they are ecocentric or technocentric view points. Homework: Collect 5 news/magazine articles that reflect difference view points (eco, anthropo, technocentric) |
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Environmental philosophies |
Take a look at this timeline: View the 8 videos. Decide where each of them lie on the environmental philosophies continuum
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Video |
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Value |
Value |
Topic review |
Be sure to complete all section reviews in Kognity 1.1 Take the practice test TEXTBOOK REVIEW Alternative text for 1.1 Alternative text for 1.2 |