W2 module 3

© 2012 Giordano Bruno GlobalShift University

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WORLD 2

A Critical Assessment of the Current Human Predicament

MODULE 3The Impact of Individual and Collective Beliefs on the Living Environment and Physical Health


• What is the health of the planet as a complex adaptive living system?

• What views of nature have led us to the current environmental crisis?

• To what extent have you contributed to the current state of the environment?

• In what ways is your health affected by environmental degradation?•

Focus Questions


LEARNING UNIT 1Health of planet Earth as a Complex Adaptive Living System

LEARNING UNIT 2Impact of Humans on Nature

LEARNING UNIT 3 Impact of Environmental Degradation on Human Health


LEARNING UNIT 1Health of Planet Earth as a Complex Adaptive Living System


Why Planet Earth is a Complex Adaptive Living System

© 2012 Giordano Bruno GlobalShift University© A&K Laszlo 2007

The biosphere is a single dynamic living system with both human societies and embedding life-support systems fueled by the sun

Source: E. Laszlo, Evolution, 1987

© 2012 Giordano Bruno GlobalShift UniversityGET Contribution Application Workshop 2: Leadership Handbook

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Essential Principles for the Vitality of Living Systems

Diversity

Interdependence Adaptation/Innovation


The Importance of Biodiversity

In one sense we know much less about Earth than we do about Mars. The vast majority of life forms on our planet are still undiscovered, and their significance for our own species remains unknown. This gap in our knowledge is a serious matter: we will never completely understand and preserve the living world around us at our present level of ignorance.

Image: Bugs cemetery by ~tabouret on deviantARTSource: http://tabouret.deviantart.com/art/Bugs-cemetery-37680586

If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos.

– Edward O. Wilson, a leading authority on biodiversity and author

of The Creation: An Appeal to Save Life on Earth.


Is the Sixth Mass Extinction on its Way?

Image: Expansion to Extinction Over Last 540 Million YearsSource: http://alfin2101.blogspot.com/2011/10/extinction-events-anoxic-oceans-and.html


What we Can Learn from Nature

Jane Goodall Janine BenyusBill Shireman

Image: File:Jane Goodall HK.jpg - Wikimedia CommonsSource: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jane_Goodall_HK.jpg

Image: Bill Shireman - BigSpeak Motivational Speakers BureauSource: http://www.bigspeak.com/bill-shireman.html

Image: Light of the Rainforest by =Starlight-Arkaman on deviantARTSource: http://starlight-arkaman.deviantart.com/art/Light-of-the-Rainforest-265130215

Image: Biomimicry Institute - Janine BenyusSource: http://www.biomimicryinstitute.org/about-us/what-do-you-mean-by-the-term-biomimicry.html


LEARNING UNIT 2The Impact of Humans on Nature


In the last 200 years, Humans Have Increasingly Contributed to Creating an Unsustainable Society

Through:

1. The progressive buildup of substances extracted from the Earth's crust (for example, heavy metals and fossil fuels)

2. The progressive buildup of chemicals and compounds produced by society (for example, dioxins, PCBs, and DDT )

3. The progressive physical degradation and destruction of nature and natural processes (for example, over harvesting forests and paving over critical wildlife habitat)

4. Conditions that undermine people’s capacity to meet their basic human needs (for example, unsafe working conditions and not enough pay to live on).

1

3

2

4Source: The Natural Step, http://thenaturalstep.org/the-system-conditions


Digging Deeper into Non-renewable Resources

Source: Avastone Consulting, http://www.avastoneconsulting.com


Peak Oil: Greater Cost and Greater Risk

Cheaper More Expensive

15Source: "A Crash Course" by Chris Martenson, http://www.chrismartenson.com


Religion Affects our View of Nature“Religion is a powerful way in which societies organize their worldviews and shape human behavior. Hunter-gatherer societies regarded nature with awe and respect. Their spirit religions considered people to be an integral part of nature, basically no different from other animals. Religion changed with the Agricultural and Industrial revolutions. Western religions considered humans to possess a unique character that vested them with authority over nature, as well as responsibility for its integrity. Awe for nature diminished as Western societies achieved greater dominion, and responsibility gave way to exploitation. Respect for nature revived with the appearance of environmental problems in recent years.”

– Gerald G. Marten, Human Ecology - Basic Concepts for Sustainable Development


LEARNING UNIT 3The Impact of Environmental Degradation on Human Health


Major Environmental Problems Affecting Health

• T

1. Water pollution and water scarcity2. Air pollution3. Solid and hazardous wastes4. Soil degradation5. Deforestation6. Loss of biodiversity7. Atmospheric change

Image: File:Lacanja burn.JPG - Wikimedia CommonsSource: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lacanja_burn.JPG

Image: File:Mongolian Gazelle dead of drought.jpg - Wikimedia CommonsSource: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mongolian_Gazelle_dead_of_drought.jpg

Image: File:Air .pollution 1.jpg - Wikimedia CommonsSource: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Air_.pollution_1.jpg

Image: File:Obvious water pollution.jpeg - Wikimedia CommonsSource: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Obvious_water_pollution.jpeg


Water, Air and Soil Pollution Cause 40% of Deaths worldwide

Image: Kaid Ashton: Homeschool x 10: Longos, The Garbage DumpSource: http://kaidashton.blogspot.com/2011/04/homeschool-x-10-longos-garbage-dump.html

W2 module 3

Technology

Transcript of W2 module 3