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