Environment

1. Environment Human ecology studies relationship between people and their environment. Interplay of social and environmental determines what happens to society and environment. Groups compete for environmental resources—POET model

2. POET model • P=Population: Higher birth or migration rates increases competition • O=Organization: How people organize systems of transport, etc • E=Environment: What is environs • T=Technology: How tech can help or hurt

3. L.A. Pollution Example • P= Increase of population through in-migration • O=No effective public transport—reliance on private cars • E= Surrounded by mountains causes air trap • T=Inefficient gas engines in cars and factories produce smog

4. Individual Response • Attitudes: 3/5 of Americans say waterway pollution is dangerous and ¾ believe gov’t should pass laws to make business protect environment • Yet in studies people said they don’t want to pay taxes for this or don’t bother to pick up trash left in front of them by someone else

5. Collective Response Westward expansion in US threatened environment—concerns raised by Native Americans, early settlers like John Muir Rachel Carson The Silent Spring (1962) warned of dangers of pesticides in agriculture began today’s environmental movement

6. Environmental movement • Attempt to advocate various environmental issues including water, forests, wetlands, anti-nuclear • Mainstream ecology—Sierra Club • Populist ecology—Earth Day • Radical ecology—Greenpeace and Gaia (eco-feminists) • International NGOs