1.1 Environmental Value
Systems
Environmental Systems and Society
Mrs. Page
2015-2016
Modified from https://iboess.wikispaces.com/Topic+7+Environmental+value+systems
Topic 1.1 Environmental Value
Systems
Knowledge and Understanding:

Significant historical influences on the development of the environmental movement have
come from literature, the media, major environmental disasters, international agreements
and technological developments. (See Timelines & Influential Events Assignments)
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An EVS is a worldview or paradigm that shapes the way an individual, or group of
people, perceives and evaluates environmental issues, influenced by cultural,
religious, economic and socio-political contexts.
An EVS might be considered as a system in the sense that it may be influenced by
education, experience, culture and media (inputs), and involves a set of interrelated
premises, values and arguments that can generate consistent decisions and
evaluations (outputs).
There is a spectrum of EVSs, from ecocentric through anthropocentric to
technocentric value systems.
An ecocentric viewpoint integrates social, spiritual and environmental dimensions
into a holistic ideal. It puts ecology and nature as central to humanity and
emphasizes a less materialistic approach to life with greater self-sufficiency of
societies. An ecocentric viewpoint prioritizes biorights, emphasizes the importance
of education and encourages self-restraint in human behavior.
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Topic 1.1 Environmental Value
Systems
Knowledge and Understanding:
 An anthropocentric viewpoint argues that humans must sustainably manage the
global system. This might be through the use of taxes, environmental regulation
and legislation. Debate would be encouraged to reach a consensual, pragmatic
approach to solving environmental problems.
 A technocentric viewpoint argues that technological developments can provide
solutions to environmental problems. This is a consequence of a largely optimistic
view of the role humans can play in improving the lot of humanity. Scientific
research is encouraged in order to form policies and to understand how systems
can be controlled, manipulated or changed to solve resource depletion. A progrowth agenda is deemed necessary for society’s improvement.
 There are extremes at either end of this spectrum (for example, deep ecologists–
ecocentric to cornucopian–technocentric), but in practice, EVSs vary greatly
depending on cultures and time periods, and they rarely fit simply or perfectly into
any classification.
 Different EVSs ascribe different intrinsic value to components of the biosphere.
Topic 1.1 Environmental Value
Systems
Applications and skills:
 Discuss the view that the environment can have its own
intrinsic value.
 Evaluate the implications of two contrasting EVSs in the
context of given environmental issues.
 Justify, using examples and evidence, how historical
influences have shaped the development of the modern
environmental movement (See Timelines & Influential
Events Assignments)
Theory of knowledge:
 EVSs shape the way we perceive the environment—which
other value systems shape the way we view the world?
Environmental Value System
The “world view” or set of paradigms
that shape the ways that individuals
and groups approach environmental
issues.
What is a System?
 Make a list of “systems”
 If you had to come up with 1 definition what would it
be?
 A set of parts that work together to make the whole
function. Generally the whole is more efficient than all
the parts.
 Can you have systems within systems? Explain.
System Diagrams
 Storages = boxes
 Flows = arrows
 Inputs = things going into the system
 Outputs = things coming out of the system
INPUTS
STORAGE
OUTPUTS
 Thinking about your values system – what are the inputs
and outputs?
Inputs and outputs
 Inputs: Family, peers, media, religion, education,
science, politics, economics
 Outputs: Decisions, perspectives, course of action
 Draw a system diagram of your EVS
Environmental Value Systems
Ecocentric
Anthropocentric
Technocentric
(Nature Centered)
(People Centered)
(Technology Centered)
Minimum disturbances
to nature
People are managers
of the Earth
Technology solves
problems
Ecocentrism
Nature Centered
 Nature: environmental conservation is central to decisionmaking
 Society: humans are part of nature
 Individual responsibility and accountablility
 All life has inherent value
 We should not cause extinction of other species
 We should protect habitats and ecosystems
 Humans are not more important than other species
 Resources are limited
 We need the Earth more than it needs us
Anthropocentrism
People (humanity) centered
 Nature: the environment is a resource for humans to use as
needed
 Society: human health and well-being are central in decisionmaking
 People as environmental managers of the environment
 Governmental regulation; taxes, legislation, regulation
 Population control given equal weight to resource use
 Humans are the most important species
 People living in MEDC’s
(more economically developed countries)
are more likely to hold this view. Why?
