Although I had a general understanding of environmental studies due to my AP Environmental Science class, ENVS 160 has aided in deepening my understanding of issues and lessons, some that are specific to environmental studies and some that can be applied to my education in general.
1.Cultural Theory can benefit not only environmental thought but other disciplines as well;
We learned about the grid group theory in Why We Disagree About Climate Change and deepened our understanding of it in class. This theory divides our perception of nature into four categories, thus dividing the way we understand Grid (a desire to follow the rules) and Group (a desire for solidarity). The four sectors and ways of thinking can be described as follows, in relation to nature: Fatalists believe that nature is out of the control of humans, Hierarchists believe that nature is sensitive yet tolerant to the actions humans take against it, Individualists believe that nature is resilient and thus actions that would be deemed as harsh could be taken towards nature, and Egalitarians who believe that any human impact on nature is a negative impact and will cause harm(Hulme 2009). The grid group theory is a wonderful way to understand the different points of view that can be taken on environmental issues because the various groups each prioritize different areas which can better demonstrate the pros and cons on the issue at hand. Additionally, the cultural theory can extend further outside of environmentalism and into areas of study such as sociology or psychology.
- It is important to implement both individual and institutional practices to make an ecological difference;
As we explored the ecotypes, I found myself most interested in Scale. The interesting thing about scale is that both sides of the axis, individual and institutional, can be extremely beneficial or equally disastrous. More people trust individual action because they can hold themselves accountable and there are not any hidden agendas, which many people think exist when it comes to institutionally implementing changes. However, individuals can only hold themselves and maybe members of their family accountable for their actions. Individual scale action will not be effective unless everyone partakes in the activities such as eating vegetarian, using a hybrid car, recycling, etc. Because institutions can implement policies that everyone would have to legally follow, they are more likely to have a greater impact.
- Climate Change is not an issue that will be easily solved;
The final chapter of Why We Disagree About Climate Change discusses how climate change shows its effects everywhere and ultimately it is not a problem than can be solved. We discussed how climate change is a wicked problem rather than a tame one. Instead of a feasible and clear route to solve it, it is convoluted and has to defined means or ends. This is because one side is fighting for policies that will decrease the amount of greenhouse gas emissions while the other side is fighting for policies that will allow big industries to emit more greenhouse gasses through their production of goods. Since there are people voicing their opinion that climate change is not a scientifically backed phenomenon, the severity of the effects of climate change are discredited. Work towards reducing climate change may result in the reduction of a stable economy as well, making even more people oppose it. However, we can use climate change as a stimulus for innovation and it can be a resource, allowing us to become more engaged in specific environmental issues(Hulme 2009).
Hulme, Mike. 2009. Why We Disagree about Climate Change: Understanding Controversy, Inaction and Opportunity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.