Problem 1
Do you think you are living unsustainably? Explain. If so, what are the three most environmentally unsustainable components of your lifestyle?
Problem 4
Explain why you agree or disagree with the following propositions: a. Stabilizing population is not desirable because, without more consumers, economic growth would stop. b. The world will never run out of resources because we can use technology to find substitutes and to help us reduce resource waste.
Problem 5
Suppose the world’s population stopped growing today. What environmental problems might this help solve? What environmental problems would remain? What economic problems might population stabilization make worse?
Problem 6
When you read that at least 19,200 people die prematurely each day (13 per minute) from preventable malnutrition and infectious disease, how does it make you feel? Can you think of something that you and others could do to address this problem? What might that be?
Problem 7
What do you think when you read that (a) the average American consumes 30 times more resources than the average citizen of India; and (b) human activities are projected to make the earth’s climate warmer? Are you skeptical, indifferent, sad, helpless, guilty, concerned, or outraged? Which of these feelings help to perpetuate such problems, and which can help to solve them?
Problem 8
Explain why you agree or disagree with each of the following statements: (a) humans are superior to other forms of life; (b) humans are in charge of the earth; (c) the value of other forms of life depends only on whether they are useful to us; (d) because all forms of life eventually become extinct we should not worry about whether our activities cause their premature extinction; (e) all forms of life have an inherent right to exist; (f) all economic growth is good; (g) nature has an almost unlimited storehouse of resources for human use; (h) technology can solve our environmental problems; (i) I do not believe I have any obligation to future generations; and (j) I do not believe I have any obligation to other forms of life.
