INTRODUCTION
TO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION (GE: 145)
Lecturer:
Sister Mbegu ,E.-
Office
old library-Geography department
Lecture
hours: Monday 9:45 – 11:45 (For normal lectures)
Wednesday 18:45 –
19:45 (For group presentations)
Consultation
hours: Monday 14:00 - 17:00
Wednesday
9:00 - 12:00
Venue- M13
lecture hall
Course
objectives
The objective of the course is to enhance students’
awareness of the environmental challenges and influence change in their
attitude and behavior towards caring for the environment.
Learning
outcomes
At the end of the course students should be able to:
v To
state and explain the principles of environmental education and trace the
history and philosophy of Environmental Education.
v Discuss
the challenges of the environment the world is facing today, and to find the
best solutions to those challenges.
v To
identify the human behavior and culture that are not environmentally sound and
explain the role of education in changing them.
v To identify different Environmental
conservation skills and critically analyze the applicability of those skills in
Tanzanian context.
Course
description
This course introduces students to the principles,
methodologies of environmental education and impacts knowledge and skills for
making environmentally responsible decisions in the management of environment
and natural resources. The course delivery methods include lectures, group
discussions and presentations.
Delivery:
30
lectures, 15 group presentations.
Assessment:
Course
work (40%), final examination (60%)
Coursework: Test (15%), group
presentation (15%), and quiz (10%).
Course
outline:
Topic
1: Principles of Environmental Education
1.1 Concepts
and principles of environmental education
1.2 History
and philosophy of environmental education
1.3 Approaches
in environmental education
1.4 Acquisition
of environmental knowledge.
Topic
2: The Environment and its challenges.
2.1 Physical
and cultural components of the environment
2.2 Population,
resources and environmental challenges
Topic
3: Human Behavior, Culture and the Environment.
3.1Factors
influencing human behavior towards the environment
3.2 The role
of education awareness, attitude, motivation, and commitment to improve
Environmental
quality
3.3 Changing
detrimental environmental behaviors
Topic
4: Skills and Expertise in Environmental Management
4.1 Methods
in environmental education
4.2
Environmental conservation skills (Use reduction, re-use, recycling)
4.3 Waste
management skills
4.4 Energy
saving technology.
Topic
5:
The role of Environmental Education in Sustainable development
Case studies.
Basic
Readings:
Boyce, J.K (2002). The
Political Economy of Environment, Edward Elgal, Chelternham, U.K
Hackle, J and A. Martin (2001). Environments
in a Changing World, Prentice Hall.
Otiende ,J.E (1991). Environmental
Education, African Books Collection, Oxford.
Palmer, J and P Neal (1994). The
Handbook of Environmental Education, Routledge London.
Simmons, D (1998). ” Reflections
on Environmental Education :Promise and Performance”Canadian Journal of
Environmental Education, 3, Spring 1998, pp 41-47, p 44.
QUESTIONS
FOR GROUP PRESENTATION
QUESTION
1: Discuss the 12 principles of Environmental Education (VIP& Hugo Tchaves groups)
QUESTION 2:
Discuss the status of Environmental Education in O level secondary schools in
Tanzania (Mwalimu Nyerere & Israel
groups)
QUESTION 3: Trace back the history and philosophy of
Environmental Education (Revolution
& stunners groups)
QUESTION 4:
Discuss the concept of environmentalism (Talentious
/ Talented group)
QUESTION 5: Criticize
the deep ecology theory (Maendeleo &
Charity groups)
QUESTION 6:
Comment on the Gaia hypothesis /theory/principle (The great together & golden groups)
QUESTION 7: Discuss the approaches of Environmental
Education (New Revolution& vision
groups)
QUESTION 8: Taking the Northern Gulf of Mexico/ the
Deepwater Horizon oil well split (On 20 April 2010) as an example, explain the
concept that ‘’ An event can cause the changes to occur in one or more of the
spheres and or an event can be the effect of changes in one or more of the
earth’s four sphere’’ (Africa &
super Ego)
QUESTION 9: Describe each of Earth's four spheres.
List several examples of
features in each
sphere (Anoint & Bravo groups)
QUESTION 10: Do you think clouds should be classified
as part of the atmosphere, or part of the hydrosphere? Explain why (Victoria & cooperation groups)
QUESTION 11: Human behavior towards environment can
be influenced by a number of behaviors. Discuss how age, emotions, prompt and affordance
can influence the environment (Unity
group &Optimists)
GROUP
QUESTION 12
Prepare a field trip study to take the whole class
in any industry in Mwanza. A trip which will let the students to
understand the nature & sources of
raw materials used in production processes, working conditions and safety of
its employees disposal of wastes & location of factory in relation to
natural and social environment.(HG unity
academic & galaxy groups)
QUESTION 13: Prepare
a 20 minutes lesson using a role play method on any topic on environmental
education to the form two classes (Rivals
group & universal groups)
QUESTION 14: Discuss the Bio-degradable Municipal
waste; (BMW) as one of the waste categories (Mathematician& better plan groups)
QUSTION 15: Discuss recycling technique as the
method of environmental conservational skill (Geographers and philosophers group)
GE
145: INTRODUCTION TO ENVIROMNENTAL EDUCATION (notes)
Topic 1: Principles of Environmental Education
v Concepts
and principles of environmental education
v History
and philosophy of environmental education
v Approaches
in environmental education
v Acquisition
of environmental knowledge.
1:1Concepts and principles of environmental
education
v -General
meaning of environmental education
v -Background
of environmental education
Environmental education
is a process by which people develop awareness, concern
and knowledge of the environment and learn to use this understanding to
preserve, conserve and utilize the environment in a sustainable manner for the
benefit of present and future generations.
• Background
of environmental education
-Man has been inseparable part of the
environment ever since; even the appearance of man on earth itself was an
outcome of the environmental processes.
-Limited need of primitive man did not disturb
the harmony of nature since the amount to damage the environment were
insignificant.
Later on the population growth and its various
need plus advancement in technology accelerates environmental degradation.
