1) INTRODUCTION TO THEME (1)
In this book Material Concerns, from which three Readings in the Introduction to Working with our Environment are taken, Tim Jackson argues that people living in households, through their demand for goods and services, are the main 'engine' that drives the industrial economy. In fact in most industrialized countries household expenditures on food, clothing, housing, transport, recreation, etc. accounts for about 60 per cent of total economic output (OECD, 1998 p. 77). That still leaves the goods and services not actually consumed in households, but in agriculture and food processing, by manufacturing and energy supply industries, in banking, health and education services, by government, and so on. But it may be argued that ultimately the function of these various 'primary', 'secondary' and 'tertiary' economic activities is to provide individuals and households with the products and services required to meet their material needs and wants, as well as providing employment and income.
2) YOUR HOUSEHOLD AND THE ENVIRONMENT
2.1 Why households are important
Households are units to which services such as electricity and water are supplied and billed and which may share goods and facilities such as cars, cookers and heating systems.
From an Environment viewpoint, which is our concern in this course, a household can be considered as a unit that makes direct and indirect demands for inputs of energy, materials and water from the natural environment and produces outputs, again direct and indirect, of emissions and solid wastes, to the environment.
2.2 Household demands for energy and resources
One of the most environmentally important effects of households arises from their consumption of energy because of the CO2 and other emissions, such as SO2 and smoke, produced when fossil fuels are burned. Domestic energy consumption for heating cooking, lighting and so on accounted for about 30% of all delivered energy used in the UK and about a quarter of UK emissions of CO2 in 1996. For comparison, industry and transport (including transport for household functions such as travel to work, shopping, etc.) produced about 30% each of total UK CO2 emissions in 1996 (DETR, 1998a; Boardman et al., 1997, pp. 2-3). But if you include the personal transport element, households account for about half of the energy used in the UK, and so are a very significant source of CO2 emissions as well as air pollution and other environmental effects (Environmental Agency, 1999).
The demands that are placed on the environment vary from household to household depending on factors such as the number and ages of people in the household, their lifestyle, income needs, wants, values and aspiration.
time and effort of taking care of a house. Due to this and multiple feminist movements, women
“The modern form of the word environment comes from an older word that we hardly use anymore: environ, to surround, to form a ring around, to encircle” (Stoll 3). The meaning of the word environment did not become a major factor in the lives of humanity until 1945. The tragic events that led to the end of World War II sparked a chief movement in history: American Environmentalism. Global decision-making changed as well as human unity due to the mere purpose that fate of all people and the environment became intertwined (Stoll 1). I will further discuss the dramatic attempts made by some Americans to bring the importance of preserving our environment to the surface to show if and how we have evolved.
Look at the civilized, beautiful capital cities in every developed country all around the world which is the central of high fashioned and convenience facility. To live in the city, it seems like the nature surrounding is not important to us anymore. In “The Sacred Balance: Rediscovering Our Place in Nature” David Suzuki presents the connection between human and the nature and how we depend on the surrounding environment. However, within the past century, most of our modern technologies have been developed in order to provide people needs of goods and products (63). Many of the products we made are causing much more harm to the environment than the value that products provide. Technological development has damaged our environment to the point
The greatest impact on reducing dependence on fossil fuels could begin at home. All around us are devices that consume energy even as we do nothing with them. Known colloquially as “vampire power”, these devices in standby power mode continue to consume energy as they are never actually “off”. Studies by Ross and Meier (2001) have shown that the average household can have up to 40 different devices consuming energy, from clocks to microwaves and DVD players to television, these devices add up to, between, 5% and 26% of the total electricity consumption in a household – energy likely produced at the cost of burning fossil fuels, both in production of the electricity and the transportation of the fuels themselves.
The Industrial Revolution was not only a turning point in the progress of human history, but the start of a great change in the Earth’s environment. Technological advances in industry and mass migration into urban areas led to a rising demand for energy sources, a demand met by fossil fuels. Casper, J. (2010) describes coal as ‘symbolic of the beginning of the Industrial Revolution’, the increased combustion of these ‘dirty’ fossil fuels further polluted the air and enhanced the volume of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. Changes in land use attributed to population rise, reduced the amount of photosynthesising biomass on Earth, diminished an important ‘carbon sink’ and concluded to enhance the Greenhouse Effect.
