Living Environmentally Sustainable

Week 5







“The greatest threats to any species are loss or degradation of habitat, harmful invasive species, human population growth, pollution, climate change and overexploitation” (Miller and Spoolman,2009, p. 94).






Discuss three ways in which you could apply this concept to make your lifestyle more environmentally sustainable. (Miller and Spoolman,2009, p. 112).”





The impact of human activity on the earth’s biodiversity has lead many valuable species to extinction. The earth’s natural capital is vital to human survival as they provide food, medicines and essential nutrients. Everyday humans can slightly modify their lifestyle to live more environmentally sustainable.



Packaged products in supermarkets such as muesli bars and instant meals consume non renewable resources that pollute the atmosphere and increase landfill. To save on this unnecessary packaging, a healthier and environmentally friendly option is to buy more loose foods including fruit and vegetables. At home the food can be placed into reusable containers rather than using plastic bags that just get thrown away. While at the supermarket, remember to buy a green ‘eco friendly’ bag to re use instead of plastic. Every year on ‘Clean up Australia Day’ nearly half a million plastic bags are collected! (Department of Environment, Water, Heritage, and the Arts, 2009).






Riding a bicycle and walking to work or school is a much healthier option than driving a car. By using the car less saves money plus reduces the pollution and carbon emissions in the atmosphere causing global warming. If riding or walking is not convenient, there are other options including car pooling, public transport or even purchasing a fuel efficient car (Department of Environment, Water, Heritage, and the Arts, 2009).






A simple way to live more environmentally sustainable by saving energy in the house is to simply turn off lights, televisions, fans and heaters when they are not being used. Replacing regular household lights with energy efficient lighting such as LED and CFL bulbs can drastically save energy and reduce electricity bills. Not only are they energy efficient but they are long lasting, durable and mercury free (Earth Easy, 2010).






It is hard to think why people on earth are not living more environmentally sustainably as the options above not only benefit our health but also save money. The best way to remember how to live environmentally sustainably is to‘re use, reduce, recycle and refuse’.

Reference List



Department of Environment, Water, Heritage, and the Arts. (2009). Plastic Bags. Retrieved on September 9th, 2010 from: http://www.environment.gov.au/settlements/waste/plastic-bags/index.html



Earth Easy. (2010). Energy Efficient lighting. Retrieved on September 9th, 2010 from: http://eartheasy.com/live_energyeff_lighting.htm


Miller, G. T., & Spoolman, S. E. (2009). Sustaining the earth. (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brookes/Cole

Week 4 Blog

“Some people believe that our most important goal should be to sharply reduce the rate of population growth in developing countries where 97% of the world’s population growth is expected to take place. Others argue that the most serious environmental problems stem from high levels of resource consumption per person in developed countries, which use 88% of the world’s resources and have much larger ecological footprints per person than do developing countries.



What is your view on this issue? Explain your response” (Miller and Spoolman,2009, p. 93).


Population growth in developing countries and high levels of resource consumption in developed countries are both serious environmental problems. People in developing countries are focused on having enough food and water for survival rather than the impact of population growth. Is it fair that half the world’s population are living in extreme poverty surviving on less than $2 a day (Miller & Spoolman, 2009) when there are people spending billions of dollars on goods and services, depleting the worlds non renewable resources and increasing ecological footprints only to make their lives more luxurious and efficient (Shah, 2010)?


There are 1 billion children in this world in poverty (Shah, 2010), lacking food, water, shelter, health care, sanitation and education. Reducing population growth in developing countries will help condense poverty, which is a major cause of environmental problems. Each year in developing countries 52 million pregnancies are unwanted. (Miller & Spoolman, 2009). To ensure every baby is wanted it is vital to provide family planning services to control these unpleasant figures. In China sons are the preferred child as they are brought up to work and support their parents, this has lead to an enormous rate of baby girls abandoned or left in orphanages (YouTube, 2009). Not only will poverty decrease if population growth was controlled but the depletion of the earth’s forests, grasslands, wildlife and fisheries will be maintained as pressure for land, food and water will decrease.


Population growth can cause environmental impact but no more than what is spent on modern technology, new cars and cosmetics every year in developed countries. The need for these products is putting strain on the earth’s natural capital and polluting the earth with gases and wastes (Miller & Spoolman, 2009). The use of oil for plastics, paint, cleaning fluids and vehicle transportation are causing pollution in the air and water as well as releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere when burnt. The United States of America use 24% of the world’s oil production and only produce 9% (Miller & Spoolman, 2009). At this rate the world will need to find a substitute within 50 years as it is a non renewable resource.

“We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.” – Aldo Leopard (Miller & Spoolman, 2009, p.16)

Providing universal education, family planning and implementing population policies will benefit the world however it is up to humans to rethink the impact of resource consumption to live in an environmentally sustainable society.


Reference List


Berg, S. (2010). Environmental effect of Population Growth. Retrieved on August 26th, 2010 from: http://www.ehow.com/about_5092984_environmental-effects-population-growth.html


Miller, G. T., & Spoolman, S. E. (2009). Sustaining the earth. (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brookes/Cole


Shah, A. (2010). Consumption and Consumerism. Retrieved on August 26th, 2010 from: http://www.globalissues.org/issue/235/consumption-and-consumerism


Shah, A. (2010). Poverty Facts and Stats. Retrieved on August 26th, 2010 from: http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats


YouTube. (2009). Rethinking the ‘one child’ policy. Retrieved on August 26th, 2010 from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ala_GkUE8lk&feature=related

Tropical Rainforests

Week 3

“You are a defense attorney arguing in court for sparing/saving an undeveloped old-growth tropical rainforest from being cleared and developed. Give your three best arguments for the defense of this ecosystem (Miller and Spoolman,2009, p. 67).”