Some of the ways that caused this degradation
can be summarized as follows;
Farming, cutting down trees for timber
firewood and overgrazing.
Man has deforestated vast areas without
replacing the trees and grasses with
similar vegetation cover or maintaining the similar soil fertility of the
area.
• Excessive
use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides and weed killers.
Most of these are toxic, persistent in nature
and are not selective as a result they
affect the natural cycles and find their way into food and water from
soil.
• Industrial
activities
i.The wastes from industries are released into
atmosphere as gases, same are dumped on land or in water as either solid or
liquid.
ii. Raw materials for industries particularly
the mineral mining in many areas have left the abandoned mining sides
unsuitable for vegetation growth and has been turned into wastelands.
• Growth
of urban settlements
-The content of urban sewages are discharged
into streams and rivers polluting the water.
-Clearing the land for buildings and cutting
down trees for buildings and furniture.
-A lot of domestic wastes are dumped on land
and water
• Various
means of transport
-Consume various sources of energy as coal,
diesel, and petroleum in large quantity.
-Emit different gases which pollute the
environment example carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and lead.
-Cutting down large number of trees for
construction of roads and railways.
All these have lead to present day
environmental crises. Environmental degradation if not checked in time will
endanger the existence of human being itself.
There is need for environmental education so
as to have citizens who concerned for saving the environment from more
destruction.
When people became knowledgeable about their
environment and associated problems will be aware of the solutions to those
problems too.
Education has always played a crucial role in
society because it provides necessary skills and helps in forming certain
attitudes. The environmental education is there to fulfill this role.
Environment education should help in solving
environmental problems in our normal lives. As we depend on environment to
live, to get our daily needs and development we have in turn to take care of
the environment for it to continue to sustain us.
Take care of the
environment for the environment to take care of you.
‘’Tunza mazingira
ili mazingira yakutunze’’
CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES OF
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION.
-
Definition of Environmental Education
(EE) according to UNESCO
-Goals, specific objectives
and principles of EE according to UNESCO.
1:2 History and philosophy of environmental education
v According to UNESCO Conference done in Tbilisi Georgia;
Environmental education is defined as a process aimed at developing the
world population that is aware and concerned about the total environment and
its associated problems and which have the knowledge, attitudes, motivations,
commitments and skills to work individually and to work collectively towards
solutions of current problems and preventing the new ones (UNESCO, Tbilisi
Declaration, 1978).
v Goals of Environmental Education
According
to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization)
Tbilisi Declaration, there are 3 goals of Environmental Education.
1.
To foster clear awareness of, and concern about, social, political and economic
interdependence at local, regional, national and international/global levels.
2.
To provide every person with opportunities to acquire the knowledge, values,
attitudes, commitment and skills needed to protect and improve the environment;
3.
To develop and reinforce new patterns of environmentally sensitive behavior
among individuals, groups and society as a whole for a sustainable environment.
v
Specific
objectives of Environmental Education
The
above goals were better defined by 5 objectives which were outlined in
UNESCO-UNEP(United Nations Environment Program) Environmental Education Newsletter
Vol.1, No1 (January 1996). These objectives are to improve: awareness,
knowledge, attitudes, skill and
participation.
1.Awareness - to help social groups and individuals acquire
awareness and sensitivity towards: " the environment as a whole, and;
" issues, questions and problems related to environment and development.
2.Knowledge to help individuals, groups and societies
gain a variety of experience in, and acquire a basic understanding of what is
required to create and maintain a sustainable environment.
3.Attitudes - to help individuals, groups and societies acquire:
" a set of values and feelings of concern for the environment, and "
the motivation to actively participate in protection of the environment.
4.Skills - help individuals, groups and societies acquire
the skills for: " identifying, " anticipating, " preventing and
" solving environmental problems.
5. Participation - to provide individuals, groups and societies with
an opportunity and the motivation to be actively involved at all levels in
creating a sustainable environment.
QUESTION:
Discuss the goals and
specific objectives of Environmental Education.
1.2 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION.
The roots of
environmental education can be traced back as early as the 18th century when
Jean-Jacques Rousseau stressed the importance of an education that focuses on
the environment in Emile: or, in Education
•
Several decades later, Louis Agassiz, a Swiss-born naturalist, echoed
Rousseau’s philosophy as he encouraged students to “Study nature, not books.”
•
These two influential scholars helped to lay the foundation for a
concrete environmental education program, known as Nature study, in the late 19th century and early 20th
century.
Later on a new type of environmental education, Conservation
Education emerged, as a result of the Great Depression and Dust Bowl during
the 1920s and 1930s.
•
Great Depression = a period during the 1930s when there was a worldwide
economic depression and mass unemployment.
•
Dust Bowl = an area where vegetation has been lost and soil eroded,
esp. as a consequence of drought or unsuitable farming practice.
•
The Dust Bowl, or the Dirty Thirties, was a period of severe dust
storms causing major ecological and agricultural damage to American and
Canadian prairie lands in the 1930s, particularly in 1934 and 1936. The
phenomenon was caused by severe drought combined with farming methods that did
not include crop rotation, fallow fields, cover crops, soil terracing and
wind-breaking trees to prevent wind erosion
•
Conservation Education dealt with the natural world in a drastically
different way from Nature Study because it focused on rigorous scientific
training rather than natural history. Conservation Education was a major
scientific management and planning tool that helped solve social, economic, and
environmental problems during this time period
•
The modern environmental education movement, which gained significant
momentum in the late 1960s and early 1970s, stems from Nature Study and
Conservation Education. How?
HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
The
modern environmental education movement stems from Nature Study and
Conservation Education. (late 1960s and early 1970s).
In
late 1960s and early 1970s many events
such as Civil Rights, the Vietnam War, and the Cold War – placed Americans at
odds with one another and the U.S. government.
Many
people began to fear the fallout (cloud of radioactive dust that is created by
a nuclear explosion and settles back down to the ground) from bombs and other
radiations, the chemical pesticides, and the significant amounts of air
pollution and waste.
