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Sustainable Management Metropolia, Business Ethics IP week. 3 Collapse. Collapse. Will our society collapse?. Easter island. Classic example for human-induced environmental disaster. Famous for 400 Moai statues, 10 meter tall, weighing 75 tonnes. Easter Island geography. 170 km 2
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Sustainable ManagementMetropolia, Business Ethics IP week. 3 Collapse
Collapse • Will our society collapse?
Easter island • Classic example for human-induced environmental disaster. • Famous for 400 Moai statues, 10 meter tall, weighing 75 tonnes
Easter Island geography • 170 km2 • 3700 km form Chile East and 2000 km for Pitcairn Islands west • Discovered in 1722 by Jacob Roggeveen • He found no trees, no animals other than insects, and an impovered, underfed society
Easter Island • 1955 Thor Heyerdahl discovered that Island was covered once with palm forest, total numbers of trees estimated 16 mln. • Population estimated from thousands to 20.000 • First settlers arrived in 1200 AD • Deforestation complete in 1500 AD
Easter Island • Do you see similarities with our current society? • Characteristics: • Closed ecosystem • Sensitive to destruction • Unsustainable practices
From: Collapse • 5 Factors contributed to collapse of societies in the past: • Environmental Damage (never only factor) • Climate Change • Hostile Neighbors • Friendly Trade Partners • Societal Response to Environmental Change (always included)
Maya collapse • Population grew, while resources diminished • Deforestation, hillside erosion, decrease in agricultural land, man-made drought • Increased fighting over diminishing resources • Drought because of climate change • Kings responses were; enrich themselves, engage in wars, erect monuments, compete with other kings, extract food from peasants for soldiers