The Env. And SocietyThe Env. And Society

Ch. 1 sec. 2Ch. 1 sec. 2

Sharing Common ResourcesSharing Common Resources

Ocean – transporting and fishingOcean – transporting and fishing Neighborhood Park - sports, outdoor Neighborhood Park - sports, outdoor

activitiesactivities

““Tragedy of Commons”Tragedy of Commons”

Garrett HardinGarrett Hardin

Overuse of land area which led to Overuse of land area which led to destructiondestruction

““Tragedy of Commons”Tragedy of Commons”

Responsibility of maintaining Responsibility of maintaining resourceresource

If not, then resource will be overused If not, then resource will be overused and become depletedand become depleted

Economics and the Env.Economics and the Env.

Law of Supply and DemandLaw of Supply and Demand– The greater the demand for a limited The greater the demand for a limited

supply of something, the more that supply of something, the more that thing is worththing is worth

– Oil and priceOil and price

Costs and BenefitsCosts and Benefits

Cost benefit analysisCost benefit analysis– Balances the cost of the action against Balances the cost of the action against

the benefits one expects from it.the benefits one expects from it.Results depend on who is doing it Results depend on who is doing it

(industry/neighborhood)(industry/neighborhood)

Risk AssessmentRisk Assessment

The cost of any action is the risk of The cost of any action is the risk of an undesirable outcomean undesirable outcome

Cost analysis includes a risk Cost analysis includes a risk assessmentassessment

An Example ... Crossing The Road

Developed countriesDeveloped countries higher average incomes,higher average incomes, slower population growth slower population growth diverse industrial economies diverse industrial economies stronger social supportstronger social support

Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK, and the US

Developing countriesDeveloping countries

Lower average incomesLower average incomes Simple and ag based economiesSimple and ag based economies Rapid pop growthRapid pop growth

Developed and delevelopingDeveloped and deleveloping

Have different consumption patterns Have different consumption patterns which affect the env. in different which affect the env. in different waysways

Population and ConsumptionPopulation and Consumption

Env. Problems causes:Env. Problems causes:

1.1. Human population in some areas is Human population in some areas is growing too quickly for env. to growing too quickly for env. to support itsupport it

Population and ConsumptionPopulation and Consumption

Env. Problems causes:Env. Problems causes:

2. People are using up, wasting, or 2. People are using up, wasting, or polluting many natural resources polluting many natural resources faster than they can be replaced or faster than they can be replaced or cleaned up.cleaned up.

Population PressuresPopulation Pressures

Population increases too fast, may Population increases too fast, may not have enough resources to not have enough resources to support it.support it.

MalnutritionMalnutrition StarvationStarvation diseasedisease

Consumption TrendsConsumption Trends

Developed countries rate of Developed countries rate of consumption creates more waste and consumption creates more waste and pollution per person than in pollution per person than in developing countriesdeveloping countries

Ecological footprintEcological footprint

the productive area of Earth need to the productive area of Earth need to support one person in a particular support one person in a particular countrycountry

Sustainable WorldSustainable World

Sustainability = the condition in Sustainability = the condition in which human needs are met in such which human needs are met in such a a way that a human population can a a way that a human population can survivesurvive