The public’s concern for their health and the
health of their natural environment led to a unifying phenomenon known as
environmentalism.
The
United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) created three major declarations that
have guided the course of environmental education.
•
Stockholm
Declaration (Sweden) June 5–16, 1972
Internationally,
Environmental Education gained recognition in this UN conference.
-
It was UN Conference on the Human Environment.
-
It declared environmental education must be used as a tool to address
global environmental problems.
The
document was made up of 7 proclamations and 26 principles "to inspire and
guide the peoples of the world in the preservation and enhancement of the human
environment."
•
The Belgrade
Charter - October 13–22, 1975.
It was the outcome of the International
Workshop on Environmental Education held in Belgrade, Serbia.
Was
built upon the Stockholm Declaration and adds goals, objectives, and guiding
principles of environmental education programs
- It
defines an audience for environmental education, which includes the general
public.
•
The Tbilisi
Declaration (Georgia/USSR)October 14–26, 1977
-
Noted the important role of environmental education in the preservation
and improvement of the world's environment, as well as in the sound and
balanced development of the world's communities.
-
The Tbilisi Declaration updated and clarified The Stockholm Declaration
and The Belgrade Charter by including new goals, objectives, characteristics,
and guiding principles of environmental education.
Other conferences
are like
-
1980- International Union for conservation of nature and Wild Life Fund. Insisted on
resources conservation and sustainable development.
-
1987- by UNESCO & UNEP in Moscow. Insisted the importance of EE.
United
Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), Rio de
Janeiro(Brazil) 3-14 June 1992 (Informal name =The Earth Summit). This summit
focused on three broad concepts:
1.
An "Earth Charter" covering a number of principles aiming at
development and the protection of the environment.
2. "Agenda 21" was
intended to be a global action plan for sustainable development in the 21
century.
3. Developing countries
demanded a substantial increase in new funding from developed countries to
contribute to sustainable development
They
reached on several conventions covering
•
Climate Change. It acknowledged
on the threat of global warming.
•
Biological Diversity
(Conservation of the world biodiversity)
•
Forest (Sustainable forest management)
One
implication of the Rio de Jane conference in EE is the recommendation that,
environment and education should be incorporated as an essential part of
learning. (Within both formal and informal sector)
For geography teachers/ environmentalists
• EE should be a lifelong process that a person
acquires from childhood till death.
• EE is not restricted to in-class lesson plans.
There are numerous ways children can learn about the environment in which they
live. From experiential lessons in the school yard and field trips to national
parks, to after-school green clubs and school wide sustainability projects.
• Can have the environmental week/day in your
school
• EE should be a part and parcel of any subject
in the schools as to be done from curriculum developers and policy makers.
• The
environment is a topic which is readily and easily accessible
QUESTION 2: Discuss the status of Environmental Education in O level
secondary schools in Tanzania (Mwalimu Nyerere & Israel groups).
Environmentalism
Ø
Original/ history
Ø
Meaning
Ø
Supporters
Ø
Criticism
History/origin of
environmentalism
A
concern for environmental protection has occurred in diverse forms, in
different parts of the world, throughout history. Example origin of
Environmentalism in Us. (in previous
lecture)
In late 1960s and early 1970s many events
such as Civil Rights, the Vietnam War, and the Cold War – placed
Americans at odds with one another and the U.S. government.
Many
people began to fear the fallout
from bombs and other radiations, the chemical
pesticides , and the significant amounts of air pollution and waste.
The public’s concern for their health and the
health of their natural environment led to a unifying phenomenon known as environmentalism.
MEANING OF ENVIRONMENTALISM
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy,
ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation
and improvement of the health of the environment, Gipson (2003).
Environmentalism is a movement to control
pollution (Merriam-website 2012-06-20).
For this reason, concepts such as a land
ethic, environmental ethics, biodiversity, and ecology are predominant.
Environmentalism is a social movement that
seeks to influence the political process by lobbying/influencing, activism, and
education in order to protect natural resources and ecosystems.
SUPPORTERS OF ENVIRONMENTALISM
Free market
environmentalism
Is a
theory that argues that the free market, property rights, and tort law provide
the best tools to preserve the health and sustainability of the environment? It
considers environment to be in its natural way as a property right of every
one, as well as the expulsion of polluters and other aggressors through
individual and class action.
For
markets to work in the environmental field, as in any other, each important resource must be clearly defined
easily defended against
invasion , and divestible (transferable) by owners on terms agreeable to
buyer and seller. Well-functioning markets, in short, require “3-D” property
rights.
When
the first two are present—clear definition and easy defense of one’s rights—no
one is forced to accept pollution beyond the standard acceptable to the
community.
Evangelical environmentalism
•
It has focus of addressing climate action from a biblically grounded or
theological perspective.
•
Argues that human-induced climate change will have severe consequences
and impact the poor.
•
God's mandate to Adam to care for the Garden of Eden.
•
It is therefore a moral
obligation to work to mitigate climate impacts and support communities in
adapting to change.
Preservation and conservation (Conservation
movement)
Is
viewed as the setting aside of natural resources to prevent damage caused by
contact with humans or by certain human activities, such as logging, mining,
hunting, and fishing, often to replace them with new human activities such as
tourism and recreation.
Regulations and laws may be enacted for the
preservation of natural resources.
As
environmental concern grew, so did distrust of business institutions, which
were seen to be the cause of environmental problems such as air and water
pollution. Governments worldwide responded with new forms of comprehensive
environmental legislation aimed at regulating and constraining environmentally
damaging business activities.
CRITICISM OF
ENVIRONMENTALISM
Environmentalists
typically believe that human interference with 'nature' should be restricted or
minimized as a matter of urgency (for the sake of life, or the planet, or just
for the benefit of the human species). Both environmental skeptics and
anti-environmentalists do not believe that there is such a need.
Environmental skepticism
•
Is the belief that claims by environmentalists, and
the environmental scientists who support them, are false or exaggerated.
