Lecture Outline for Environmental Problems
Human Impact on Environment determined by = Population Growth X Affluence (Rate of Resource consumption & waste production) X Technology (lecture plus some info from Mooney et al. Ch. 13)
Carbon emissions & Environmental Footprint by region (& US specifically) (Mooney Ch. 13)
US stats on resource consumption & population, compared to other countries…
Environmental Impact of US baby & lifetime Vs. that of child in poor country like Bangladesh...
Implications for earth if China and India implications following US econ. development model …
& how this Rate of Resource Consumption issue compares to rising Population size as threat to environment…
Planned Obsolescence & Perceived Obsolescence-- Throw-away society—much of what we consume is for short-term use, so we have to consume / buy more products (& use more resources), (Mooney et al.,Ch. 13), extreme wasteful ness of US (Hawekn web rdg.)
Natural Capital (Hawken web rdg) –
· Definition of Natural Capitalism, key for sustaining earth, including capitalism…, but often wasted & not recognized.
· True Costs of Nat. Resources & Pollution not accounted for [seen as “externalities” for businesses – don’t affect profits]. View of natural capital / natural resources (& labor) in Traditional Industrial Capitalism (see as infinite & not account for costs to public of improper use of resources and pollution—flawed accounting). Leads to tremendous waste & inefficient use of natural resources, & lots of pollution.
· Need for new view of Natural capital. / nat. resources as necessary for healthy economy, should be prioritized, since are more endangered now…
o Class examples-- e.g., costs of fossil fuel use much higher than economic benefits (if include health & env. Costs, such as global warming) ; also, costs of nuclear power & radioactive waste (&accidents like Fukushima reactor meltdown in Japan) paid by govt. & public not industry (Mooney et al. Ch. 13does touch on Nuke waste issue; Mooney et al . discuss global warming as does Mooney et al. Ch. 13).
o Env. dangers of nuclear power (not for climate change, but due to long lasting radiation) (Mooney et al., Ch. 13)
· Policy suggestions to preserve Natural Capital:
o Tax policy idea to Penalize Inefficient use of natural capital & Pollution [ e.g., carbon tax] , AND instead promote/reward the use of labor (which we have more of now) & to protect natural resources (Hawken web rdg)
§ E.G., Heavy Govt. Subsidies got to Fossil Fuel industry, Fossil fuel get from $600 BN / year to $5.3 Trillion, globally, compared to $400 BN for renewable energy (Oreskes et al.. web rdg. & Mooney et al. web rdg.) Need to switch this to favor renewable energy if want to save environment (& maybe humanity…) -- ala Natural Capital view of Hawken web rdg
§ e.g., push for renewable energy (solar, wind, geothermal, etc.) & role of govt. policies in promoting it in various countries (Mooney et al. Ch. 13, Carey et al web rdg.)
[Consider how many of points in various can be related to this: What is being done to reduce global-warming causing pollution –e.g., in Europe & US, in renewable energy, esp. wind, solar, and energy efficiency (Carey et al. web rdg., Mooney et al. Ch. 13). Contrast this with how natural capital is put at risk with global warming / climate change (Mooney et al. web rdg., Mooney et al. Ch. 13), the general endangerment of the environment by over consumption and energy intensive western lifestyles (Mooney et al. Ch. 13), corporations polluting for profit (Money et al., ch. 13; Oreskes et al. web rdg.), including in natural gas drilling in PA (McKibben et al. web rdg.),]
Video excerpts on Global Warming from “An Inconvenient Truth”:
On Carbon Dioxide and Temperature changes over time in history, and in current era
On polar ice melt, and what that means for sea levels
On “scientific controversy” over global warming
On how to stop it / what can be done
Global Warming basics & Scenarios for increasing temp rise – how greenhouse effect gas (esp. CO2) traps heat, Most recent US govt report on climate change presents as eral and mostly human caused and predicts massive weather and sea level changes this century, even as Trump admin. pushes ahead on fossil fuel development. Massive danger to human civilizaiton if planet warms 2-6 degrees (Mooney et al. Ch. 13; Mooney et al. web rdg.)
Positive Feedback Loops (Mooney et al., Ch. 13) can speed up the process – e.g., arctic sea ice melt & tundra melt release methane; possible large-scale sea-level rise (& maybe in next 50 years even), consequences for earth of 2-6 degree Celsius increase in average global temperature. (Mooney et al. Ch. 13; Mooney et al web rdg.; Mckibben et al web rdg.)
Natural Gas Fracking Dangers– leaking much more methane gas than previously thought (& Methane much stronger greenhouse gas), & also water & other pollution dangers, such as in PA (McKibben et al. web rdg.)
Major reduction in use of fossil fuel needed to reduce climate change threat & need shift to renewable energy (Mooney et al. Ch. 13; Mooney et al web rdg.; McKibben et al web rdg.)
Global warming & scientific consensus (Mooney et al. web rdg.)
Fossil Fuel industry will resist this --, even when know science on it is correct; will protect their profits.
E.G. Exxon Covering up Climate Change info from public for decades, even though they researched it determined was real. Also funded efforts to deny validity of climate change. Didn’t want to stop profits from oil (Oreskes et al. web drg.). This is example Climate Denial machine (Mooney et al., Ch, 13)
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Renewable / Alternative Energy increasing (Mooney et al. Ch. 13, Carey et al. web rdg.)
Majority or even 100% Renewable energy possible / increasingly feasible economically. Carey et al. web rdg.)
Soalr & Wind becoming cheaper, & soon even than fossil fuel (Carey et al. web rdg.)
China and India move big nito renewable energy, cheaper, less pollution, and creates jobs. (Carey et al. web rdg.)
MD off-shore wind power project & Atlantic coast wind power project – environmental and economic benefits, but some controversy… (Carey et al. web rdg.)
Increasing use of Solar & Wind power in Portugal, Germany & elsewhere in Europe (& phasing out of nuclear in Germany), (Carey et al. web rdg.,)
New, cheap battery storage of renewable energy in the works, may be done soon, could be huge boost for renewable energy. (Carey et al. web rdg.)
“Grid Parity” -- Renewable energy getting closer to = or below cost of fossil fuel energy and will more so in near future in many countries (Carey et al web rdg.)
Sustainable Development (Mooney et al. ch. 13) fits this growth of renewable energy
2 Border Walls –1 for environmental restoration of water table and wetlands & 1 to keep out people, including climate change migrants of future. Which more helpful and more likely to succeed? Which do we spend most on?
Which is “sustainable development?
“Green washing” & “Pink washing”? (Mooney et al., ch. 13)
Not discussed much, but know something about for test:
Be able to relate Natural Capital view (Hawkin web rdg.) to other readings, and how they promote natural capital or do not.
What is “environmental injustice”? \(Mooney et al., ch. 13)