Objective
The goal of this assignment is to study current environmental issues, ascertain their nature, and learn more about which human activities jeopardize the environment.
Results
- The “Tragedy of the Commons” is a social phenomenon, which transcribes when people are faced with a situation of limited resources. The deficit propels individuals to act in selfish interest while doing harm to society (What is the Tragedy of the Commons?).
- A particularly outstanding episode, when The “Tragedy of the Commons” manifested, was in the United States in the 1930-s in the form of dust storms (Schwartz). The subsequent environmental issue is the erosion of soil and land degradation. It happened because of the farmers’ desire to cultivate as many crops as possible without paying attention to the environmental repercussions of their farming methods.
- Farmers rushed to cultivate lands in the Great Plains in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. As the expanse was limited, they plowed as much of the soil as they possibly could, trying to achieve the maximum harvest output. However, their actions destroyed grass, which resulted in a period of serious dust storms and the destruction of farmland.
- 1The Dust Bowls had a profound negative impact on the economy. The government responded by creating agencies regulating the settlement of farmers. Moreover, specific federal pesticide regulations were implemented in order to prevent similar disasters (Wald 188). Federal bands prohibit farmers from using chemicals damaging soil.
- There were no legal disputes concerning the farmers whose actions had led to the catastrophe. Injecting chemicals and using a combined harvester was a common technique among farmers. Thus, it was impossible to pinpoint specific people to be charged guilty. However, numerous acts were passed, including the regulation on soil conservation and limitations of immigrants’ work in farming (Wald 284). These laws would prohibit certain activities from damaging the environment.
- The most important community ethical standard missing on this occasion was the common good. Farmers wanted to gain maximum profit for selfish goals, which is the basis of the “Tragedy of Commons” (What is the Tragedy of the Commons?). Even though they were not aware of the consequences of using chemicals, they were still intent on capturing as much land as possible to the detriment of neighbors and the community.
- Environmental sustainability is a principle of minimization of harm to the environment. It implies ascertaining activities, which negatively impact nature and eliminating them (Helder).
- Non-renewable sources of energy refer to depleting natural resources, such as coal, gas, oil, and nuclear energy. Renewable sources include water, air, sun, biomass, and other substances, which cannot be exhausted by human activities.
- One-third of the planet’s natural resources have been consumed (The Story of Stuff).
- Brominated Flame Retardants (B.F.R.s) are extremely dangerous and toxic chemicals.
- Waste is disposed of in several ways: it can be thrown in the landfill, or it can be incinerated and then put in the landfill. In both cases, all trash is ultimately put into the earth where it erodes and pollutes soil, air, and water.
- The site labels the video as fact-filled, implying that it cannot be fake information. The source itself is not reliable because it is not scientific, nor does it provide references for its statements. However, it can still raise awareness of environmental issues in an engaging manner.
Conclusion
Altogether, people are driven by selfish motifs, which result in damage both to the environment and the community. Today, almost any human activity produces waste, which contributes to the deterioration of nature and the natural habitat. Learning these concepts was not difficult, although looking for an example of a specific example of the “Tragedy of the Commons” was challenging. Ultimately, it is a useful course, providing valuable insight into important environmental problems.
References
Helder, Marjolein. “Renewable energy is not enough: it needs to be sustainable” World Economic Forum. n.d. Web.
Schwartz, Pedro. “Climate Change: A Tragedy of the Commons?” The Library of Economics and Liberty. n.d. Web.
“The Story of Stuff.” YouTube, uploaded by The Story of Stuff Project, 2009. Web.
Wald, Sarah. D. The Nature of California: Race, Citizenship, and Farming since the Dust Bowl. University of Washington Press, 2016.
“What is the Tragedy of the Commons? – Nicholas Amendolare.” YouTube, uploaded by TED-Ed, 2017. Web.