•
Environmental skeptics have argued that the extent of harm coming from
human activities is less certain than some scientists and scientific bodies
claim (Environmentalists).
•
One of the focus themes in the environmental skeptics movement is the
idea that environmentalism is a growing threat to social and economic progress
and the civil liberties.
•
The popularity of the term was enhanced by Bjørn Lomborg's book The
Skeptical Environmentalist (2004).( Statistician economist)
•
He summarized his position,
saying "Global warming is real - it is man-made and it is an important
problem. But it is not the end of the world."
•
They argue that it is too soon to be introducing complains in human
economic (Industrial) activities on the basis of existing evidence, or that
further discussion is needed regarding who should pay for such environmental
initiatives.(Escapism)
Anti-environmentalists/Green
Backlash,
•
On the other hand, accept many of the claims made by environmentalists
while simultaneously accepting that change is inevitable (impossible to avoid
or to prevent from happening) regardless of cause and speed.
•
They do not deny the impact of humanity, but they dispute/disagree the
argument that humanity can kill the planet, citing life's several billion year
history as evidence that it is more resilient than many environmentalists
realize.
•
Anti-environmentalism has been a response to the rise of environmental
consciousness and awareness first in the late 1960s and early 1970. It is a
backlash against the success of environmentalists in raising public concern and
pressuring governments to protect the environment.
Discuss the concept of environmentalism (Talentious / Talented group) Comment on the statement
that “Both views environmentalism and anti-environmentalism are wrong”
APPROACHES TO ENVIRONMENTALISM
There
are two approaches/philosophical thoughts which Environmentalists illuminate to
environmental improvement and means to achieve it. These are shallow and deep
ecology
Shallow ecology
a)
This view is completely self / human centered view.
Shallow ecology wants to save the world, but
only for us. Examples;
It wants us to preserve the rainforests so our
children can enjoy them or because we need the oxygen from the trees. Save the
ecosystems, but only if they are of value to us. Some day we might want or need
them.
Shallow
ecology participates in that myth which puts man as a king the world, somebody
who needs to conquer and master the environment.
b) It
looks on the outcomes of the environmental problems rather than the cause and
find the solutions basing on these outcomes. Examples;
-landfills are problems, so let’s recycle
instead,
-depending on oil is a problem so let’s drive
electric cars instead.
- buy
energy saving light bulbs, don't use plastic bags, plant trees, the list goes
on.
None of these programs questions the
fundamental beliefs of our culture and how our society is operating.
No
environmentalist can prevent destruction if a culture believes the world
belongs to him/her by right.
c)
Shallow ecology consider human and nature are different and that human dominate
the world around them.
- It
does not consider the interaction between living and non living world to let
the earth as an ecosystem to function well.
Deep ecology.
Deep
Ecology is about changing minds. Every action is the result of a prior thought.
Change a mind, you change the outcome.
It involves culture, human societies, individuals,
and values, life styles to emphasize respect and cooperation with nature.
It looks to non-humans for advice on how to
participate in an ecosystem without destroying it and seeks to implement that
advice by the modification of culture.
Deep
ecology argues that the natural world is made up of complex inter-relationships
in which the existence of organisms is dependent on the existence of others
within ecosystems. Example
-
Animals depend on plants to get their food, plants depend on animals to make
their food through the photosynthesis, and plants again depend on
micro-organisms to get minerals / decomposition. Micro- organisms depend on
plants and animals to get their food.
Human
interference with or destruction of the natural world lead to a threat not only
to humans but to all organisms constituting the natural order.
Deep
ecology's core principle is the belief that the living environment as a whole
should be respected and regarded as having certain legal rights to live and
flourish.
It describes itself as "deep"
because it regards itself as looking more deeply into the actual reality of
humanity's relationship with the natural world.
In
contrast to the shallow ecology which is concerned with conservation of the
environment only for exploitation by and for human purposes; deep ecology takes
a more holistic view of the world human beings live in and seeks to understand
the non human parts of the earth ecosystem.
Deep
ecology is a part of green movement/environmentalism movement and it supports
the Gaia hypothesis/theory (By James Lovelock 1960s) which states that;
“The earth is like single super living
organism in which living organisms interact with the non living organisms to
form a self-regulating, complex system”
The
system includes the near-surface rocks and atmosphere. In particular, it
regulates the chemistry of the oceans, composition of the atmosphere and
surface temperature comfortable for living organisms.
Temperature:
there
has been a 25% increase in heat from the sun since life began but surface
temperature has remained approximately constant.
Atmosphere:
the
present highly unstable mixture of reactive gases (79% nitrogen, 20.7% oxygen,
0.03% carbon dioxide with traces of methane and other gases) could not be
maintained without constant replacement or removal by the biota
Ocean salinity:
has
been maintained at about 3.4% for billions of years. Cells cannot tolerate salt
concentrations much above 5%. Salinity is at least partly controlled by
evaporate beds/lagoons where marine life causes limestone deposits, later
buried.
CRITICISMS OF THE GAIA PRINCIPLE
1.
The notion of self regulating earth sounds as if it believes with a sense of
purpose; would require foresight and planning.
2.
The theory does not recognize crucial intermediate positions like volcanic
eruption which can lead to same landscapes to disappear and others to be
formed.
•
However despite of the above criticism the Gaia principle has an
important place in the history of the development of environmental awareness as
it suggests that;
•
The abiotic and biotic environment are made up of many complex
interrelationships;
•
Many of these complex interrelationships are quite delicate and may be
altered by human activity to a breaking point; and
•
The theory suggests that humans must learn to respect Gaia by reducing
their intentional modification of the Earth's abiotic and biotic components.
GROUP
QUESTION:
Criticize the deep
ecology theory (Maendeleo &
Charity groups)
TOPIC 2: THE ENVIRONMENT AND ITS
CHALLENGES
2.1 Physical and cultural components of the
environment
2.2
Population,
resources and environmental challenges
2.1 PHYSICAL AND CULTURAL COMPONENTS OF
THE ENVIRONMENT.