Technocentrism
 Nature: nature is a model, but can be replaced by technology
when needed
 Society: human health and well-being are central to decisionmaking
 Technology can keep pace with and provide solutions to
environmental problems.
 We must understand natural processes in order to manage
and control these resources
 We can solve any problem we cause
 Economic growth is a good thing
Where do you think you fall?
 We all have different influences that affect
our views of the world. Based on what
you have learned so far, would you classify
yourself as a ecocentric, anthropocentric,
or technocentric person with regards to the
environment? Why?
EVS Spectrum
 Although we tend to group into 3 main groups there are
extremes in the spectrum
 We might not fall complete into one category or another
but we need to be able to justify our viewpoints with
examples (blogs will help with this)
Deep Ecologists
Extreme Ecocentric
• Nature is of more value than humanity
• Concerned about the impacts of human life
as one part of the ecosphere (humans
are not any more important than any other
living thing)
• Not all natural resources are for human use,
humans should consume less
• Seek a more holistic view of the world we live
in
• Believe everyone should be involved in
making decisions regarding the environment
Self Reliance / Soft Ecologist
 Small scale, local community action
 Individuals make a difference
 Self-sufficiency in resource management
 Ecological understand a principle for all aspect of living.
 Against large scale profits, prefer small scale/local
markets
Environmental Managers
 The Earth needs tending: Stewardship
 Governments legislate and protect the environment
 No radical political agenda but promote working to
create change within the existing social and political
structures
 Current economic growth can be sustained if
environmental issues are managed by legal means or
political agreement.
 Believe that the environment can be used if manage
properly
Cornucopians
Extreme Technocentric
 The world has infinite resources
 This perspective doesn't really see environmental issues as
"problems" as humans have always found a way out of
difficulties in the past
 New resources and technologies will solve any
environmental problems as they are encountered.
 There is no need for radical agendas, socio-economic or
political reform
 Don't care for the environment; human come first
 Growth and capitalism is the best way to manage the freemarket economy
Where do you think the
following people fall?
 Note: If you see a person, idea or quote that resonates
with you, you might want to take note so that you can
use this information as you justify YOUR OWN
Environmental Value System.
Chief Seattle
“Every part of the earth
is sacred to my people.
Every shining pine
needle, every sandy
shore, every mist in the
dark woods, every
meadow, every
humming insect. All are
holy in the memory and
experience of my
people.”
Aldo Leapold, 1949
“ A thing is right when it tends to preserve the
integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic
community. It is wrong when it tends
otherwise.”
“We abuse land because we regard it as a
commodity belonging to us. When we see
land as a community to which we belong,
we may begin to use it with love and
respect.”
Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac
Rachel Carson
“ Like the resource it seeks to protect, wildlife conservation must be dynamic,
changing as conditions change, seeking always to become more
effective.”
"The most alarming of all man's assaults upon the environment is the
contamination of air, earth, rivers, and sea with dangerous and even
lethal materials. This pollution is for the most part irrecoverable; the
chain of evil it initiates not only in the world that must support life but
in living tissues is for the most part irreversible. In this now universal
contamination of the environment, chemicals are the sinister and littlerecognized partners of radiation in changing the very nature of the
world—the very nature of its life."
James Lovelock – The Gaia Hypothesis
“A billion could live off the earth; 6 billion living as we do is far too
many, and you run out of planet in no time.”
“ Any species that harms the environment to a point where it
threatens its own progeny is doomed and will become
extinct...and that's us.”
Mahatma Gandhi
“The earth, the air, the land and the water are not am
inheritance from our fore fathers but on loan from our children.
So we have to handover to them at least as it was handed over
to us.”
“There is a sufficiency in the world for man’s need but not for
man’s greed.”
George W. Bush
"It would be helpful if we opened up ANWR (The Alaskan
National Wildlife Refuge – a wilderness reserve). I think it's a
mistake not to. And I would urge you all to travel up there and
take a look at it and you can make the determination as to how
beautiful that country is.”
