SUSTAINABILITY AND HUMAN VALUES 2.

The action agenda

o Not economic stagnation but economic development as a
- Existence requisite for maintaining environmental quality
- If the needs and demands of the present generation 3. The implementation strategies
can be met without diminishing the possibility of o Key actors involved:
fulfilling, minimally, a comparable set of needs and
Government, Civil Society and Businesses
demands of the generation.
- Environmentally sound decisions – do not harm or
- The ability to continue a defined behavior
deplete
indefinitely
o DECISIONS :
- The process or activity that can be maintained
o ECONOMICALLY VIABLE DECISION-
without exhaustion or collapse
all cost, including long term environmental
1. Satisfying basic needs without depleting or
and societal cost
degrading resources
o SOCIALLY EQUITABLE DECISION-
2. Maximizing resource use
3. Reducing resource use even if it means reflects needs of the society ensure costs and
some big sacrifices by human beings benefits are shared equally by all groups.
4. Halting further resource use and limiting - Pollution and degradation of the environment are
human progress. exacerbated as individuals in a population consume
large amount of resources
NATURES SURVIVAL STRATEGIES - People living in highly developed nations typically
4 PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABILITY consume disproportionately large shares
1. Reliance on solar energy - Lifestyle all goods and services bought for food
2. Biodiversity UNSUSTAINABLE
3. Chemical cycling- circulation of chemicals from the a) OVER- EXPLOITATION - natural resources that
environment to organisms and the back to the are accompanied economic and demographic growth
environment. AKA NUTRIENT CYCLING b) MARKET FAILURE- hidden environmental costs
4. Population control- competition and limited resources are reflected in market prices
puts limits on how much population on earth can grow c) ACCELERATING RESOURCE DEPLETION-
ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM waste generation and environmental pollution due to
- Rates of renewable resources harvest, pollution shorten product lifecycles and changing lifestyles
creation and non-renewable resource depletion that since industrial revolution
can be continued indefinitely WE ARE LIVING UNSUSTAINABLY
- It state that in which the demands on the
environment can be meet without reducing its - Environmental destruction and degradation wasting,
capacity to allow people to live well, now and the depleting and degrading earth’s natural capital
future - Happening at an accelerate rate
- Aka NATURAL CAPITAL DEGRADATION
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION
- Economic development is conducted with depletion
of natural resources - The use of goods and services that satisfy basic human
- Organizing principle for meeting human needs and improve the quality of life but also minimize
development goals with at the same time sustaining the resource use at global sustainable requires the
the ability of natural system to provide natural eradication of poverty
resources
PH AGENDA21 - VOLUNTARY SIMPLICITY individual happiness and
- Localized A21 “think globally, act locally” quality of life are not necessarily link to the
- 1996 accumulation by material goods
- 3 KEY ACTORS
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS- considers moral basis
1. The principles of Unity (Principle of indivisible
for environmental responsibility, consider such as issues
world
what role should play in determining the fate of earth’s
resources, acceptable in the short term for us individuals HAZARD- something which is known to cause harm,
also in long term that is, source of danger or health
RISK- likelihood or probability of the hazard occurring
WORLD VIEWS and magnitude of the resulting effects
A hazard is anything in the environment that can hurt or
-human superior over nature, unrestricted us of natural
make you sick
resources economic growth to manage an expanding
base
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH- addresses the
ANTHROPOCNETRIC assessment and control of environmental factors that can
potentially affect health.
- Importance as the overriding concern in the grand It is targeted towards presenting disease, creating health
scheme of things supporting environment and encouraging positive human
- Earth could not support its more than 7B humans if behavior
each consumed high level of goods and services
sanctioned by western overview ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH HAZARD- are factors
or situations that can cause disease, injury or death.
Frontier attitude- the desire to conquer and exhibit nature
It is a state of event which greatly affects the
as quickly as possible
surrounding and people’s health
Deep ecology overview- based on harmony with nature, Example: production of cow dung to be used for fuel in
a spiritual respect of life and belief that humans and Ethiopia. Fresh dung supports the breeding of fleas
other species have an equal worth Dung cake (near houses) – food for flies ---flies to food
in houses --- children eats---diarrhea
Bio centric- view humans as one species among others
CATEGORIES OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
The world could support only a fraction of human
HAZARD
population

Environmental justice- the right of every child to 1. PHYSICAL HAZARD- are those substances or
adequate protection from environmental hazards conditions that threaten our physical safety e.g.
ergonomic hazard and infrastructural hazard
Eco-justice
2. BIOLOGICAL HAZARD- are organisms or by-
Board of National Ministries of American Baptist
products from an organism, harmful or potentially
Churches 1970s encompasses environmental inequalities
harmful to human beings e.g. food borne, water borne,
faced by low income minority communities
water related
People in low income communities frequently lack HEALTH RISK ASSOCIATED WITH WATER
access to sufficient health care they may not be treated POLLUTION
adequately for exposures to environmental contaminants o Drinking or washing with contaminated water,
eating sea food from polluted rivers or bays, eating
Low income community may not receive equal benefits crops watered with polluted water.
from federal clean-up programs
3. CHEMICAL HAZARD – are present when a person
OVER ALL PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVING
is exposed to harmful at home and work
Eliminate poverty and stabilize human population. Form of gas, solids and liquids
Protect and restore Earth’s resources Could also cause acute and chronic health effects
Provide adequate food for all people -exposure through inhalation, skin contact and ingestion
Mitigate climate change
Design sustainable cities ATMOSPHERIC HAZARD
Outdoor air pollution
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH HAZARD
Increasing problem in many urban are due to road traffic
associated with old, heavy manufacturing industries and 1. CARBON MONOXIDE- colorless, odorless produced
mining blown dust when carbon does not burn in fossil present in car
Sources: cars, industry, gas station farm equipment, exhaust, deprives body of oxygen causing fatigue, HA,
fires, and outdoor pesticide 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
 Most common: Radon, cigarette smoke, CO, NO2,
SMOG- combination of gases with water vapor and dust formaldehyde, pesticide, lead, cleaning solvents, ozone
Form when heat and sunlight with gases and asbestos
(PHOTOCHEMICAL SMOG)
Occurs when heavy traffic, high temperature and calm CHEMICAL HAZARD- water related hazard surface
winds water
E.g. Los Angeles- brownish orange hazed formed by Urban areas: industrial and domestic waste
chemical reaction involving sunlight nitrogen oxide and Rural areas: co-use waters for humans and livestock
hydrocarbons
1st related death in London 1873 500 people died Drinking water- increase without access to treated piped
water
 Limits visibility
 Decrease UV radiation WATER POLLUTION- change in water quality tat cab
 Yellow or black color over cities harm organisms to make water unfit for human uses
 Causes respiratory problems and bronchial
deaths 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