Everything in
Earth's system can be placed into one of four major subsystems: land, water,
living things, or air. These four subsystems are called "spheres."
Specifically, they are the
ü -Lithosphere (land),
ü -Hydrosphere (water),
ü -Biosphere (living things),
ü -Atmosphere (air)
There is a
continued interaction between biotic (the living part of the earth) and the
abiotic (Non living part of the earth) components. This interaction involves
the transport/transfer or transformation of elements, compounds and also
various energy forms.
Interaction of physical components of
the environment of the earth.
Atmosphere
Biosphere
Lithosphere
Hydrosphere
The diagram above
represents the four physical components of the environment and their
relationships. If one component or linkage changes all other components
respond.
In this conceptual
framework every sphere has a two way linkage to every other sphere including
itself. The two way linkage signifies that matter may flow from one component
to another in both directions. Same arrows show the transfer within a given
component from one location to another indicating movement of substance from
one physical location to another without leaving the sphere.
The atmosphere (Air)
It may be
considered as a transport component that moves substances from atmospheric
sources to receptors. Its storage for matters is small compared to other
spheres but it has an immense capability for spatial re-distribution of matter. The atmosphere contains all the air in Earth's
system. It extends from less than 1 m below the planet's surface to more than
10,000 km above the planet's surface. The upper portion of the atmosphere
protects the organisms of the biosphere from the sun's ultraviolet radiation.
It also absorbs and emits heat. When air temperature in the lower portion of
this sphere changes, weather occurs. As air in the lower atmosphere is heated
or cooled, it moves around the planet.
The atmosphere is made up of many layers that differ in chemical
composition and temperature.
The
Lithosphere (Land)
It is the outer part boundary layer of the
solid earth and discontinued within the mantle. The outer boundary forms the
complex interface with the atmosphere and hydrosphere and also the environment
in which life evolved. Interaction between the Cristal systems of lithosphere
and atmosphere and the biosphere take place where continental crust is exposed
to inputs of solar radiant energy, precipitation and atmospheric gases. These
inputs are often modified by or operate through the effect of living systems of
the biosphere. Under the influence of these inputs crustal rocks are broken
down by weathering processes and are transferred to fine porous crustal layer
called soil.
Within the soil
biochemical reactions by micro organisms are responsible for most of chemical
changes of matter. However, soil and rocks are the storage components for
deposited matters.
The Hydrosphere (Water)
The hydrosphere
contains all the solid, liquid, and gaseous water of the planet .It includes
the surface water and its surrounding. It is vital for life molecules to
survive. Water possesses a number of chemical and physical properties that help
the molecule to act as the best suitable medium for life activities. The
movement of water from the earth (Lithosphere) to atmosphere through
hydrological cycle appears to be a closed system. The ocean cover
approximately 71% of the planet, glacier
& ice caps cover additional areas and water is also found in the lakes,
streams, in the soil and under the ground as ground water, in the atmosphere as
water vapor and in the of living organisms eg in human being. Living organisms
use water for different purposes in one way or another. They use all available
water sources- inland waters, ground water and even ocean water.
The Biosphere (Living things)
The biosphere contains all the planet's living
things. This sphere includes all of the microorganisms, plants, and animals of
Earth. Within the biosphere, living things form ecological communities based on
the physical surroundings of an area. Encompasses all zones of the earth where
life is present. At the top of the lithosphere, throughout the hydrosphere
there is life and into the lower atmosphere life of different forms/diversity
exist. Life on earth requires water, a source of energy (sun light) and various
nutrients that are found in the soil, water and air.
Biosphere occupies
the least volume of all the spheres but it is the cause of the majority of flow
of matter through nature. Weathering through the hydrological cycle, blowing
wind and volcanic eruptions are some of mobilizing agents. The biosphere is
responsible for the ground scale recycling of energy and matter on earth.
Mobilization of matter by biota is by means restricted to small geographic
regions. The period of burning of forest for example not only changes the
chemical form of matter but also result in long rang of atmospheric
transportation of matter and deposition.
Same of the
biological released chemicals include the CO2 , Nitrogen and sulphur
have long atmospheric residence resulting in continental and global scale
redistribution. Change in one sphere often results in changes in one or more of
other spheres as have been stated above. Such changes which take place in the
spheres are referred to as events can occur naturally such as earth quake,
forest fire, hurricanes. Sometimes they can be caused by human such as oil
split, air pollution, deforestation, forest fire etc.
An event can cause
the changes to occur in one or more of the spheres and or an event can be the
effect of changes in one or more of the earth’s four sphere.
QUESTION: 6 Taking the Northern Gulf of
Mexico/ the Deepwater Horizon oil well split (On 20 April 2010) as an example,
explain the concept that ‘’ An event can cause the changes to occur in one or
more of the spheres and or an event can be the effect of changes in one or more
of the earth’s four sphere’’
QUESTION 7: Describe each of Earth's
four spheres. List several examples of features in each sphere.
QUESTION 8: Do you think clouds should
be classified as part of the atmosphere, or part of the hydrosphere? Explain
why
Understanding
the interactions among earth’s surface and the events that occur within the
ecosystem allows predicting the outcomes of events. Be able to predict outcomes
are useful for preparedness. The following are the examples of interaction of
different earth’ spheres Humans (biosphere) built a
·
Human (Biosphere) build a dam out of
rock materials (geosphere) •
·
Water in the lake (hydrosphere) seeps into the
cliff walls behind the dam, becoming groundwater (geosphere), or evaporating
into the air (atmosphere) •
·
Humans (biosphere) harness energy from the
water (hydrosphere) by having it spin turbines (geosphere the turbines come
from metal ores in the ground) to produce electricity.
Man
& the Biosphere.
Humans
are part of biosphere & human activities closely resemble to the
functioning of the biosphere at large. Human & biota are responsible for
redistribution of chemicals on earth. Fires and other forms of combustion
result in an oxidation of both biogenic and anthropogenic elements. In nature
living plants tend to reduce their metabolized chemicals thus consuming a cycle
of chemicals that living matter are made of.
