CI - Problems Facing Our Environment and Their Causes (Lesson)

Problems Facing Our Environment and Their Causes

The need to understand environmental topics as they relate to everyday life becomes more important—and more urgent—each day. Yet research shows that Americans, in general, know startlingly little about the environment and even less about their personal connections to the natural world.

Without knowledge and understanding of these topics, taking personal action often seems overwhelming and pointless—yet individual actions are at the helm of many environmental solutions to problems including high energy consumption, water, air pollution, and sprawl. 

To address environmental problems and find an equitable solution, the "issue" must be understood. With subject matter as complex and diverse as the environment, learning raw facts alone is fairly meaningless. The true challenge is to equip the learner with a set of decision-making and problem-solving approaches (Disinger, 1989).

There is much to be concerned about in our global environment. Evidence is growing relentlessly that we are degrading our environment and consuming resources at unsustainable rates. Biodiversity is disappearing at a pace unequaled since the end of the age of dinosaurs. Irreplaceable topsoil erodes from farm fields, threatening global food supplies. Ancient forests are being destroyed to make newsprint and toilet paper. Rivers and lakes are polluted with untreated sewage, while soot and smoke obscure our skies. Even our global climate seems to be changing to a new regime that could have catastrophic consequences.

 

Read Plan B 3.0 Mobilizing to Save the Civilization. This is a long document, and you should save it for future readings.

Click here to download the document. Links to an external site.

 

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