Ch 20 Environment and Society

Ch 20: The Environment and Society

Dr. Galta

Poll

How are you feeling this morning?

Open Ended

What was your favorite part of the lecture?

Open Ended

What would you like to review as a class?

Environmental Sociology

The study of how humans interact with their environment.

There is a focus on carrying capacity which is the maximum amount of life that can be sustained within a given area.

Also, it discusses extreme weather patterns and policies.

Climate change is real and an immediate threat.

Poll

When we talk about climate change and/or global warming, what feelings come up for you?

• Alarmed

• Concerned

• Cautious

• Disengaged

• Doubtful

Pollution

Water contamination and lack of water --> water wars

Soil erosion and desertification

Garbage: landfill and incineration and e-waste

Air: smog

Toxic and radioactive waste

1

5/19/23

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3

5/19/23

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Environmental Racism

• Minority groups and neighborhoods are burdened with a disproportionate number of hazards/pollutions/etc

• Black children are 5X more likely to have lead poisoning and reside in areas with dumps than White children.

• It also shows in long term clean up area with environmental disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina

• Indigenous tribes have had similar and long histories with historical disenfranchisement with land and sovereignty

​Environmental Hazards

Let's look up environmental hazards in WA

What's being done about them?

Social Movements and Social Change

​Levels of Social Movements

Local occurs within cities and towns

State occurs within states

Global occurs worldwide

​Types of Social Movements

Reform movements seek to change something specific about the social structure

Revolutionary movements seek to change every aspect of society

Religious are "meaning seeking" folks searching for spiritual growth

Alternative movements are focused on self-growth

Resistance movements seek to prevent or undo changes to social structures

Social Change

Social change is how society changes, such as

1. Technology

2. Social institutions

3. Population

4. The Environment

Civic Engagement

• Policy: voting, registering others to vote, contact government officials, canvassing, volunteer or raise funds for a campaign, participate in city or county council meetings, run for office, or join/advise government council, etc.

• Volunteer: community organizations, fundraisers, collect or donate food and goods, etc.

• Outreach: talk with friends or family, create PSA videos on social media, write an Op-Ed or Letter to the Editor, community problem solving, organize or educate your community, contact the media, etc.

• Protest: Organize or join a protect, sign or organize petitions, take part or organize boycotts, participate in peaceful direct action, create art, fashion, music, or film for protest, create or display buttons, logos, signs, stickers for protest, etc.

Research Climate Justice Orgs

Research local climate justice organizations

What is their focus?

What concepts and theories do you see in their work?