The human induced
oxidation products have to cycle on biota for reduction and recycling. Given
the limited reduction capacity of the biosphere many of the combustion products
remain in stable form and are ultimately deposited in another long term
geo-chemical reservoirs to another.
Much of the
environment damage is done in the atmosphere during the transition from one
long term geo-chemical reservoir to another.
2.2 POPULATION RESOURCES AND
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The human race is
consuming more than the world natural resources can support and also than rate
of world to renew its natural resources. It is estimated that the amount of
world’s natural resources that the entire human race is using has exceeded the
worlds renewable by about 25%.
Natural resources
are under increasing pressure, threatening public health & development, soil
erosion, loss of forest, air and water pollution, degradation of coast lines,
affecting in many areas. As the world population grows improving living
standard without destroying environment is a global challenge.
In the past decade,
in every environmental sector conditions have either failed to improve or they
are worsening.
(i)Public health:
Unclean water,
along with poor sanitation, kills over 12 million people each year, most in
developing countries. Air pollution kills nearly 3 million more. Heavy metals
and other contaminants also cause widespread health problems.
(ii) Food supply:
Will there be
enough food to go around? In 64 of 105 developing countries studied by the UN
Food and Agriculture Organization, the population has been growing faster than
food supplies. Population pressures have degraded some 2 billion hectares of
arable land — an area the size of Canada and the U.S.
(iii) Freshwater:
The supply of
freshwater is finite, but demand is soaring as population grows and uses per
capita rises. By 2025, when world population is projected to be 8 billion, 48
countries containing 3 billion people will face shortages. Example over 250
million people- half of the Sub-Saharan Africa’s population have no access to safe drinking
water and 300 mill lack adequate sanitation. It is estimated that 500mil
Africans are likely to be without safe water and sanitation by the year 2020
given the current rate of population growth.
(iv) Coastlines
and oceans:
Half of all coastal
ecosystems are pressured by high population densities and urban development. A
tide of pollution is rising in the world’s seas. Ocean fisheries are being
overexploited, and fish catches are down. Example 29% of species have globally
been fished so heavily or have been affected by pollution that they are down to
10% of their previous population levels.Globaly the market value of the marine
and coastal resources and industries is estimated to be 3USD trillion per year
or about 5% of global GDP and estimated of 65% of global ecosystems services
are provided by marine and coastal systems. As much as 40% of world oceans are
considered as heavy affected by human activities including pollution, depleted
fisheries, loss of coastal habitants such as coral reefs, mangroves and sea
grasses and bi- aquatic invasive species.
A way forward:
Integrated ecosystem based management of fresh water and ocean resources
through promoting effective governance are needed.
(v) Forests:
Nearly half of the
world’s original forest cover has been lost, and each year another 16 million
hectares are cut, bulldozed, or burned. Forests provide over US$400 billion to
the world economy annually and are vital to maintaining healthy ecosystems.
Yet, current demand for forest products may exceed the limit of sustainable
consumption by 25%. In Tanzania for example according to FAO (2009)
deforestation rate was estimated at 412,000 hectors per annual between
1990-2005.This is equivalent to 1.1% of the country total forest area. Causes
of deforestation are said to be clearing for agriculture overgrazing. In
central Tanzania and North West, for example wild fires, charcoal making,
persistent reliance on wood fuel for energy, lack of land use plans and non-
adherence to existing wants. These are immediate causes of deforestation. But population
growth, gvnt policy, market failure and ownership rights are underline causes
i.e. they are not realized immediately. Also lack of proper right and affluence
(vi) Biodiversity (2/3 of the world’s species are in
decline).
The earth’s
biological diversity is crucial to the continued vitality of agriculture and
medicine — and perhaps even to life on earth itself. Yet human activities are
pushing many thousands of plant and animal species into extinction. Two of
every three species is estimated to be in decline.
Increasing pressure
of human population exploitation, pollution and climate change have already
pushed some ecosystems over critical thresholds. Other ecosystems are edging
closer to thresholds beyond which a return to stable conclusions could be
difficult – if not impossible e.g. according to the IUCN (International UNION
for Conservation of Natural 2009)shows that 17,291 out of 47,677 assessed are
under threat globally. This includes 21%
of all known mammals, 30% of all 28% of all known reptiles, 37% of fresh water
fishes, 70% of plants, 35% of invertebrates.
.
INDIRECT CAUSES OF DEFORESTATION.
a) Market failure
This lead to entire
market sources fail to reflect the environmental value of a particular
resource. Example may see many bags of charcoal in town, the direct
implications you get is that there is a lot of forest to cut charcoal, while
the reality is not the case. Also the market forces provide a strong incentive
for short term profit making instead of long term sustainability. Example
cutting dawn trees for charcoal.
b)Government policy
The essence of any
policy is to correct problems that affect the society. If these policies are
effective we will have less environmental problems. If the government policy
fails to be effective and efficient we have government policy failure.
c) Rapid population growth
Population growth
is an important source of development and also is a major source of
environmental degradation when it exceeds the threshold life of the life
support systems. Population impacts on the environment primarily through the
use of natural resources and production of wastes, and these associated with
environmental stresses like loss of biodiversity, air and water pollution and
increased pressure on arable land.
d) Poverty
Is said to be both
cause &effect of environmental degradation. The circular link between poverty & environment is extremely complex
phenomenon. Inequality may foster unsustainably because the poor who rely on
natural resources more than the rich deplete natural resources faster as they
have no real prospect of gaining access to other types of resources. More over
degraded environment can accelerate the process of impoverishment again because
the poor depend directly on natural resources are the cries to suffer more.
e) Lack of property
rights over natural resources.
