Topic 1.1 - Environmental Value Systems Four Corners Teaching

Topic 1: Foundations of
environmental systems and

societies
Topic 1.1: Environmental value systems
Topic1: Foundations
Main ideas
Environmental Value systems (EVS) : Have been affected by events through history
as the environmental movement has developed
Environmental Value systems (EVS) : Exist as a spectrum of ideas and values that
depend on many factors and influences. (ToK - this sets EVS in the terms of personal
and shared knowledge)
Do you have an
EVS?
What has made
it?
Topic1: Foundations
What is an EVS?
A World View or Paradigm
Its how you perceive or evaluate environmental issues
as an individual or as part of a group

Topic1: Foundations
What is an EVS?
A World View or Paradigm
Its how you perceive or evaluate environmental issues
as an individual or as part of a group
What is thisWorld View?

Topic1: Foundations
What influence your EVS?
Experienc
e
Culture
Economics
Religion
Education
Topic1: Foundations
Can you describe different EVS?

O”Riordan (1981,1989) categorised a spectrum
of EVS from ecocentric through anthropocentric
to technocentric
Experience
Ecocentric
Culture
Economics
Anthropocentric
Religion
Education
Technocentric
O’Riordan T. (1981) Environmentalism. 2nd edn. London: Prion

O’Riordan, T. (1989) The challenge for environmentalism. In R. Peet and N. Thrift (eds) New Models in Geography (pp. 77–102). London: Unwin Hyman.
Topic1: Foundations
How are Environmental Values a System?
Experience
Ecocentric
Culture
Economics Anthropocentric
Religion
Education
Technocentric
INPUTS PROCESS OUTPUTS

Topic1: Foundations
Spectrum of EVS?
Nature People Technology
Ecocentrism Anthropocentrism Technocentrism

Holistic world view. Minimum People as environmental managers Technology can keep pace with and
disturbance of natural processes. of sustainable global systems. provide solutions to environmental
Integration of spiritual, social and Population control given equal problems. Resource replacement
environmental dimensions. weight to resource use. Strong solves resource depletion. Need
Sustainability for the whole Earth. regulation by independent to understand natural processes
Self-reliant communities within a authorities required. in order to control them. Strong
framework of global citizenship. emphasis on scientific analysis and
Self-imposed restraint on resource prediction prior to policy-making.
use. Importance of market, and
economic growth.

Topic1: Foundations
Spectrum of EVS?
Nature People Technology
Ecocentrism Anthropocentrism Technocentrism
Deep Ecologists Self-reliance Soft Ecologists Environmental Managers Cornucopians

Emphasis on Belief that economic Belief that man can
Intrinsic
smallness of scale growth and resource always find a way
importance of
and hence exploitation can out of any difficulties,
nature for the
community identity in continue under either political,
humanity of man.
settlement, work and controlled conditions scientific or
leisure. technological.

Topic1: Foundations
To what extend does the environment

have it’s own intrinsic value? ToK
question
What is intrinsic value?
To what extent do all parts of the environment have equal

value?
Why does it matter if the environment has intrinsic value?
Will everyone in the room have the

same answer?
Topic1: Foundations
Topic 1.1: What is Intrinsic Value?
But what value?
Michael Soulé in 1985 suggested that "biotic diversity has
intrinsic value”
A value that a thing has in itself and for what it is.
Which is different to the idea of Instrumental Value.
Instrumental value can be thought of as value that comes

from the use of something.
Soulé, M. E. What is conservation biology? Bioscience 35, 727-734 (1985).

Topic1: Foundations
Subjective Intrinsic value
One way to think of intrinsic value is subjectively.
Something is valued for what it is.
The value of ecosystems for their spiritual quality or beauty.
This form of intrinsic value is given by the valuer

Topic1: Foundations
Objective Intrinsic value
Object value is not given by a “valuer”
Within the environmental movement species and

ecosystems have objective value because they are
independent of human control (or should be)
They have value inherently within there own existence

independent of humanity
Topic1: Foundations
Ecocentric v Technocentric
Ecocentric: Intrinsic value comes from
the basis that good of all living things
matter
Technocentric: Intrinsic value comes

from benefit man can make from it
Both view points would see

ecosystems as having intrinsic value -
just different values
Topic1: Foundations
Work cited:
Soulé, M. E. What is conservation biology? Bioscience 35, 727-734 (1985).
NB* Unless stated in the presentation all illustrations, figures and images are the property and copyright of N Gardner. sciencebitz.com
Topic1: Foundations
One issue two EVS

In 2005 the US government under George W Bush
voted to allow oil drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge
Adapted from: Brown A: Extended Essay - Can the reasons for drilling in ANWR Section 1002 outweigh the costs?, 2010, unpublished
Topic1: Foundations
One issue two EVS - ANWR

The proposed drilling areas:
Home to the indigenous Gwich’in people and the inhabitants of the

small city of Kaktovik
Supports both Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) and Porcupine

Caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti)
The Gwich’in people depend on caribou as their main food source
The area is estimated to have has much as 13,000,000 barrels of

oil
Topic1: Foundations
One issue two EVS - ANWR

Gwich’in People City of Kaktovik
"For us this is a human rights issue and it's a basic Aboriginal “We have carefully studied and taken a position on petroleum
human rights issue," development. We have reached a consensus that we have held
now for over two decades. That consensus is not what most
"the sacred place where life begins.” people think, it is much more complex. The essence of the
Kaktovik position is that we would support oil exploration and
"unacceptable that another nation is allowed to be destroyed development of the coastal plain provided we are given the
[for oil]." authority and the resources to ensure that it is done properly
W
Luci Beach, a representative of the Gwich’in Steering and safely. Without the necessary provisions to ensure this
hi
Committee protection, we would not”

ch
En
vi
“our need to protect these sacred places because of our

ro
spiritual connection between the land, the animals and our

nm
people”
en
Lorraine Peter, Gwich’in

ta
lVa
lue
Sy
st
em
Topic1: Foundations
Be careful with EVSs Fire being used by subsistence farmers on Malapascua Island
in the Philippines
It is very easy to view subsistence societies as ecocentric.
But as O’Riordan (1989, p84), Paavola and Lowe (2005)

points out:
North American and Australian first peoples as well as post

ice age man did not develop environmentally exploitive
technology
They did however alter their environment through fire and

depleted game through over hunting
Nomadic herders in Africa are causing overgrazing in the

Sahel region
O’Riordan, T. (1989) The challenge for environmentalism. In R. Peet and N. Thrift (eds) New
Models in Geography (pp. 77–102). London: Unwin Hyman.
Paavola J; Lowe I (2005) Environmental Values in a Globalising World: Nature, Justice and
Governance, Routledge
Topic1: Foundations
Read the articles in the two links provided before answering the next question: https://goo.gl/UnKrqY and https://goo.gl/HTzBFL
From the two articles use the table below to evaluate the implications of two contrasting EVS.
Energy Companies Environmental Campaigners
Which EVS do you think

most applies
State the main issues
What are their main goals?

(state their main
arguments)
How have they tried to

achieve their goals?
What do you think the

inputs are for each sides
EVS?
How does each side view

the: economic, aesthetic,
cultural and socialpolitcial
position
Topic1: Foundations
Growth of the environmental movement

Growth of environmental pressure groups in
the late 20th Century. (Paavola and Lowe
2005)
Emphasised a shift in view point
e.g. During the Cold War nuclear power was

seen as clean and safe. This view changed
after Chernobyl and more recently Fukushima
Reactor Building Chernobyl: Timm Suess

https://flic.kr/p/6qxrsq
Paavola J; Lowe I (2005) Environmental Values in a Globalising World: Nature, Justice and
Governance, Routledge
Topic1: Foundations
Historical Influences on the environmental movement

While influences on the way we engage with nature can be traced back throughout history, the
modern environmental movement grew rapidly in the late 20th Century (each tile is a link)
Minimata Bay (1956) Silent Spring (1962) DDT and Egg Shells Greenpeace (1971)
Mercury released from a Rachel Carson publishes (1970) The environmental
factory accumulate along Silent Spring which argues Derek Ratcliffe showed the campaign group was
the food chain and causes the link between excessive link between decline in established in Canada and
mercury poisoning in the use of pesticides and its peregrine falcon numbers has since grown into an
local population environmental implications and the effect of DDT on international organisation
for ecosystems and food eggshell thickness in
chains falcons
Gaia hypothesis (1972) Bhopal (1985) Chernobyl (1996)

James lovelock proposes Release of chemicals from Failure of the nuclear
the idea that the planet and the Union Carbide plant kills reactor at Chernobyl
its organisms have unto 25000 people in causes the relocation of
developed together as a Bhopal India over 300000 people in
symbiotic system Ukraine (then Russia) and
with fall out contaminating
land as far away as the UK
Topic1: Foundations

Challenge task:
Using a timeline outline significant historical influences on the

development of the modern (post 1945) environmental
movement. (You will need more influences than the ones given in
the presentation)
Topic1: Foundations

Challenge task:
Using two or more sources justify why Rachael Carson’s Silent

Spring is viewed as a major historical influence on the modern
environmental movement
Topic1: Foundations of
Environmental Systems and Societies
Case study: Zakouma National Park

shifting Environmental Values
Topic1: Foundations
Zakouma National Park

The Zakouma National Park is a 3000km2 area
created in 1963 in Chad, central Africa.
To make way for the park 6 local villages were cleared

and the villagers relocated
Zakouma
National Park
Topic1: Foundations

Zakouma is home to one of Africa’s largest remaining
elephant herds
Because of the civil war and poaching by raiders from

Sudan between 2002 and 2010 the number fell from
4000 to about 400
Civil war in Sudan and the surrounding regions means

that trade in illegal ivory is a big business.
In 2005 it was estimated 75% of this ivory went to

