SUSTAINABILITY AND HUMAN VALUES
The action agenda
- Existence
- If the needs and demands of the present generation
can be met without diminishing the possibility of
fulfilling, minimally, a comparable set of needs and
demands of the generation.
- The ability to continue a defined behavior
indefinitely
- The process or activity that can be maintained
without exhaustion or collapse
1. Satisfying basic needs without depleting or
degrading resources
2. Maximizing resource use
3. Reducing resource use even if it means
some big sacrifices by human beings
4. Halting further resource use and limiting
human progress.
NATURES SURVIVAL STRATEGIES
4 PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABILITY
1. Reliance on solar energy
2. Biodiversity
3. Chemical cycling- circulation of chemicals from the
environment to organisms and the back to the
environment. AKA NUTRIENT CYCLING
4. Population control- competition and limited resources
puts limits on how much population on earth can grow
ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM
- Rates of renewable resources harvest, pollution
creation and non-renewable resource depletion that
can be continued indefinitely
- It state that in which the demands on the
environment can be meet without reducing its
capacity to allow people to live well, now and the
future
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
- Economic development is conducted with depletion
of natural resources
- Organizing principle for meeting human
development goals with at the same time sustaining
the ability of natural system to provide natural
resources
PH AGENDA21
- Localized A21 “think globally, act locally”
- 1996
- 3 KEY ACTORS
1. The principles of Unity (Principle of indivisible
world
2.
o Not economic stagnation but economic development as a
requisite for maintaining environmental quality
3. The implementation strategies
o Key actors involved:
Government, Civil Society and Businesses
- Environmentally sound decisions – do not harm or
deplete
o DECISIONS :
o ECONOMICALLY VIABLE DECISION-
all cost, including long term environmental
and societal cost
o SOCIALLY EQUITABLE DECISION-
reflects needs of the society ensure costs and
benefits are shared equally by all groups.
- Pollution and degradation of the environment are
exacerbated as individuals in a population consume
large amount of resources
- People living in highly developed nations typically
consume disproportionately large shares
- Lifestyle all goods and services bought for food
UNSUSTAINABLE
a) OVER- EXPLOITATION - natural resources that
are accompanied economic and demographic growth
b) MARKET FAILURE- hidden environmental costs
are reflected in market prices
c) ACCELERATING RESOURCE DEPLETION-
waste generation and environmental pollution due to
shorten product lifecycles and changing lifestyles
since industrial revolution
WE ARE LIVING UNSUSTAINABLY
- Environmental destruction and degradation wasting,
depleting and degrading earth’s natural capital
- Happening at an accelerate rate
- Aka NATURAL CAPITAL DEGRADATION
SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION
- The use of goods and services that satisfy basic human
needs and improve the quality of life but also minimize
the resource use at global sustainable requires the
eradication of poverty
- VOLUNTARY SIMPLICITY individual happiness and
quality of life are not necessarily link to the
accumulation by material goods
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS- considers moral basis
for environmental responsibility, consider such as issues
what role should play in determining the fate of earth’s
resources, acceptable in the short term for us individuals
also in long term
WORLD VIEWS
-human superior over nature, unrestricted us of natural
resources economic growth to manage an expanding
base
ANTHROPOCNETRIC
- Importance as the overriding concern in the grand
scheme of things
- Earth could not support its more than 7B humans if
each consumed high level of goods and services
sanctioned by western overview
Frontier attitude- the desire to conquer and exhibit nature
as quickly as possible
Deep ecology overview- based on harmony with nature,
a spiritual respect of life and belief that humans and
other species have an equal worth
Bio centric- view humans as one species among others
The world could support only a fraction of human
population
Environmental justice- the right of every child to
adequate protection from environmental hazards
Eco-justice
Board of National Ministries of American Baptist
Churches 1970s encompasses environmental inequalities
faced by low income minority communities
People in low income communities frequently lack
access to sufficient health care they may not be treated
adequately for exposures to environmental contaminants
Low income community may not receive equal benefits
from federal clean-up programs
OVER ALL PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVING
Eliminate poverty and stabilize human population.
Protect and restore Earth’s resources
Provide adequate food for all people
Mitigate climate change
Design sustainable cities
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH HAZARD
HAZARD- something which is known to cause harm,
that is, source of danger or health
RISK- likelihood or probability of the hazard occurring
and magnitude of the resulting effects
A hazard is anything in the environment that can hurt or
make you sick
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH- addresses the
assessment and control of environmental factors that can
potentially affect health.
It is targeted towards presenting disease, creating health
supporting environment and encouraging positive human
behavior
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH HAZARD- are factors
or situations that can cause disease, injury or death.
It is a state of event which greatly affects the
surrounding and people’s health
Example: production of cow dung to be used for fuel in
Ethiopia. Fresh dung supports the breeding of fleas
Dung cake (near houses) – food for flies ---flies to food
in houses --- children eats---diarrhea
CATEGORIES OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
HAZARD
1. PHYSICAL HAZARD- are those substances or
conditions that threaten our physical safety e.g.
ergonomic hazard and infrastructural hazard
2. BIOLOGICAL HAZARD- are organisms or by-
products from an organism, harmful or potentially
harmful to human beings e.g. food borne, water borne,
water related
HEALTH RISK ASSOCIATED WITH WATER
POLLUTION
o Drinking or washing with contaminated water,
eating sea food from polluted rivers or bays, eating
crops watered with polluted water.
3. CHEMICAL HAZARD – are present when a person
is exposed to harmful at home and work
Form of gas, solids and liquids
Could also cause acute and chronic health effects
-exposure through inhalation, skin contact and ingestion
ATMOSPHERIC HAZARD
Outdoor air pollution
Increasing problem in many urban are due to road traffic
associated with old, heavy manufacturing industries and
mining blown dust
Sources: cars, industry, gas station farm equipment,
fires, and outdoor pesticide
1. CARBON MONOXIDE- colorless, odorless produced
when carbon does not burn in fossil present in car
exhaust, deprives body of oxygen causing fatigue, HA,
and impaired vision