Mar. 29, 2001
Barrack Obama
“ One of the things I draw from the Genesis story is the importance of us being
good stewards of the land, of this incredible gift. And I think there have been
times where we haven’t been [good stewards], and this is one of those times
where we’ve got to take the warning seriously [about climate change]. And part
of what my religious faith teaches me is to take an intergenerational view, to
recognize that we are borrowing this planet from our children and our
grandchildren…. We have to find resources in ourselves to make sacrifices so
we don’t leave it to the next generation. We’ve got to be less wasteful, both as a
society and in our own individual lives … As president, I hope to rally the
entire world around the importance of us being good stewards of the land.”
Source: 2008 Democratic Compassion Forum at Messiah College Apr 13, 2008
Comparing EVS’s
 Different societies tend to have different EVS’s
 We will look at a few examples to understand more
about how the inputs influence value systems
Communism & Capitalism in
Germany
 Communism was viewed as a solution to capitalistic
greed and many believed that this would result in more
equal distribution of wealth, thereby also decreasing
many social issues including environmental damage
 1989 Berlin Wall came down
 Journalists found that the pollution in Eastern Berlin was
much greater than in Western Berlin.
 Although the industry of a capitalistic society pollutes, it
seems that ex-soviet communism polluted much more!
Capitalism and the Environment
 Economic growth is put above all other factors, and in
many cases, this growth comes above environmental
values.
 Private businesses in these societies are mostly to blame
for the environmental degradation in these areas.
Communism and the Environment
 Even though communist societies are meant to distribute
wealth evenly, most of these countries are victims of the
term “tragedy of the commons”.
 Tragedy of the commons: “a situation where individuals
acting independently and rationally according to each's selfinterest behave contrary to the best interests of the whole group
by depleting some common resource.” Wikipedia
 When no one owns the resource, no one takes care of it.
Summary of Capitalistic &
Communistic EVS
 They both have different economical principles that also tie
back to their environmental values.
 Capitalism is heavily based in private businesses, and
socialism is based in government-owned businesses.
 In terms of environmental values, capitalism allows for free
speech and greater environmental awareness than
communism in most cases.
 Communism and capitalism also find it difficult to restrict
environmental abuse because both emphasize short-term
efficiency and profits while ignoring long-term costs of
environmental degradation.
Common Native American EVS’s
There are many EVS’s among different tribes so this is a generalization
 Tendency to live in communities and share property
 Subsistent economy based on trade
 Low impact technology
 Tribal law requires agreement based on consensus
 Laws are passed down by oral tradition
 Most tribes have a matrilineal (mothers) descent, extended
families, and small population densities
 Most tribes are polytheistic and animals, plants, and nature
are often regarded as objects with spirituality
Christianity and Islam EVS’s
 Together these 2 religions have over 3.6 billion followers
 Similarities in beliefs:
 Separation of spirit and matter (body and soul)
 God is the creator of the world and universe.
 Idea of “dominion” over the Earth
 “Replenish the Earth , and subdue it, and have dominion over it”Genesis
 “Earth (and its bounty) have been given to humans for their
subsistence” – Quran
 Christianity – Earth has been “gifted” to humans as caretakers,
not rulers
 Islam – Animal world is a community equal to the human one
 3rd pillar of Islam – charity, humans are trustees
Buddhism’s EVS
 To live in harmony with nature is a crucial Buddhist
practice.
 Every living thing in the world is dependent on each other
 Humans are no more important than other living things.
 The Buddha manifested a complete compassion and is
respectfully seen as the compassionate protector of all
beings.
 Buddha taught that for those who wishes to follow his
Path should practice loving-kindness, not to harm the life
of all beings - not only to protect mankind, but also to
protect animals and vegetation.
Similarities Between
Christianity, Islam, & Buddhism
 All religions have a respect towards nature.
 Christianity & Islam states that one must have a proper
relationship with the Creator and the rest of the Creation
(nature).
 Christianity and Islam have an aspect of humans being
stewards of the land.
 Buddhist society states that a person needs to be in harmony
with nature in order to be in harmony with himself.
 They recognize it is not theirs to ruin and that the nature and
earth was there before humans. It is all about respect and
appropriate use.
Differences Between
Christianity, Islam, & Buddhism
 In Christianity & Islam, God created nature, therefore we as
humans, have the obligation to respect, protect, and not harm
the nature.
 In Buddhism, one has to be responsible for one’s actions.
What we do to nature, it will reflect to ourselves.
 The origins and reasons are different. In Christianity and
Islam the aim is to please God. Buddhists respect and follow
the teachings of Buddha.