China. (What EVS does this demonstrate?)
Topic1: Foundations

The attitude of the villagers displaced to create Zakouma
depends on its economic value. If there is tourism and
Government support in terms of money - local villagers support
the park.
Education of local rangers in the park has helped develop a

stronger link between local community and the park
Luxury ecocamping will provide additional jobs and bring in an

estimated $250000 dollars to the parks budget
One of the camps will be free for locals who, even though they
have lived along side the elephants and other animal may
have never seen them - a total of around 5000 in the first year
Topic1: Foundations

The Players in the story
Conservationists Locals Poachers
Which Environmental Value System?
Fay J.M: Ivory Wars: Last Stand in Zakouma (Chad), National Geographic Magazine, March 2007
“The Rare African Park Where Elephants Are Thriving.” National Geographic, National Geographic Society, 30
Jan. 2017, news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/01/wildlife-watch-chad-zakouma-elephants-poaching/.
Topic1: Foundations
Work cited:
Brown A: Extended Essay - Can the reasons for drilling in ANWR Section 1002 outweigh the costs?, 2010, unpublished
Fay J.M: Ivory Wars: Last Stand in Zakouma (Chad), National Geographic Magazine, March 2007
O’Riordan, T. (1989) The challenge for environmentalism. In R. Peet and N. Thrift (eds) New Models in Geography (pp. 77–102). London:
Unwin Hyman.
Paavola J; Lowe I (2005) Environmental Values in a Globalising World: Nature, Justice and Governance, Rutledge
“The Rare African Park Where Elephants Are Thriving.” National Geographic, National Geographic Society, 30 Jan. 2017,
news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/01/wildlife-watch-chad-zakouma-elephants-poaching/.
NB* Unless stated in the presentation all illustrations, figures and images are the property and copyright of N Gardner. sciencebitz.com
Topic1: Foundations
Extended resources and further reading

Environmental History Timeline: http://environmentalhistory.org
A Journal article about EVS: Dietz, Thomas & Fitzgerald, Amy & Shwom, Rachael. (2005). Environmental Values.
Annu. Rev. Environ. Resour. 30. 335-72. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228624754_Environmental_Values
A research paper evaluating the believe that the Amish culture of Lancaster County reject technology per se
https://kb.osu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/1811/59685/1/JAPAS_Reschly_vol2-issue1_pp125-146.pdf
Topic1: Foundations
To find out more and access other resources follow the links

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Topic 1: Foundations of

environmental systems and

A World View or Paradigm

Its how you perceive or evaluate environmental issues

as an individual or as part of a group

A World View or Paradigm

Its how you perceive or evaluate environmental issues

as an individual or as part of a group

What is thisWorld View?

What influence your EVS?

Can you describe different EVS?

O’Riordan T. (1981) Environmentalism. 2nd edn. London: Prion

How are Environmental Values a System?

INPUTS PROCESS OUTPUTS

Ecocentrism Anthropocentrism Technocentrism

O’Riordan T. (1981) Environmentalism. 2nd edn. London: Prion

Ecocentrism Anthropocentrism Technocentrism

Deep Ecologists Self-reliance Soft Ecologists Environmental Managers Cornucopians

O’Riordan T. (1981) Environmentalism. 2nd edn. London: Prion

To what extend does the environment

To what extent do all parts of the environment have equal

Why does it matter if the environment has intrinsic value?

Will everyone in the room have the

A value that a thing has in itself and for what it is.

Which is different to the idea of Instrumental Value.

Instrumental value can be thought of as value that comes

Soulé, M. E. What is conservation biology? Bioscience 35, 727-734 (1985).

Something is valued for what it is.

The value of ecosystems for their spiritual quality or beauty.

This form of intrinsic value is given by the valuer

Within the environmental movement species and

They have value inherently within there own existence

Technocentric: Intrinsic value comes

Both view points would see

One issue two EVS

One issue two EVS - ANWR

Home to the indigenous Gwich’in people and the inhabitants of the

Supports both Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) and Porcupine

The Gwich’in people depend on caribou as their main food source

The area is estimated to have has much as 13,000,000 barrels of

One issue two EVS - ANWR

Committee protection, we would not”

“our need to protect these sacred places because of our

spiritual connection between the land, the animals and our

Lorraine Peter, Gwich’in

It is very easy to view subsistence societies as ecocentric.

But as O’Riordan (1989, p84), Paavola and Lowe (2005)

North American and Australian first peoples as well as post

They did however alter their environment through fire and

Nomadic herders in Africa are causing overgrazing in the

Energy Companies Environmental Campaigners

Which EVS do you think

State the main issues

What are their main goals?

How have they tried to

What do you think the

How does each side view

Growth of the environmental movement

Emphasised a shift in view point

e.g. During the Cold War nuclear power was

Reactor Building Chernobyl: Timm Suess

Historical Influences on the environmental movement

Gaia hypothesis (1972) Bhopal (1985) Chernobyl (1996)