1) INTRODUCTION TO THEME (1)
In this book Material Concerns, from which three Readings in the Introduction to Working with our Environment are taken, Tim Jackson argues that people living in households, through their demand for goods and services, are the main 'engine' that drives the industrial economy. In fact in most industrialized countries household expenditures on food, clothing, housing, transport, recreation, etc. accounts for about 60 per cent of total economic output (OECD, 1998 p. 77). That still leaves the goods and services not actually consumed in households, but in agriculture and food processing, by manufacturing and energy supply industries, in banking, health and education services, by government, and so on. But it may be argued that ultimately the function of these various 'primary', 'secondary' and 'tertiary' economic activities is to provide individuals and households with the products and services required to meet their material needs and wants, as well as providing employment and income.
2) YOUR HOUSEHOLD AND THE ENVIRONMENT
2.1 Why households are important
Households are units to which services such as electricity and water are supplied and billed and which may share goods and facilities such as cars, cookers and heating systems.
From an Environment viewpoint, which is our concern in this course, a household can be considered as a unit that makes direct and indirect demands for inputs of energy, materials and water from the natural environment and produces outputs, again direct and indirect, of emissions and solid wastes, to the environment.
2.2 Household demands for energy and resources
One of the most environmentally important effects of households arises from their consumption of energy because of the CO2 and other emissions, such as SO2 and smoke, produced when fossil fuels are burned. Domestic energy consumption for heating cooking, lighting and so on accounted for about 30% of all delivered energy used in the UK and about a quarter of UK emissions of CO2 in 1996. For comparison, industry and transport (including transport for household functions such as travel to work, shopping, etc.) produced about 30% each of total UK CO2 emissions in 1996 (DETR, 1998a; Boardman et al., 1997, pp. 2-3). But if you include the personal transport element, households account for about half of the energy used in the UK, and so are a very significant source of CO2 emissions as well as air pollution and other environmental effects (Environmental Agency, 1999).
The demands that are placed on the environment vary from household to household depending on factors such as the number and ages of people in the household, their lifestyle, income needs, wants, values and aspiration.
By and large, the automobile is the only way most Americans travel. Without getting into the details of problems with public transportation, people simply do not consider other options to personal transportation. This becomes especially significant when one considers that cars are the single largest emitter of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The U.S. produces nearly 24% of the world’s CO2 emissions, a third of which comes from gasoline combustion in cars 4,5. Many scientists cite rising oil consumption as the leading cause...
This quote expresses to the reader how the house manages the family and tends to both their wants and needs.
The idea of the home having such a profound impact on the family brought about a movement towards housing reform. An abundance of material w...
Climate change has been a major topic of debate in the UK over the recent years. The need to reduce the impact of CO2 and other Green House Gases (GHG) on the environment has pushed the UK Government to enact legislations (e.g. Climate Change Act 2008) and impose strict regulations on businesses to reduce emissions. These actions have forced businesses across a wide range of industrial sectors to rethink and rework their strategies of utilising energy, transport and land in an efficient manner, which in turn has lead to innovative and at the same time simple yet effective methods to reduce carbon emissions.
The year is 1984. Consumerism is down and a war is exhausting nearly all produced goods. This is the nightmarish world in which consumption and production have been thrown out of balance and out of control. The equilibrium between production and consumption is one of the most important functions of not only our economy, but of the world’s. Without this stability there would be no way to keep the economy healthy and the world resources usable, but it is possible to keep worldwide production and consumption balanced through natural economic mechanisms, and reduced wasteful consumption. First we must understand what production and consumption is.
“The modern form of the word environment comes from an older word that we hardly use anymore: environ, to surround, to form a ring around, to encircle” (Stoll 3). The meaning of the word environment did not become a major factor in the lives of humanity until 1945. The tragic events that led to the end of World War II sparked a chief movement in history: American Environmentalism. Global decision-making changed as well as human unity due to the mere purpose that fate of all people and the environment became intertwined (Stoll 1). I will further discuss the dramatic attempts made by some Americans to bring the importance of preserving our environment to the surface to show if and how we have evolved.
...se of the system + goals of the homeowner, and the amount of work needed to prepare the house for the system (Sunshine, Wendy).
- This is the environment that is most subject to the influences of other variables mainly technology and the economy. Humans are the main products of society and being...