AIR POLLUTION – any visible particle or gas found in 2. SULFUR DIOXIDE- produces when coal and fuel oil
the air that is not part of the original normal composition are burned in power plant exhaust, narrows airway,
coughing, wheezing, SOB, especially with asthma
NATURAL: forest fires, pollen dust storm
UNNATURAL: man-made fire, coal, wood and other 3. NIROGEN DIOXIDE- reddish brown gas, produces
fuels used in cars, home and factories for energy when nitric oxide combines of oxygen in the
atmosphere, present in car exhaust and power plants,
AIR QUALITY INDEX- indicated whether pollutants effects lungs and causes wheezing increases chances of
levels in air may cause health concerns respiratory infection.
Air Quality Air Quality Protect your Health
Index 4. PARTICULETE MATTER- different sizes released in
Good 0-50 No health impacts are the atmosphere present in many sources including fossil
expected fuels, dust, smoke , fog
Moderate 51-100 Usually sensitive
Can build up in the respiratory system aggravates heart
people should consider
limiting prolonged and lungs increase risk of respiratory infection
outdoor exertion
Unhealthy for 101-150 Active children and
sensitive groups adult, and people with 5. GROUND LEVEL OZONE- at upper level shield
respiratory disease earth, at ground level it is harmful
such as asthma should From car, power and chemical plant exhaust
limit prolonged
Irritate respiratory system and asthma reduces lungs
outdoor exertion
function by inflaming and damaging lungs.
Unhealthy 151-200 especially children
should limit prolonged
outdoor exertion
Very unhealthy 2101-300 especially children
(Alert) should limit prolonged MAJOR AIR POLLUTANTS
outdoor exertion
HEALTH EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION
1. SULFUR DIOXIDE AND PARTICULATES irritate
respiratory tract and impair ability of lungs to exchange
gas

2. NITROGEN DIOXIDE- causes airway restriction

3. CARBON MONOXIDE- binds with iron in blood

TYPES AND SOUCES OF AIR POLLUTION hemoglobin, causes HA, fatigue drowsiness and death

2 CATEGORIES 4. OZONE – causes burning eyes, coughing, and chest

PRIMARY: Harmful, directly into the atmosphere discomfort

SECONDARY: formed in the atmosphere when a LOW LEVEL EXPOSURE – irritates eyes , causes
primary reacts with a substance inflammation of respiratory tract and develop into
chronic respiratory disease
5 MAJOR POLLUTANTS

SMOG- combination of gases with water vapor and dust
Form when heat and sunlight with gases
(PHOTOCHEMICAL SMOG)
Occurs when heavy traffic, high temperature and calm
winds
E.g. Los Angeles- brownish orange hazed formed by
chemical reaction involving sunlight nitrogen oxide and
hydrocarbons
1st related death in London 1873 500 people died
 Limits visibility
 Decrease UV radiation
 Yellow or black color over cities
 Causes respiratory problems and bronchial
deaths
Most common: Radon, cigarette smoke, CO, NO2,
formaldehyde, pesticide, lead, cleaning solvents, ozone
and asbestos
CHEMICAL HAZARD- water related hazard surface
water
Urban areas: industrial and domestic waste
Rural areas: co-use waters for humans and livestock
Drinking water- increase without access to treated piped
water
WATER POLLUTION- change in water quality tat cab
harm organisms to make water unfit for human uses
CONTAMINATION WITH CHEMICALS
Excessive heat

Point sources- located and specified places. Easy to

identify, monitor and regulate
Non-point sources- broad and diffuse areas. Difficult to
identify and control, expensive to clean-up
Examples: oil and grease from cars, fertilizer, animal
waste, grass clippings, septic systems, sewage cleaners
from boats, households cleaners, litter
THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT
GLOBAL WARMING
THINNING OF THE OZONE LAYER
ACID RAIN

INDOOR AIR POLLUTION

Cases of air pollution around the world air quality is

deteriorating rapidly in developing countries

Shenyang, China – residents only see sunlight a few

weeks each year

Developing countries have older cars still uses leaded

gasoline

5 WORST CITIES IN THE WORLD

Beijing, China, Mexico City, Shanghai, Tehran, Iran,
Calcutta, India

Indoor air pollution – pollutants can be 5-100x greater

that outdoor