Some Context
I initially got into Environmental Studies by taking a class in my junior year of high school. It was not even an AP class, just regular Environmental Science. The class covered basic ideas of what is plaguing the earth, including units on trash and water, for example. I fell in love with environmental studies because I had always been told to take care of the earth and care for the environment, but never had any deeper understanding of what was happening or what I can do about it until that class. Taking ENVS 160 here has given me a better appreciation of the literature and concepts of environmental thought. This includes the concepts of Cultural Theory and Place.
Concepts
As I mentioned, the high school class focused more on action than on thought. Proctor’s ENVS 160 course taught me to appreciate the years of thinkers and concepts that was put into today’s theatre of environmental action. We do not live in a world sprung forth from Zeus’ head fully formed. It is essential to have at least a basic understanding of the situation before jumping in. Having this understanding will better inform one’s actions (or at least weed out the students who aren’t really serious about environmental studies at Lewis & Clark).
Cultural Theory
Mike Hulme presents in Why We Disagree About Climate Change the concept of Cultural Theory. There are four kinds of people: Fatalists, Hierarchists, Individualists, and Egalitarians. Each of these depends on a party’s concept of grid and group. As we discussed in class, grid is a measure of connectedness with other people. Group is a measure of needing rules to control behavior. A fatalist is often socially secluded, and relies on authorities to make rules for them to follow. An individualist is similarly secluded, but does not want anyone telling them what to do. An egalitarian also does not trust authories’ instructions, but is often thinking about what is best for the common good of the general public. A hierarchist believes that what a higher authority instructs is what is best for the good of the people.
Place
Place is the idea that an area is multifaceted and holds so much more meaning in reality than may be shown on paper. A place is made up of its nature, social relations, and meaning. Nature is the physical aspects comprising a certain place. A place’s social relations represent the different ways that people use that space. Meaning is the significance of that place to an individual, usually why they care about that area. Let us use the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia as an example. Nature-wise, The Reef is home to a plethora of aquatic life, including various species of fish, sea turtles, and especially coral. For social relations, there are a few different uses of the Great Barrier Reef. It is a major tourist spot, as well as a spiritual site for Australian aboriginal tribes. The Reef is meaningful to many because they use it as an indicator for the effects of global climate change, as significant portions of the ecosystem have been damaged by the warming ocean.
Works Cited
Hulme, M. Why we disagree about climate change: understanding controversy, inaction and opportunity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015.