Moving Forward
Hardly anyone agrees on anything, especially when environmental issues are brought up. So how did we reach a point where our values, opinions, and beliefs can so significantly differ, and what does that mean for us when trying to solve present day issues?
Let’s examine the word environmental ideology first. This is basically a way of thinking about the natural world, and how these thoughts justify a person’s actions towards it. Environmental ideology is mainly affected by childhood experiences, a sense of place, and historical and cultural contexts. For this blog, I’ll be focusing on the ways in which environmental ideology has transformed people’s views on plastic and water use.
To begin with, here are some statistics. According to National Geographic, “there are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean” and “269,000 tons of plastic” floating on the surface. And here are some more statistics. “1.1 billion people worldwide lack access to water and by 2025 two-thirds of the world’s population may face water shortages.” Together, these statistics may seem jumbled, but the bigger picture is that in both cases humans are overusing materials (plastic and water) at overwhelming rates. With clear statistics as to the way people are polluting the ocean, and the ways in which water shortages are becoming more of a threat, why is that people, including you and I, continue to overuse plastic products and waste water?
It goes back to environmental ideology, in some respects. As children, some of us may have seen the ocean and felt a deep sense of peace with it. But how many of us were exposed to the sight of beaches covered in plastic, or plastic islands built up in the sea? As children we saw certain aspects of nature and appreciated it, but we hardly understood the ways people could indirectly destroy that beauty. Maybe in present day life some of us feel a connection to the ways in which waves move, or how crabs creep sideways across the sand, or the way pristine lakes glisten in the sun. Maybe some of us have never felt much of a connection to the ocean because we have never seen it, or taken in its beauty, and maybe some of us haven’t put much thought into clean, fresh water. This is where environmental ideologies begin to take effect- some people begin to care for the ocean and water, some people don’t. Furthermore, history and culture shape the way we understand the environment. Some people have been raised in nature, and so they value the impact they have upon it. Some people have hardly seen the ocean, or rural places, and so they don’t focus on the impacts they have.
The first reason our values differ is because of environmental ideologies- what we have been exposed to, and what has left an impact on us.
But what if we both value the ocean and fresh water, but we continue to use plastic, and we continue to overuse water? Our beliefs and attitudes may be affected by norms- “something that is usual, typical, or standard.” Social norms include being rewarded or punished by what those around us also think- maybe others use plastic, and so we feel okay using plastic. Maybe not many people keep track of their water usage in the shower, and so we decide not to, either. There are also moral norms, or the perception of what is right. This may guide us towards recycling and conserving water, if we believe that is the right thing to do.
Aside from norms are contextual factors- skills or resources outside a person’s control. These can include factors like technology, income, and resources available to the person. People in third world countries may have a harder time finding ways to be environmentally friendly because of income or an altered focus on life. Sometimes no matter what people want to do, contextual factors may prohibit them from doing it.
Going into the future, we have to acknowledge that people are affected by their past and present situations. Sometimes people want to be environmentally friendly, and can’t be. Others remain ignorant to environmental problems such as plastic waste and unclean water because of social norms. Lastly, some people simply aren’t focused on ways to benefit the environment. To solve present day issues, we must be empathetic, and understand that people’s beliefs and attitudes towards the environment differ. Only by recognizing various viewpoints and opinions can we find the best solution for moving forward and helping our planet. (778)