Without legal
rights of ownership &benefit sharing mechanisms among individuals on
natural resources use may lead to environmental degradation. Common property ownership is
refuted to degradation of natural resources.
f)Affluent
It is the way of
life in rich countries which involves consumption of huge volumes of resources
and quince queenly it involves dumping vast amount of wastes into the
environment e.g. to provide US life style to one person about 80 tons of
materials have to be processed every year. Much of which mining waste. Energy
equal to 7 tons of oil that has to be used. Also for each kg of food eaten some
10 kg of soil are lost at least 4.5 hectares of productive land are needed just
to provide one person living a rich world city with their food, water , living
space and energy. In other worlds the high mass consumption is far beyond
sustainable per capital levels of resources use and environmental impact.
The solution to this is to have an
ecologically sustainable society in which have materially simple life styles of
highly self sufficient local economy which is not driven by profit motive and
market forces.
e) Global climate change.
The earths surface
is warming due to green house gas emission
largely from burning fossil fuels of particular concerning are the
implication of melting ice for sea level rise the significance of ocean
acidification for Marine ecosystems and the risks to global agriculture and
water supply posses by the expanding tropical belt .e.g. the years 2000 to 2009 constitute the warmest decade since instrument
records for global temperatures were established in the mid 19th .2009
was the warmest year with the cluster of other years
ie.1998,2002,2003,&2007.This is according to Institute of space study (2009).
**The UN has
developed another approach REDD (Reducing Emission from Deforestation and
forest Degradation).
REDD is an approach
in mitigation global climate change by reducing levels of green house gas
emission.
REDD is an
innovative payment schemes for ecosystem services. Roughly 25% of terrestrial
carbon is stored in forests. REDD assigns a monetary to standing forest in
developing countries paying land owner
for protecting the forests inset creel of cutting down.
TOPIC 3: HUMAN BEHAVIOUR CULTURE AND
THE ENVIRONMENT
1.3
Factors influencing human behavior towards the environment.
3.2 The role of education awareness, attitude,
motivation, and commitment to improve Environmental quality.
3.3 Changing detrimental environmental
behaviors
1.3 FACTORS INFLUENCING
HUMAN BEHAVIOR TOWARDS THE ENVIRONMENT.
•
Definition of behavior
•
Relationship between behavior and environment
•
Factors influencing human
behavior to wards the environment.
By
free encyclopedia (2005) human behavior can be defined to be collection of
activities performed by human being as influenced by cultural, attitudes,
emotions, values, authority, rapport, persuasion& coercion
Relationship between behavior and environment
One
of the behavioral change theories is social learning (social cognitive theory)
‘’An individual's behavior may change their environment but the environment can
change the human behavior as well as the way the individual thinks or feels''.
They believe in reciprocal relationship between individual behavior and
environment.
The
question here is how best we can influence human behavior to more
environmentally sound?
-
Responding to this question requires a full understanding of the nature of
human behavior, how human behavior shapes the environment & what are the
determinants of human behavior.
Changing
human behavior and preserving natural resources are among the greatest
challenges to the sustainable development for the world today.
Bushfire
Cutting
down the trees
Overfishing
sport
hunting /Illegal hunting
Improper
garbage disposal
Mining
leftovers
Fumes
from the factory
Dumping
of industrial waste products into water sources
FACTORS INFLUENCING HUMAN BEHAVIOR TOWARDS
ENVIRONMENT
Education,
reinforcement, defaults (Alternatives or solutions) prompt (reminder),income
(poverty), beliefs, environmental stress (emotions), environmental
legislation, age, and responsibility
•
GROUP
QUESTION;
Discuss how the following factors can affect human behavior towards
environment; age, laws and regulations, environmental stress and/or emotions,
responsibility, beliefs, and poverty.
1.
EDUCATION .
- By
educating and improving the problem based knowledge one can change
environmental attitude and increase feeling of stress of people towards
environment.
-These
changes in turn improve preparedness to act friendly with the environment.
2.
REINFORCEMENT.
Reinforcement
Theory of Motivation by BF Skinner. It states that “Individual’s behavior is a
function of its consequences”. It is based on “law of effect”, i.e,
individual’s behavior with positive consequences tends to be repeated, but
individual’s behavior with negative consequences tends not to be repeated.
Positive
Reinforcement
This
implies giving a positive response when an individual shows positive and
required behavior. For example - Immediately praising a student who has planted
a tree in a school compound. This will increase probability of
outstanding/planting trees behavior occurring again.
Negative
Reinforcement- This implies rewarding a person by removing negative /
undesirable consequences. Eg after planting
trees then villagers can be allowed to get firewood from once protected
area. Both positive and negative
reinforcement can be used for increasing desirable / required behavior.
Punishment
means applying undesirable consequence for showing undesirable behavior. For
instance - Suspending a student from a school after intentionally uprooting the
trees planted in the school compound. (www.satlectwowayradios.co.za in
Reinforcement Theory of Motivation)
3.
DEFAULTS (ALTERNATIVES OR SOLUTIONS).
-They
are used to make desirable behavior easier than non desirable behavior. When
there’s for example no waste bins around, littering is more likely and
the vice versa. When the environment
doesn’t allow for people to properly dispose their litter, people will litter
the environment.
When
translated into environmental behavior; if pro- environmental alternatives or
salutations are not enabled in a physical or social environment, people are
more likely not to undertake pro- environmental behavior.
4.
PROMPT (REMINDER).
-
Prompts are reminders to people that a particular behavior is necessary
or required.
When waste bins were
provided to residents the cleanliness of the area increased significantly. The
research have shown that the cleanliness rate increased not because of the bins
themselves but it was the reminder that the bins provided
and the social norm
that the bins evoked.
Overtime
these prompts help specific action to become part of the social norms leading
to the culture of conservation.
5.
STRESS/EMOTIONS
Stress is a major concept that plays a
major fundamental role in understanding many forms of human adaptations,
Ashford, et al (2010, p. 33) have
pointed out that, stress represents any event in which environmental demands or
bolt tax all exceed the adoptive resources of an individual social system or
tissue system.
Evance, (1982, p. 15) point out that
stress is a process by which environmental events or forces, called stressor
threaten an organism’s existence and well being by which an organism respond to
these threats.
The stress reaction replete with
commonly known symptoms such as fear, acient and anger is only part of this
process. It is probably the most easily recognized, but in many cases it may
simply represent “side effects” of the main attraction perceiving a threat,
copying with it and adapting to it.
