Environmental Affairs

Lesson 4: Linkages between environment and economy –

Exercise - What you can do tips for Earth Day 2002 (EPA)

Though home to only 5% of the world's human population, the United States uses about 26% of the petroleum consumed worldwide, and a similarly disproportionate percentage of the total energy used on the planet.

People in Germany live comfortably but use, on average, about half as much energy as Americans. Japan has a higher life expectancy and lower infant mortality than the U.S., and consumes even less energy than Germany.

Americans' extra energy use is expensive, creates pollution, and adds to the burden of greenhouse gases. Much of it comes from coal plants that can cause serious air pollution and nuclear plants that can cause disastrous accidents if not operated and maintained properly.

Auto Excess If all this excess energy use isn't bringing America the healthiest babies or the longest lives, what does it do?

For one thing, it drives Americans round and round in cars. Between 1960 and 1996, the number of cars registered in the U.S. more than doubled and the miles traveled in passenger cars nearly tripled. Even with dramatic increases in fuel efficiency, the total fuel consumed by passenger cars increased by nearly 70%.

Americans are probably the people driving most on Earth. If you do only one thing to reduce pollution, decrease greenhouse gases, and improve environmental quality, it should probably be to get out of your car.

Take a Hike - Walking is an environmentally efficient mode of transportation that is also provides free exercise. Why not walk to school, to work, to the store, or to a friend's house? You may find you see more, meet your neighbors, and feel energized and refreshed when you arrive.

If you can't take a walk in your neighborhood safely (a lot of crime in a lot of palces nowadays) and comfortably, can't get to work or school on foot, or don't have a store close enough to walk to, maybe you should ask why not.

Or Hop a Train

Is where you're going too far to walk? Take the subway, bus, light rail, or other public transportation. Not sure how to get there by subway? The Subway Page has maps and information for subway systems in 90 cities worldwide.

Do you find your town, workplace, store, or school can't be reached by train or bus? Write and lobby your local businesses and elected officials and contact groups such as American Public Transit Association.

The impact of economic activity on the environment is of continuous concern for environmental managers. The importance of environmental polices and how they are implemented needs to be underscored, as policies provide the guiding frameworks within which environmental management takes place. However, it must be emphasized that environmental management, following policies and under the overall conditions of the economic system in place can not be content with technical fixes or remedial measures.

Sound environmental management is always linked to advocacy for sustainable modes of production and equitable development: it is thus, also a political action. Markets are riddles with imperfections and it would be illusionary to assume that unchecked, free-market forces can foster sustainable development. Just as capitalist markets generate unequal monetary wealth, they promote unequal access and use of the environment. Such inequality is of dramatic global proportions when indexed in terms of a global “energy budget” available to different people around the world. Roughly calculated, each human on earth should have an energy budget of 8 terrawatt (“global” Watt) available. The average European uses about 6 kilowatt (kW), a North-American 11 kW, a resident of China 0.8kW and an African, 0.08kW. A globally equal share would amount to 1.5kW. As the world’s rich countries, and in particular those who intensively embrace and live resource intensive lifestyles, continue to impact heavily on the environment, entire sub-continents stand-by, excluded, marginalized and often in decline. The statistics are indeed bleak and when seen as in the illustration below, more than striking. How long can such imbalances go on, before the pressure cooker in which the global environment finds itself bursts? And already now the heat is being felt inside rich countries as well as in the poorer countries. When will political decisions makers be compelled to make environmentally sound decisions, in line with global requirements? Importantly, how can democratic processes lead to political systems that are environmentally accountable for the actions (and non-actions) while promoting fair and equitable development internally and internationally?

------------------------------ Write a 300 to 500-word opinion on how your own countries’ Government scores against these questions? -------------------------------

End of Lesson FIVE