society
people who interact in a defined territory and share a culture
a system ____ as a ____ because of …
functions; whole; the way the parts interact
consumption
a key aspect of sustainability; takes many forms: TV, food, etc
social systems
a subset of ecosystem / the environment; consists of…
- functions
- key processes
- key institutions
- key organizations
- outputs
processes are…
chains of things that lead to an outcome
an institution is…
any social entity that has constituents or regulates behavior
an organization is…
a social entity that does not regulate behavior, but may have a constituency
social system outputs (of the UW)
- graduates
- garbage / compost
- etc…
4 dimensions of social systems
- culture
- community
- economics
- politics
culture
- symbolic expressions of meaning & identity
- learned behavior & social arrangements of the society you’re born, rainsed in, &/or accustomed to
community
mechanisms that create & maintain communal interests, purposes, &/or sympathies
economy
production & distribution of goods & services
politics
organize and commit social resources to establish & attain common goals
in-group fallacy (aka group think?)
“f that’s what our group thinks, then that’s good enough for me”
anything that doesn’t fit is seen as a threat or is ignored
keeps America from making progress
socio-cultural evolutions are…
changes that occur as a society acquires new technology
which means… how we evolve as a society is a function of our access to technology
5 kinds/stages of societal development
- hunter/gatherer: use of simple tools to hunt animals and gather vegetation; fairly sustainable by definition, but the people in question would not likely use that word
- horticultural & pastoral: the use of hand tools to raise crops & domestication of animals
- new tech concentrated wastes / erosion & caused new problems… to be solved by new tech
- agrarian: large-scale cultivation using plows harnessed to animals or more powerful energy sources; typically a monoculture (-> disease)
- nutrient depletoin, erosion, deforestation… req’s new tech to solve
- industrial: production of goods using large machinery & advanced sources of energy
- DWVs: nature for its own sake is less valuable
- Compassion mainly for near/dear: NIMBY
- Maximization of wealth/risks are OK
- tech is supreme; no limits to growth
- Lack of foresight
- Post-industrial
- tech that supports an information-based society
- direct-deposit = paid in information
- tech continues to create/solve problems
- tech that supports an information-based society
diversity of any kind boosts ____
adaptability / resilience
sustainability is…
a characteristic of a process or state that can be maintained indefinitely
sustainable development (IUCN)
improving the quality of human life while living w/in the carrying capacity of supporting ecosystems; implies:
- respect/care for the community of life
- trying to improve the quality of human life
- conserve Earth’s vitality & diversity
- minimize depletion of non-renewable resources
- keep w/in Earth’s carrying capacity
- **change personal attitude & practice **
environmental sustainability
the potential longevity of vital human ecological support systems, human communities in general, & the various systems on which they depend
(e.g. climate systems; agricultural, industrial, forestry, fisheries systems)
______ (today) conflicts with ____ (future)
vitality; sustainability
sustainable landscaping
- low-impact
- low-maintenance
- low-resource use
- fits a particular site & climate
“Brundtland” definition of sustainability
meeting the needs of the present w/o compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
social sciences: environmental psychology
study of the interrelationships b/t human behavior and the environment as a unit