Our lives can be characterized as a
constant adaptation to sudden change or gradual evolution of our surroundings.
Sometimes these changes are minor and we can adopt in them without even being
aware of them. At other time, however, these changes can be severe and clearly
threatened.
6.
RELIGION/BELIEVES/FAITH
World religion, each in their own way,
offer a unique set of moral values and rules to guide human beings in their
relationship with the environment. Religions also provide sanctions and offer
stiffer penalties such as fear of hell, for those who do not treat god’s
creation with respect. Although it is true that, in the recent past, religions
have not been in the fore-front of protecting the environment from human greed
and exploitation, many are now willing to take up the challenge and help to
protect and conserve environment. For example, while technology gives the
individual the physical power to create or to destroy the world, religion gives
the moral strength to grow in virtue buy nurturing restraint, humility, and
liberation from self centeredness. Directly and indirectly, religion can be a powerful
source for environmental conservation and protection. Thus we need a strategy
for conservation that does not ignore the powerful influence of religion, but
instead draws from all religious foundation and cultures. (Gottlieb, 2004, p. 145)
7. HOW
AGE CAN INFLUENCE THE ENVIRONMENT
Grunnet
and Johl , 1995 in their paper
titled ‘’Values, environmental attitude
of buying organic food’’ agreed with
other several researchers suggestion that people’s basic value orientations are important to the behavior that are
related to the environment. Meaning that at early stages of life, basic
knowledge on environmental issues is very important for determining how a
person will be in future.
Johnny Sanvichith (2011) in his paper titled ‘’Home gardens, Identity and
Pro-Environmental Behavior ‘’ found the strong relationship between age and environmental behavior. According
to him this relationship bases on experience that one has . Young children have
little experience on environmental matters. Youths of are exposed to new ideas
that may inform emerging self-identity, and they generally demonstrate high
levels of pro-environmental attitudes and behavior (Milfont, Duckitt &
Cameron, 2006). This age is also an essential time to learn about one’s
national background, and heritage (Phinney, 1990).At old age one has more
experience on environmental issues than youths therefore will act more friendly
to the environment than children and youths. Someone’s age identity is
influenced by one’s sense of belonging to that age group, (A child, youth or
adult) , and the degree to which this affects one’s thinking, perceptions and
decisions (Phinney, 1996)
•
QUESTION
11:
Human
behavior towards environment can be influenced by a number of behaviors.
Discuss how age, emotions, prompt and affordance can influence the environment (Unity group &Optimists).
- Add the following to
the list above; beliefs, poverty and responsibility as individual assignment.
REFERENCES:
Johnny, S. (2011).
Home gardens, Identity and Pro-Environmental Behavior
Among Southeast
Asian American. UC Berkeley
Students.
Phinney, J. S. (1990). Ethnic
identity in adolescents and adults: Review of
research. Psychological Bulletin, 108(3), 499-514.
doi:10.103
Phinney,
J. S. (1996). Understanding ethnic
diversity. American Behavioral
Scientist, 40(2), 143.
Ashford
et al, (2010) Human behaviour in the
social environment: A multi-dimensional perspective 4th Edition.
USA: Cengage Learning Ltd.
Gottlieb, R. S.
(2004). This sacred Earth: Religion, Nature and Environment. London,
Britain: Routledge.
Evance, G. W. (1982). Environmental
stress. USA: Cambridge University Press Ltd.
3.2
THE
ROLE OF EDUCATION AWARENESS, ATTITUDE, MOTIVATION, AND COMMITMENT TO
IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Environmental
education (EE) refers to organized efforts to teach/learn about how natural
environments function and, particularly, how human beings can manage their
behavior and ecosystems in order to live sustainably.
The term is often
used to imply education within the school system, from primary to
post-secondary
However, it should
be used more broadly to include all efforts to educate the public and other
audiences, including print materials, websites, media campaigns, etc. Related
disciplines include outdoor education and experiential education.
The role of
education awareness attitude motivation and commitments to improve
environmental policy (a program of actions adopted by the government) will be
realized
by the EE learning outcomes which are;
1. To improve
awareness and concern about environmental issues.
2. To develop
understanding of ecologically principals.
3. To stimulate
commitments for environmental problems.
4. To demand action
to promote conservation of natural resources.
3:3 CHANGING DETRIMENTAL ENVIRONMENT
BEHAVIORS
Detrimental
environment behaviors are the behaviors that harm our environment. They
include burning/cutting trees, illegal hunting, over fishing, improper garbage
disposal, bad methods of fishing and the like.
The detrimental
environmental behavious can change through;
• Education
- Awareness that
the environmental issue in question is actually or potentially detrimental to
the person an health &welfare
-Enough concern
with the hazardous condition to be motivated to do something about it.
-Knowledge of what
one can do about the issue.
-Knowledge of how
to carry out this action.
-Ability to carry
out this action.
-Belief that one’s
action will have a substantive impact on the environmental condition.
-Assurance that
gains from taking the action will outweigh any sacrifices required.
Responsibility.
-A sense of social
responsibility needs to be instilled so that each person will regard even a
minute contribution to violating the
environment or restoring it has been morally &physically significant.
Environmental legislation /laws /
regulations
-These are used to
regulate people behaviors towards protection & conservation of environment.
Prompts (reminders)
-The use of posters
& other means to remind people on environmental maintenance.
Reinforcement
Rewards encourage behavior while punishment discourages behavior.
Affordance / Defaults
/alternative solutions.
-Presence of
infrastructure to enhance a particular behavior e.g. distribution to throw
rubbish.
Income/poverty.
Low income people
are adversary affected by the social processes and therefore they respond
negatively towards nature.
QUIZ
NO 2:
Time: 7 minutes.
Time: 7 minutes.
QUESTION:
It is
said that low income people are adversary affected by the social processes and
therefore they respond negatively towards nature. Do you agree or disagree with
this statement? Defend your answer.
