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California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Created: July 9, 2004
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Latest Update: July 9, 2004
jeannecurran@habermas.org
takata@uwp.edu

Index on Environmental Issues

• A Note on the Representation of Environmental Risks in the News by DeMond Shondell Miller. The Qualitative Report, Volume 4, Numbers 1/2, January, 2000 Backup

  From abstract: "This paper examines the role of the media in representing environmental risks to society, focusing on how environmental realities are constructed via the objectivist and subjective perspectives. This study explores the construction of reality centered on space exploration, namely, the Cassini space probe. In this study, 200 respondents were asked to read four news articles from various sources and comment on the information contained in the articles. Their comments addressed the extent to which the articles were useful in helping them assess their risk to potential plutonium exposure in the event of a launch disaster."

  I like the suggestion here that we read our newspapers for substantive information, and that articles like this suggest deep reading. That's what's supposed to happen when our liberal arts education involves "deep learning." The TV new rarely go into "deep learning." So I'd like to see us talk about it and its possiblilites in all our liberal arts courses, and even more in our trade tech courses that are job-linked, because we have yet to recognize that "doing a good job" includes being an intelligent and demanding citizen in a representative democracy. And that means "Vörsorge" - worrying about the environmental and economic consequences to the community ahead of time, before harm befalls us.

  I never even thought before about the environmental risks of space probes. We have to learn to think in new ways, moving more flexibly from micro to macro. Hmmm. Isn't that what astrophysicists are saying, that they must learn to consider astro physics and particle physics in one great interdepencent scheme? jeanne

• The Precautionary Principle and its use in environmental issues By Dave Haynes - April 2001 CSEC 401 Environmental Risk. Backup

  "[Germany came up with] the 1974 clean air act, with the typically Germanic extended title Bundes-immissions-schultz-gesetz or ‘Law for Protection against Harmful Environment Effects of Air Pollution, Noise, Vibrations and Similar Processes. BimSchG specifically incorporated Vörsorgeprinzip as a precautionary measure due to fears of acid rain causing damage to nationally prized forests. Vörsorgeprinzip, literally foresight planning, loses something of the depth of meaning that is found in the original form when translated to the English common usage as Precautionary Principle. Vörsorgeprinzip is one of three regulatory pillars in the German environmental policy, the others being Verursacherprinzip or polluter pays, the working of which is self explanatory, and Kooperation or consensus, whereby all interested parties such as trade unions and NGOs are involved in policy formulation."

  I like the idea of seeing how other legal systems have handled environmental waste, and of discovering that more than the cost of cleanup is being considered globally. I like the use of the German word "Vörsorge" - worrying ahead of time - is used to describe this law, and I like the collaboration recognized. Know what an NGO is? A non-governmental organization working to relieve hunger, injustice, refugee problems, etc..

• Environmental Management ENV111: Household Solid Waste in the UK Today By Dave Haynes - November 1997 ENV111: Household Solid Waste in the UK Today. Backup

  I liked the presentation of household waste issues on this lecturel. The graphs and photographs made it more real for me. I'm going to serach for a similar U.S. site. In the meantime, some of you might consider looking at the social construction of household waste in your community, as a shared reading project or a Naked Space Exhibit project. jeanne