Tropical rain forests are home to approximately half the world’s terrestrial biodiversity (Auld et al. 1995). Biodiversity provides food, nutrients and energy vital for the survival of organisms (Miller, 2009). If humans choose to clear out part of the remaining tropical rainforest for development they will rapidly raise the number of endangered and extinct species, disrupt nutrient cycles and increase the green house gases in the atmosphere. Why would humans want to destroy the earth’s beautiful, lush tropical rainforests where ecosystems have been developing for hundreds of millions of years? (Oracle Education Foundation, n.d)






• “Extinction is forever” (Miller, 2009, p.56). Human activities have a huge impact on tropical rain forests, being one of the major causes for endangered and extinct species. Destroying these areas is degrading the natural habitat of ecosystems which reduces their chance of survival. Tropical rainforests are unique areas that hold endemic species including the Sumatran orang-utan. This is a critically endangered species as its habitat has been cleared for palm oil plantations (The Australian Orang-utan Project, 2010). Species and their environment are vital for a thriving ecosystem.






• Organisms rely on nutrients to live, grow and reproduce (Miller, 2009). Tropical rainforests are densely covered in trees that recycle an abundance of water back into the atmosphere through transpiration. Clearing forests impacts on the hydrologic cycle. When there are no trees or plants to absorb water the precipitation will lead to erosion, floods and run off. Consequently reducing the amount of fresh water in the area (University of Michigan, 2008). As a result clearing the rainforest will create a drier climate as it is unlikely the forest will receive the same amount of precipitation.






• Clearing forests increases the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which affects global warming (Rainforest Facts, 2010). Too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere results in climate change causing the average temperature on earth to gradually increase (Miller, 2009). By choosing to refuse clearing, humans are reducing the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as plants absorb it through photosynthesis and to support the ecosystem.






Protecting the earth’s tropical rainforests should be a main concern for humans as they are expected to be lost in 50 years. Deciding not to develop on these unique areas will protect species, their homes, ecosystems and climate change.






Reference List



Auld, T. D., Bradstock. R.A., Keith. D. A., Kingsford. R. T., Lunney. D., & Sivertson. D. P. (1995). Conserving Biodiversity – Threats and Solutions. Chipping Norton, NSW: Surrey Beatty & Sons


Fauna and Flora International. (2010). Tropical Forests .Retrieved on August 19, 2010 from: http://www.fauna-flora.org/tropicalforest.php


Miller, G. T., & Spoolman, S. E. (2009). Sustaining the earth. (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brookes/Cole


Oracle Education Foundation. (n.d).Species: In the Rainforest. Retrieved on August 19, 2010 from: http://library.thinkquest.org/27257/rainforest.html


Rainforest Facts. (2010). Rainforest Destruction. Retrieved on August 19, 2010 from: http://www.rainforest-facts.com/rainforest-destruction.html


The Australian Orang-utan Project. (2010).The Australian Orang-utan Project. Retrieved on August 19, 2010 from: http://www.orangutan.org.au/palmoil.html


University of Michigan. (2008). The Tropical Rainforest. Retrieved on August 19, 2010 from: http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange1/current/lectures/kling/rainforest/rainforest.html

Week 2 Blog - Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability

Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability

 Humans are superior to other forms of life - Agree

 The earth’s irreplaceable natural capital are depleting faster than nature can renew them. Humans are superior to other forms of life because we have the brain neurons, information and technology to form scientific solutions that will allow us to live in an environmentally sustainable society (Miller and Spoolman, 2009).


  Humans are in charge of the earth - Disagree

 Humans share the environment with living and non – living things that need each other for survival. The environment provides humans with air, water, food and shelter; solar capital provides energy to the natural environment to grow and produce food. Therefore humans are not in charge of the earth (Miller and Spoolman, 2009).



 All economic growth is good - Agree


All economic growth is good as developed countries and developing countries share goods and services to become a more environmentally sustainable society. Economic growth provides people with essential goods and services that improve human living standards (Miller and Spoolman, 2009).

  The value of other forms of life depends only on whether they are useful to us - Disagree


An ecosystem (abiotic & biotic components) includes producers, consumers and detritivores that all forms of life depend on and value for survival even if they are not directly useful (Miller and Spoolman, 2009).



 Because all forms of life eventually become extinct we should not worry about whether our activities cause their premature extinction. Disagree


It is critical for humans to worry about the activities that cause premature extinction of life, as their health and survival relies on all components of an ecosystem. All forms of life would deplete rapidly if one became extinct including humans (Duke, 1996).


  All forms of life have an inherent right to exist - Agree


All forms of life were placed on the earth for a reason whether they were to produce nutrients and energy, consume other organisms or to decompose bacteria. The cycle is never ending therefore all life has a right to exist (Miller and Spoolman, 2009).



 Nature has an almost unlimited storehouse of resources for human use - Disagree



If nature had almost unlimited resources for human use there would be no reason to sustain natural capital which is crucial in today’s life.


 Technology can solve our environmental problems - Disagree


For the last billions of years nature has sustained the environment by using solar energy, biodiversity, population control and nutrient recycling. These scientific principles of sustainability will solve environmental problems rather than technology (Miller and Spoolman, 2009).






Reference List


Duke, G., & Preuss, P. (1996). Investigating Australian Ecosystems. Cambridge, UK:   Cambridge University Press.


Miller, G. T., & Spoolman, S. E. (2009). Sustaining the earth. (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brookes/Cole.


The University of Melbourne. (2009). What is Sustainability Research?. Retrieved August 12th, 2010 from: http://www.sustainable.unimelb.edu.au/content/pages/what-sustainability-research

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