It is the way that we live and how we consume things in our world without thinking of the consequences that is causing environmental crises all over the world. The chapter goes on to say that types of technologies and the way that the world produces and consumes products “create a framework which ends up conditioning lifestyles and shaping social possibilities along the lines dictated by interests of certain powerful groups.” Which means that only big corporations and those who have a lot of money benefit from the lifestyle that the western world has created, those in developing countries suffer and are most at risk to the environmental phenomena’s that the world is
The relatives must have a sharp thought of the existing climate conditions and they ought to have an arrangement to empty the building in most exceedingly terrible cases. They must be given a fitting direction when such circumstance happens. Typically the children in the house must be given legitimate guidelines for their survival and
- This is the environment that is most subject to the influences of other variables mainly technology and the economy. Humans are the main products of society and being...
Living off the grid is slowly becoming more prevalent, and there are a growing number of people embracing this lifestyle because they desire to live The Good Life. Many are discovering ways to appreciate off-grid living, rather than assessing the disadvantages of it. It is obvious that people are removing themselves from the grid in order to combat global warming and climate change, but those who have a stronger appreciation for nature are willing to make sacrifices to live off the grid. People who have a positive attitude toward this way of living are more likely to relate it to pursuing the Good Life. Even though “living completely off the grid isn’t for everyone,” those who dream of living a sustainable lifestyle are determined and fully committed to doing so (Bodkins 1). A vast majority of people dream of becoming wealthy and living lavishly, but that dream does not appeal to everyone. Some people are content without owning a mansion, multiple cars, or earning millions of dollars. Things of monetary worth are not important to those ...
The Economy incorporates, growth, employment, competitiveness and efficiency. Society includes health and safety. The environm...
Humans and animals breathe out Carbon Dioxide, often referred to as the greenhouse gas, as a waste product. Plants take in this CO2 and use it to make food. This is called photosynthesis. During this process oxygen is released which is then breathed in by humans and animals. This procedure is repeated over and over and a natural balance is obtained. However this natural balance is disrupted by human activity. People of the world are putting more than 5.5 billion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere every year. 75% of this is caused from the burning of fossil fuels. These fuels are burnt all the time to run factories, power plants and vehicles. The main sources of CO2 emissions are electric utilities, residential buildings, industry and transportation. The other 25% is induced by the destruction of the world's forests. The reason for this is that there are less trees and plants to take in the CO2 but there is just as many, if not more, humans and animals to breathe it out.
Jeff Butcher and Rachel Hill pointed out the impacts of businesses on environments, by stating “The more of a product that is consumed or produced, the more of an externality that results” (Butcher, Jeff, & Hill, Rachel, 2006). Obviously, we can see that one product produced will bring benefit to consumer, sellers, and manufacturers. Meanwhile, one produced and consumed will cause negative externalities for environment. There is one fact we cannot deny that the more social life develops, the more externalities will be produced to the society. Daily living garbage, industrial wastes, carbon dioxide from factories are most outstanding examples to describe negative externalities to environment (Butcher, Jeff, & Hill, Rachel, 2006). In “The tragedy of the Commons”, Hardin showed us causes of negative externalities. He proved that people assume a...
Since 1997 after the first agreement in Kyoto, nations have taken very limited steps to reducing greenhouse gas emission. There are many reasons why greenhouse gasses have increased such as rainforest deforestation which is vital since trees absorb carbon dioxide. With fewer trees more carbon dioxide builds up in the atmosphere. Usage and burning of fossil fuel, releases greenhouse gases since it burns and emits carbon dioxide into the atmosphere or even population growth which contributes to the high supply and demand for food, livestock, land, energy and water. However it is up to leading nations to change their eco-footprints to eliminate the increasing greenhouse gas affect. Author William Nordhaus of Yale University conducted a study which examines alternative outcomes for emissions, clima...
...e household activities together for greater efficiency, they both can gain more time for other pursuits.
Many people assume that the environment is not in danger. They believe that as technology advances, we do not need to worry about renewing natural resources, recycling, and finding new ways to produce energy. They state that one person in the world does not make a large difference. In reality, each individual's contribution greatly affects our environment. Our natural resources are slowly disappearing, and we must work together to save them and the Earth from ruin.