Jeff Butcher and Rachel Hill pointed out the impacts of businesses on environments, by stating “The more of a product that is consumed or produced, the more of an externality that results” (Butcher, Jeff, & Hill, Rachel, 2006). Obviously, we can see that one product produced will bring benefit to consumer, sellers, and manufacturers. Meanwhile, one produced and consumed will cause negative externalities for environment. There is one fact we cannot deny that the more social life develops, the more externalities will be produced to the society. Daily living garbage, industrial wastes, carbon dioxide from factories are most outstanding examples to describe negative externalities to environment (Butcher, Jeff, & Hill, Rachel, 2006). In “The tragedy of the Commons”, Hardin showed us causes of negative externalities. He proved that people assume a...
The physical condition of reservations themselves is low in quality and standards. Housing is cramped and overcrowded, with up to three generations of family living together in one small house. Less than half of these houses have access to basic utilities. In addition, reservations
America’s per capita emission of heat-trapping gases is 21 tons. (“Ten Personal Solutions”) This is four times the global average and it is twice the standard living in similar countries, like France and Japan. This does not mean we should make drastic changes to show improvements. Making smart choices and understanding the areas that produce the most carbon emission, will show impact in reducing global warming. Transportation produces 30 percent of all U.S. global emission. Cars emit 24 pounds of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. To reduce the amount of carbon dioxide being released, use cleaner fuels. Cleaner fuels produce fewer emission when being burn, like cellulosic biofuels. Cellulosic biofuels are alternatives that are produced from wood, grass, and inedible parts from a plant. Cellulosic biofuels can reduce emissions by 80 percent. (“Cars and Global Warming”) Another way to lower carbon emission is to upgrade infrastructures. According to David Biello, writer of the article, “10 Solutions for Climate Change,” wrote, “Buildings worldwide contribute around one third of all greenhouse gas emissions (43 percent in the U.S. alone).” (Biello) Investing thicker insulation can be money saving, but it is a long run because electric grids are in capacity tend to overload and the demand for power continues to rise. It takes a lot of cement, a source of greenhouse emission, to build buildings. The U.S. alone, releases 50.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere in 2005 from cement production. (Biello) However, with energy-efficient buildings and an improved alternative of making cement, it can reduce greenhouse
It is the way that we live and how we consume things in our world without thinking of the consequences that is causing environmental crises all over the world. The chapter goes on to say that types of technologies and the way that the world produces and consumes products “create a framework which ends up conditioning lifestyles and shaping social possibilities along the lines dictated by interests of certain powerful groups.” Which means that only big corporations and those who have a lot of money benefit from the lifestyle that the western world has created, those in developing countries suffer and are most at risk to the environmental phenomena’s that the world is
Living off the grid is slowly becoming more prevalent, and there are a growing number of people embracing this lifestyle because they desire to live The Good Life. Many are discovering ways to appreciate off-grid living, rather than assessing the disadvantages of it. It is obvious that people are removing themselves from the grid in order to combat global warming and climate change, but those who have a stronger appreciation for nature are willing to make sacrifices to live off the grid. People who have a positive attitude toward this way of living are more likely to relate it to pursuing the Good Life. Even though “living completely off the grid isn’t for everyone,” those who dream of living a sustainable lifestyle are determined and fully committed to doing so (Bodkins 1). A vast majority of people dream of becoming wealthy and living lavishly, but that dream does not appeal to everyone. Some people are content without owning a mansion, multiple cars, or earning millions of dollars. Things of monetary worth are not important to those ...
Many people assume that the environment is not in danger. They believe that as technology advances, we do not need to worry about renewing natural resources, recycling, and finding new ways to produce energy. They state that one person in the world does not make a large difference. In reality, each individual's contribution greatly affects our environment. Our natural resources are slowly disappearing, and we must work together to save them and the Earth from ruin.
Household energy conservation is a very practical and realistic approach to conserving energy within our society. US households consume a tremendous amount of natural gas as well as electric energy. It has been calculated that the amount of energy consumed within the US increased exponentially from about 1850 to 1975. If energy continued to increase at this rate, we would be experiencing severe energy shortages in our current society. Luckily, steps towards conservation, including various energy regulations, have curbed that growth somewhat, brining the predicted 160 Qbtu/yr for the year 2000 down to around 93.8 Qbtu/yr by the year 1996. However, household energy usage is still a major issue as households consume about 38% of the total consumed energy and contribute greatly to natural gas consumption and issues such as global warming. Therefore, it is important that people understand how we use energy in the household and what steps can be taken to conserve that energy.