GE: 145 INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION (notes)

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.

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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 19^th .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 4^th 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.

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.