Global Warming Environmental Issues

deep ecology worldview

a worldview based on harmony with nature, a spiritual respect for life, and the belief that humans and all other species have an equal worth

western worldview

a worldview based on human superiority over nature, the unrestricted use of natural resources, and economic growth to manage an expanding industrial base

global warming

climate variation; human activities such as carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are going into the atmosphere - industrial processes, fossil fuel consumption, deforestation and land use change cause this affect. drastic effects can occur such as animals becoming extinct within 50 years and high temperatures melting glaciers and polar ice sheets, raising sea levels and flooding coastal cities

threatened oceans

combined stresses of overfishing, pollution, increased carbon dioxide emissions, global climate change, and coastal development are having a serious impact on the health of oceans and ocean species. 70% of commercial fish are depleted or nearing depletion and 50% of coral reefs are threatened by human activities

"The Tragedy of the Commons"

contends that our inability to solve complex environmental problems s the result of a struggle between short-term individual welfare and long-term environmental sustainability. commons refers to those parts of our environment that are available to everyone but for which no single individual has responsibility: the atmosphere, water, wildlife, forest, and fisheries

polar ice cap melting

polar sea ice has noticeably decreased. countries are melting such as norway, sweden, and denmark

ozone depletion

puts people at risk for cancer and cataracts, can have effects on the earth's biological functions

deforestation

release instead of absorb carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which contribute to global climate change, loss of habitat for species, reduce evaporative cooling, leading to decreased rainfall and higher temperatures

desertification

the degradation of land in arid, semiarid, and dry subsumed places. consequences are loss of topsoil, increased soil salinity, damaged vegetation, regional climate change and a decline in biodiversity. social consequences consist of loss of money and living space by 2 million people